MIAMI, March 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/
-- Thirty-six months, 4,700 shipbuilders and crew, and
one common goal: to deliver the ultimate family adventure. Royal
Caribbean International honored the instrumental project team of
Symphony of the Seas during the highly anticipated delivery
event at STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France today. Michael
Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International,
Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Laurent
Castaing, General Manager of STX France, led the traditional
flag-changing ceremony, which symbolizes the ship's official
delivery from the ship builder to Royal Caribbean. The maritime
ritual was followed by a celebration of the industry's best, the
crew whose hard work and meticulous collaboration came together to
create the world's largest cruise ship.
"Symphony of the Seas is the latest example of how
our people work to push the envelope of innovation with each new
ship," said Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chairman and CEO
Richard D. Fain. "The Oasis Class
has been a trend-setting design, but the team has evolved the
design to build on that success to provide even more incredible
family adventures. We're thankful to have a partner in
STX France that is every bit as ambitious as we are about building
technologically advanced ships."
"It is a proud and exhilarating moment to welcome a new member
to the family. Thanks to our stellar crew and partners at STX
France, we now are ready to embark on this new boundless adventure
that comes to life on Symphony of the Seas," said
Michael Bayley, President and CEO,
Royal Caribbean International. "Symphony will take family
vacationing to an all new level with energy and options never
before found in one place. This ship is the perfect blend of our
greatest hits we know guests love and a lineup of vibrant, new
restaurants, activities and unparalleled entertainment – all
purposefully designed around vacationers' preferences."
"Today is a day of pride for me, all STX France and
sub-contractor teams as we hand over Symphony of the Seas to
her owner as the largest cruise ship ever built," said Laurent Castaing, General Manager of STX France.
"Symphony will leave Saint-Nazaire yard as the ultimate
example of our progress-driven spirit and commitment to innovation,
which are at the heart of our partnership with Royal Caribbean, who
is always challenging us in this direction."
The 25th ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet, Symphony
of the Seas is 228,081 gross registered tons, measures 238 feet
tall and spans 1,188 feet long. She will welcome 5,518 guests at
double occupancy in 2,759 staterooms, including 28 additional
balcony rooms that overlook the ocean or signature Boardwalk
neighborhood. One Oasis Class ship, seven distinctive
neighborhoods, the tallest slide at sea with the Ultimate Abyss and
countless adventures for guests of all ages, the family
adventure of a lifetime has surprises at every turn:
New Culinary Adventures
- Hooked Seafood: This upscale eatery atop of the world's
largest cruise ship in the Solarium serves up the real taste of New
England-inspired seafood and unparalleled ocean vistas to match.
Approachable and unassuming, the menu offers classic coastal
favorites, such as lobster rolls, crab claws, signature fish
sandwich, and a raw bar where oysters are shucked to
order.
- Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade: Stretching the
length of a reimagined Boardwalk, now touting fresh energy and
swagger, the whole family can watch the home team play across 31
big-screen TVs, during the day and into the late night. The indoor
and outdoor arcade, packed with over 20 games, offers the
opportunity for friendly competition. The on-point menu of classic
American bar food features everything from wings, burgers and
popcorn shrimp to picture-perfect sundaes; as well as craft beers
and cocktails.
- El Loco Fresh: Made-to-order tacos and burritos
wrapped with fresh tortillas are among the Mexican "street food"
favorites that will hit the spot for adventure seekers looking to
fuel up with minimal downtime.
- Sugar Beach: The signature candy and ice cream
shop is the sweet spot on the Boardwalk with more than 100
types of candies, a lineup of ice cream flavors and even DIY
activities for the aspiring culinary artist.
New Ways to Play
- Battle for Planet Z: Royal Caribbean's first glow-in-the-dark laser tag
game brings two teams of eight head to head in an out-of-this-world
adventure to determine who will claim the last planet in the
galaxy.
- Escape the Rubicon: In the ultimate race against the
clock, friends old and new must band together in the Rubicon
submarine – a sophisticated, custom-built escape room – to solve a
collection of puzzles before time runs out.
Unparalleled Family Accommodations
- Ultimate Family Suite: A two-level, 1,346-square-foot
suite filled with awesome thrills offers more than enough room for
the whole family – and friends – to come together and catch up on
"me time." Features include an in-room slide, a private
cinema with an 85-inch HD TV, a floor-to-ceiling LEGO
wall, a 212-square-foot balcony complete with table tennis and
a full-size whirlpool. Complete with a Royal Genie, who
caters to every whim, there are many more surprises awaiting guests
along the way.
Symphony of the Seas will welcome her first guests on
Saturday, March 31 for a
one-time-only, 5-night preview sailing, calling on Naples and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.
The ship's maiden 7-night Mediterranean voyage departs
Saturday, April 7 from Barcelona, Spain, where the crescendo of
thrills will be brought to life by the 2,200 international crew
members who proudly represent 77 countries around the world.
Symphony of the Seas will homeport in Barcelona for the summer, visiting
Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Provence, France; and Florence/Pisa, Rome
and Naples, Italy. Beginning
Nov. 10, Miami, FL. will become the
ship's year-round homeport, making Symphony of the Seas
the first new Oasis Class ship to sail from the cruise capital
of the world using Royal Caribbean's new state-of-the-art Terminal
A. The 7-night Eastern and Western
Caribbean cruises will call on Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal
Caribbean's newly revealed destination in the Bahamas. For
more information about Symphony,
visit RoyalCaribbean.com/SymphonyoftheSeas.
Royal Caribbean International is an award-winning global cruise
brand with a 49-year legacy of innovation and introducing industry
"firsts" never before seen at sea. The cruise line features an
expansive and unmatched array of features and amenities only found
on Royal Caribbean, including jaw-dropping, state-of-the-art
entertainment and industry-acclaimed programming that appeals to
families and adventurous vacationers alike. On board, guests are
catered to with the cruise line's world-renowned friendly and
engaging service by every staff and crew member. Royal Caribbean has been voted "Best Cruise Line
Overall" for 15 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers
Choice Awards.
The cruise line sails 25 of the world's most innovative cruise
ships to the most popular destinations in Bermuda and the Caribbean, Europe, Canada and New England, Alaska, South
America, Asia, and
Australia and New Zealand. Media can stay up-to-date by
following @RoyalCaribPR on Twitter, and visiting
RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to
make reservations, vacationers should call their travel agent;
visit RoyalCaribbean.com; or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN.
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SOURCE Royal Caribbean International