Royal Caribbean decided on features of another Sunshine type cruise ship. The second-largest cruise operator intends to present a premiere route for the new ship in 2015.
The ship will be constructed at the leading cruise shipyard in Germany - Meyer Werft. Royal Caribbean and Meyer Werft have a long and successful history of collaboration. In particular, the largest cruise liner of our time - Oasis of the Seas – was built at the Meyer Werft shipyard.
It is worth noting that Royal Caribbean announced its first order for the Sunshine type ship from Meyer Werft in early 2011. According to the company's plans, the first Sunshine ship will be launched at Meyer Werft in autumn 2014. In a letter of intent the company specified that ensures placing order for only one liner. Now it became clear that Meyer Werft will build two vessels.
New Royal Caribbean projects once again confirm the global trend of the cruise industry. Today it is creation of large tonnage mega liners. In addition to the desire to impress, these projects have a very practical goal. Due to the rising fuel prices creating of big mega liners is more profitable than small ships.
Anyway, new type of Sunshine is still inferior in size to its predecessors - the giant Oasis class liners with more than 225 thousand tons displacement. At the same Sunshine will exceed the Freedom class ships by 4 tons. Each Sunshine class ship will be able to receive 4100 passengers.
Currently Royal Caribbean operates in total 22 ships of 6 classes.
Royal Caribbean has repeatedly stressed that they were interested in fleet differentiation. At the same time it is obvious that the company will increase the number liners by building mega ships such as Sunshine.
As for the small ships, Royal Caribbean plans to start its large-scale modernization as part of the «Royal Advantage» 330-million dollar project. One of the first ships to be upgraded under the «Royal Advantage» program will be Vision type «Rhapsody of the Seas».
Ilya Kalachev
Date: 10/03/2012
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