Bookings:
Bookings are planned to open on September 3, 2008, for sailings beginning 12/12/2009.
Some sources say shipyard delays could jeopardize that date, but a contact inside RCCL says that the ship may even be early!
Itineraries:
Because of major port renovations in the Western Caribbean, the first 19 sailings will be to the Eastern Caribbean. Ports of call visited from the Fort Lauderdale home port will be St Thomas, St Martin, and Nassau, with 3 days at sea to enjoy the ship.
Starting May 1st 2008, the ship will begin alternating eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. The Western itinerary will include Labadee (Private Island), Falmouth Jamaica, and Cozumel.
Port Renovations:
Although docking is RCCL's intent, major renovations may cause some tendering at first. I hope that this doesn't happen, because loading and unloading about 36 tender loads could really cut time for shore activities. Here are some of the port rebuilds in progress:
- St Martin is enhancing their terminal to accommodate the 5400 passenger ship.
- Cozumel is widening their pier.
- St Thomas, St Martin, and Nassau harbors will be dredged.
- A new cruise pier and enhanced infrastructure will be completed in Falmouth Jamaica by March 2010.
- A new pier is under construction in Labadee
We hope to get a pre-innaugural visit on the ship to let you know how all of these innovative ideas mesh in real life. I personally dislike ships with large crowds, and can't wait to see how the neighborhood concept works. Can the biggest ship in the world feel more intimate than her predecessors??
