2013 Alaskan Itineraries with Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International will visit Alaskan waters in summer 2013 with the cruise line’s recently revitalized ships.

Soon to be revitalized Rhapsody of the Seas will offer guests refreshed staterooms, expanded technological conveniences, and nearly quadrupled dining options on seven-night round-trip cruises from Seattle, Wash. Radiance of the Seas, revitalized in 2011, will alternate seven-night north- and southbound itineraries from Vancouver and Seward, Alaska.

Royal Caribbean Alaska Cruisetours combine a Radiance of the Seas’ sailing with a pre- or post-cruise land tour that totals to a 10- to 13-night land and sea adventure that ranges as far north as Fairbanks. For the land tour portion, guests are escorted by a Royal Caribbean Tour Director. Royal Caribbean Cruisetours include premium hotel accommodations, motorcoach transportation and admission into select attractions. Almost all 2013 Alaska Cruisetours also include a leg aboard the Wilderness Express.

Vacationers also can choose a 13-night Canadian Rockies Cruisetour, which features independent travel aboard Canada’s VIA Rail to Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Vancouver and Victoria. Furthermore, vacationers can choose an 18-night Cruisetour that combines Alaska and the Canadian Rockies for a Pacific Northwest expedition.

Every Friday from May 17 through Aug. 30, 2013, Radiance of the Seas will alternate seven-night north- and southbound itineraries between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska. Alaskan ports of call include Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau and Skagway. Additionally, guests will cruise the Inside Passage as well as get an up-close view of Hubbard Glacier.

Rhapsody of the Seas also will sail every Friday on seven-night, round-trip Alaska cruises from Seattle, calling at Juneau and Skagway, Alaska, and Victoria, B.C. Guests also will transit Alaska’s Inside Passage, as well as venture up Tracy Arm Fjord to see Sawyer Glacier.

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GPS tagging for children on Oasis of the Seas

A tagging system for three to 11-year-olds has been introduced on board the world's largest cruise liner.

Ships have become so big that cruise lines are encouraging parents to use GPS systems to keep track of their children.



Royal Caribbean International has introduced tagging system for three to 11-year-olds in a move that coincides with the launch this week of Oasis of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship. Using an electronic device built into the wristbands that all children on the ship must wear, the system enables parents to locate their offspring wherever they are among the ship's 16 decks.

Oasis of the Seas can carry up to 6,300 passengers and weighs more than 225,000 tons.

The system is linked to a new on-board phone system called Royal Connect which also enables guests to keep in contact with each other and view on-board activities.

The device costs $17.50 (£12) to hire for the duration of a cruise and can only be used on the ship and not for ship to shore calls.

If it is successful, the new system will be introduced on other ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

Independence of the seas nears completion

With only 15 weeks until delivery, Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, Independence of the Seas, took to the seas for the first time on Friday 11th January having reached an 85% complete build status.

The ship, currently under construction in Turku, Finland at the Aker Yard ship yard, will be the third ship in the cruise line’s world record-breaking Freedom-class of ships.

Large sections of Independence of the Seas are nearing completion as an army of over 1,700 workers is currently working in temperatures several degrees below zero with snow forecast. Areas of the ship currently being worked on include the main dining room, the theatre and the upper deck pool area. The ship will be delivered to Royal Caribbean International in late April 2008, two weeks ahead of schedule.

She will arrive in Southampton in April 2008 for inaugural celebrations in the UK before becoming the first ever newbuild ship in the Royal Caribbean International fleet to be based in Europe.

Royal Caribbean International has also announced that Independence of the Seas will becoming into service two weeks earlier due to works being completed ahead of schedule, meaning an additional two sailings are now available on board the new ship from the beginning of May 2008. The new sailings including a four night Cork cruise that departs on 2nd May, sailing from Southampton to Cork and back to Southampton from £449 per person (based on two sharing an inside cabin), and an 11 night Canary Islands cruise that departs on 6th May, calling at Madeira (Portugal), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Gran Canaria (Canary Islands), Lanzarote (Canary Islands), Lisbon (Portugal) and Vigo (Spain) from £897 per person (based on two sharing an inside cabin).

Activities onboard Independence of the Seas will include the popular innovations already found on her sister-ships, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, including the FlowRider surf simulator; the wet and wild H20 Zone children’s water park; cantilevered whirlpools suspended 112 feet above the ocean; an ice-skating rink; a boxing ring; and the 1,215-square-foot Presidential Family Suite, which sleeps up to 14 people.

Find out more about the Independence of the Seas with Hays Travel Cruise - the cruise experts

Independence of the Seas enter's service early

Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas will enter service two weeks earlier than planned after work on the ship completed ahead of schedule.

This now means Independence of the Seas will undertake two extra sailings from the beginning of May 2008.

- A 4-night Cork cruise departing 2 May
- An 11-night Canary Island cruise departing 6 May.

But, don't worry if you have already booked on the ship’s original 17 May maiden voyage - you will be offered first refusal to switch to the new inaugural sailing, which operates the same itinerary (Southampton-Cork-Southampton).

Constructed at Aker’s Turku shipyard, the 3,634-passenger Independence of the Seas will be the world’s biggest cruiseship and here at Hays Travel Cruise we look forwarrd to welcoming her to the UK port of Southampton in the spring of 2008.

Check out the latest offers on the Independence of the Seas with Hays Travel Cruise - The Cruise Experts.

Royal Caribbean newest ship Genesis class

Project Genesis, the largest cruise ship to ever make it from drawing board to production made a significant step in its journey towards the sea at Aker Yards ship yard in Turku, Finland.


At the milestone keel-laying ceremony, the first blocks constructing the 220,000 GRT Project Genesis were laid into the bottom of the dry dock. From here the ship will begin to take its form for the first time.


At 40% larger than any other cruise ship in the world, Project Genesis – the working title applied by cruise line Royal Caribbean International, the company behind its development – is scheduled to enter service in Autumn 2009. Project Genesis will be homeported year-round from Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale in Florida.


Project Genesis is 1,180 feet long, 154 feet wide, and 240 feet high and will accommodate over 5,400 guests, Ships already in the Royal Caribbean International fleet feature surfing wave pools, rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks, children’s water parks and shopping centre-style complexes. Project Genesis is projected to carry on this tradition and include new facilities never before seen at sea.

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