If clients miss out on sailing with Royal Caribbean this wave season, then there’s always the next. The line confirms all four of its Aus-based ships will return to our shores in 2016/17.
The cruise line has confirmed Explorer of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Legend of the Seas will once again call Australia home during the 2016/17 season.
They will be joined by the line’s third Quantum-class vessel Ovation of the Seas.
Dubbed the ‘biggest season’ for the line yet, it will follow Legend and Explorer’s first season down under, which is expected to kick off later this year.
Legend will be the first Royal Caribbean vessel to sail out of Brisbane, while Explorer will join Voyager as the second Voyager-class ship from Sydney.
Now confirmed to return the following summer season, the additional vessels will increase the line’s capacity in Aus by 12 percent by providing an additional 5,190 beds from Australia.
Bookings for the four ships’ 2016/17 season go on sale from today and feature new itineraries and destinations.
Travel Counsellors preparing to board Voyager of the Seas last wave season.
In total, Royal Caribbean will offer 71 cruises onboard Explorer of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Legend of the Seas ranging from three- to 24-nights calling at 51 ports across Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, Asia and North America, with departures from September 2016 through to April 2017.
Voyager and Explorer will be used on family-friendly South Pacific itineraries, which according to the latest Cruise Lines Industry Association (CLIA) Australasia figures is still the number one cruise destination for Australian cruisers.
Radiance will specialise in Australian and New Zealand itineraries and for the first time will cruise to Tonga during a 13-night Sydney to Auckland departing 3 December 2016.
In addition to visiting Tonga, guests on the cruise will also stop by New Caledonia and Fiji.
For Queensland guests, Legend will offer itineraries around the state, including the seven-night cruise departing 2 March 2017, stopping by the Whitsundays, Cairns and Willis Island.
Additionally, Legend will offer South Pacific and New Zealand cruises from its Brisbane home base.
Royal Caribbean International’s Australasia & South East Asia Commercial Director, Sean Treacy said the 2016/17 season will be the line’s biggest season from Australia yet.
“We dream big at Royal Caribbean and the 2016/17 season will also see Australasia’s first new-build ship Ovation of the Seas join the local fleet for her inaugural Australian season.”
Sean Treacy, Royal Caribbean International’s Australasia & South East Asia Commercial Director
Details of Ovation’s maiden season from Aus are still being finalised. More information is expected to be released in the coming months.