Tag: Royal Caribbean

Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Equinox joined Royal Caribbean International's Allure of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas in a program that tracks ocean circulation dynamics and measures atmospheric and oceanographic conditions, on repeated journeys.

Survey shows that cruise line perceptions continue to sink

Coast Guard responds to cruise ship fire

US Cruise Industry to provide responses on Passenger Safety and Security

Big new ships are safer than the smaller older vessels The chief executive of Royal Caribbean Cruises has defended the use of big ships, claiming that they are safer and more popular with holidaymakers than the smaller older vessels.Richard Fain, whose company sails the world's biggest cruise liners, said evacuation was faster from large ships in emergencies such as the recent capsizing of the Costa Concordia because of the greater number of entrances and exits built into their bodies."The truth is that the newer, bigger ships are as safe or safer than any comparable smaller ships," he said.The Concordia, operated by a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation , was carrying 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew when disaster struck. Commentators were quick to suggest that the problems of quickly evacuating the vessel made the ships fundamentally dangerous.Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas are much larger than the Concordia, each carrying 5,400 passengers and just short of 2,400 crew.Mr Fain claimed that they were not only safer, but a more pleasant way to travel because the money saved from the economies of scale could be spent on improving onboard facilities.Royal Caribbean's bigger ships tended to earn higher guest ...

THe hurricane is barrelling towards Puerto Rico. Royal Caribbean and Carnival Corp have been forced to divert nearly a dozen cruiseships from the path of a hurricane that is barrelling towards Puerto Rico.The storm, dubbed Hurricane Irene, was upgraded from a tropical storm over the weekend and is expected to hit the US mainland by mid-week, sources said Monday.At last check, Carnival had reworked itineraries tied to the Carnival Pride (built 2002), Carnival Triumph (built 1999), Carnival Destiny (built 1996), Carnival Conquest (built 2002), Carnival Victory (built 2000), Carnival Liberty (built 2005) and Carnival Miracle (built 2004).Royal Caribbean overhauled routes linked to the Oasis of the Seas (built 2009), Freedom of the Seas (built 2006) and the Allure of the Seas (built 2010).According to US hurricane advisories, maximum sustained winds have topped 80 miles per hour and further intensification is expected over the coming days.Source: Tradewinds

An explosion at a fuel terminal in the port of Gibraltar Twelve passengers onboard a Royal Caribbean cruiseship have been injured by an explosion at a fuel terminal in the port of Gibraltar.The victims, who received "minor burns and abrasions", were treated onboard the 3,643-berth Independence of the Seas (built 2008) shortly after the disaster began to unfold at around 3:37 pm local time, Royal Caribbean spokesman Cynthia Martinez said Tuesday.In a statement, the company said the vessel retracted its gangway immediately after the blast and moved a safe distance from the dock.The ship did not sustain any "significant damage" and is currently sailing to its next port of call.In an interview with Radio Gibraltar, chief minister Peter Caruanas said the explosion and fire may have been caused by a spark from welding operations but admitted police have not ruled out other possibilities including that of a terrorist attack.According to the AFP news agency, "flames could be seen pouring across the harbour" from a tank containing bunker fuel, "with dense black smoke billowing across the port as firefighters directed jets of water at the blaze."The US cruise giant says the vessel arrived in Gibraltar this morning and had been due ...