Royal Caribbean will base its brand new Quantum of the Seas cruise ship in China next year.
The 18-deck, 167,800-tonne vessel, which will mark the launch of the company’s new ‘Quantum-class’, will sail from the New York to Shanghai in May 2015 to start a season of sailings from the Chinese city.
The 4,180-passenger Quantum of the Seas will join Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas vessels in Asia, increasing the company’s regional capacity by 66%.
“These incredible ships will meet the sophisticated expectations of consumers in Shanghai, New York and London. Our mantra for the new Quantum class of ships is ‘this changes everything’ – and upping our game in these key markets achieves just that,” said Dominic Paul, Royal Caribbean’s vice president of international.
“We will continue to deploy our most technologically advanced ships where the demand is, with the expectation of winning new converts to cruising,” he added.
Quantum of the Seas is currently under construction and is expected to be launched in November 2014. It will spend its inaugural season sailing from New Jersey to the Caribbean, before repositioning to China next May. Commencing in late June 2015, the ship will sail a series of three- to eight-night voyages from Shanghai to Japan and Korea.
Royal Caribbean’s new Quantum-class ships, Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, both feature a range of ‘industry-first’ amenities, including an onboard skydiving experience, a large largest indoor entertainment complex with bumper cars and roller skating, plus ‘North Star’ – a viewing capsule that extends more than 90 metres from the deck, out over the ocean.
The company also recently announced a partnership with Jamie Oliver that will see the celebrity’s chef’s Italian restaurant concept feature on both vessels.
“Consumers in China have grown to expect the best the world has to offer, and Quantum of the Seas meets that standard like no other ship,” said Adam Goldstein, president & chief operating officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises. “We are ready to accelerate the growth of this vital market with a ship that will capture the imagination of travellers looking for a one-of-a-kind holiday experience.”
“Every trend we are seeing in China tells us we can achieve real long-term competitive advantage and appealing returns on our investments in this fast-growing market by accelerating our presence there,” he added.
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