Royal Caribbean International Reveals New Home For Anthem Of The Seas

LONDON, Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The second ship in the new, highly innovative Quantum class of ships from Royal Caribbean International will become the most technologically advanced cruise ship ever to be based in Europe when it is launched in spring 2015. Anthem of the Seas will call Southampton, UK, home in April 2015 and offer cruises to the Mediterranean before being based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for the winter months.

Royal Caribbean International is continuing its tradition of stimulating and growing the cruise industry with new ship investments. The first home port for the 4,108-guest double occupancy Anthem of the Seas – currently being built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany – was unveiled at an exclusive event for media and special guests at the iconic Heron Tower in London, UK, today.

"Our business has a long history with the port of Southampton, and over the last ten years we have annually increased the number of cruise opportunities from the port," said Adam Goldstein, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "We are now eyeing more growth with the introduction of Anthem of the Seas to the UK market in spring 2015. Our commitment to providing unrivalled holiday experiences onboard the world's most advanced and activity-packed ships is unwavering."

The Quantum class of ships will take a dramatic leap forward, introducing more game-changing "firsts at sea" such as a skydiving experience and the North Star, an engineering marvel featuring a jewel like capsule that extends 300 feet above the ocean and over the sides of the ship to deliver 360-degree views for guests.

Cutting-edge transformative venues include the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea with bumper cars, roller skating and more; and the cruise line's largest and most advanced staterooms ever. These new, larger staterooms enable innovation in design, storage and comfort including the industry's first virtual balconies.

These innovations and advances follow Royal Caribbean International's strong tradition of introducing exciting guest experiences to their ships. Previous cruise industry firsts from Royal Caribbean International include rock climbing walls, FlowRider surf simulators and ziplines.

At a cost of €170,000 per berth, Anthem of the Seas also is one of the most architecturally and technologically advanced ships ever built. It joins its sister ship, Quantum of the Seas, which will debut in fall 2014 and sail out of New York Harbor from her homeport of Cape Liberty.  

At 167,800 GRT the Quantum class of ships – Anthem of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas – are 1,141 feet (348 meters) long, 134 feet (41 meters) wide, carries 4,180 guests at double occupancy and features 2,090 staterooms and spans 16 guest decks. This is almost the equivalent in length of 32 London buses, 3½ football pitches, or nearly five of the world's largest passenger airplane, the A380. More information on Quantum class of ships is available at RoyalCaribbean.com/QuantumoftheSeas.

Royal Caribbean International is an award-winning global cruise brand with a 40-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 found only on Royal Caribbean including, jaw-dropping, Broadway-style entertainment and industry-acclaimed programming that appeals to families and adventurous vacationers alike.  Owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE/OSE: RCL), the cruise line sails 21 of the world's most innovative cruise ships to the most popular destinations in the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, South America, the Far East, and Australia and New Zealand.  World renowned for its friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service, delivered by every staff and crew member, Royal Caribbean has been voted "Best Cruise Line Overall" for 10 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Reader's Choice Awards.

Media can stay up-to-date by following @RoyalCaribPR on Twitter, and visiting RoyalCaribbeanInternationalPR.tumblr.com and RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com.  Travel professionals should go to CruisingPower.com; or call (800) 327-2056; and follow Facebook.com/VickiLovesTravelAgents.  For additional information or to make reservations, vacationers should call their travel agent; visit RoyalCaribbean.com; or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/RoyalCaribbean or on Twitter @RoyalCaribbean.

SOURCE Royal Caribbean International