Royal Caribbean International has launched its first ever stand-alone brochure for Ireland as a key element of its strategy to strengthen its position as the market leader and to work closer with the trade. The 16-page brochure is packed with 2012-2013 holiday itineraries focusing on the sun-seeker destinations popular with Irish holidaymakers, including Europe and the Caribbean.
Some 100,000 copies of the brochure are being delivered direct to agents in early January and a PDF version is also available via cruisingpower.ie so that agents can have the full itineraries at their fingertips while making bookings.
All 2012/2013 holidays offer guests easy air connections from Ireland out of Dublin and Belfast with Aer Lingus, United, Delta and US Airways, with many direct flights to a range of ships and destinations.
The 2012/13 itineraries cater for a variety of tastes such as the family favourite Mediterranean, Canary Islands and the Caribbean, where extended Cruise/Stay holidays to Orlando’s Universal resorts are much sought-after.
Featured highlights include:
- Adventure of the Seas from Malaga, Spain
- Freedom of the Seas based in Port Canaveral, Florida – combining Universal Resorts and the Caribbean
- Liberty of the Seas from Barcelona, Spain and featuring a host of highlights such as the Saturday Night Fever theatre show and Dreamworks characters on board
- Navigator of the Seas out of Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
- Independence of the Seas sailing from Southampton, UK
- The newly-refurbished Splendour of the Seas from Venice, Italy complete with iPads in every stateroom
- Grandeur of the Seas offering departures from Spain’s Palma de Mallorca and Serenade of the Seas sailing from Barcelona, Spain.
The brochure’s launch coincides with the ramping up of Royal Caribbean’s ‘Pack More In’ TV advertising campaign and marketing drive to highlight the turn-of-year offers currently available during the peak booking period until 29th February 2012.
Early Bird booking offers include:
- Dubai cruising onboard Brilliance of the Seas from €459 (cruise-only price based on 11th March 2012 departure)
- Child fares for selected Adventure of the Seas cruises from €179pp
- Regional flights departing Dublin from €149pp to give fly/cruise holidays from €899pp (price based on Adventure of the Seas 7-night Canary Islands Cruise departing 20th October 2012).
Vision of the Seas
RCI has also announced the Vision of the Seas’ winter 2012-13 Caribbean season, during which the ship will visit smaller Caribbean islands less frequented by the cruise line’s larger ships. Guests can choose from 19 Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises, ranging in duration from 10 to 15 nights, sailing from the seasonal homeport of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. The sailings are now open for booking.
The itineraries include:
- Variations of a 10-night Eastern Caribbean cruise itinerary that feature calls at Tortola, St Maarten, Dominica, Antigua, St Kitts, St Croix and Martinique.
- Guests also can choose from a selection of 11-night Southern Caribbean itineraries calling at Antigua, St Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba, St Kitts, Dominica, and St Vincent – a maiden port for Royal Caribbean International. On a Christmas and New Year’s cruise, departing 24th December 2012, guests will visit St Kitts, St Lucia, Barbados, St Vincent, Martinique and Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private beach destination in Haiti.
- In response to customer demand, Royal Caribbean International is also offering four Panama Canal sailings. Two 14-night Panama Canal itineraries will sail from Port Everglades and San Diego on 5th and 19th October 2012 respectively. Two 15-night sailings on 18th March and 2nd April 2013 also depart Port Everglades and San Diego respectively.
- In addition, guests can experience the transatlantic crossing onboard Vision of the Seas. A 14-night westbound itinerary sails on 21th September 2012 from Southampton to Port Everglades, calling at Gijon and Vigo (Spain), Lisbon (Portugal) and Ponta Delgada (Azores). The 13-night eastbound itinerary departs 17th April 2013 from Port Everglades to Southampton, calling at Lisbon (Portugal), Vigo (Spain) and Normandy (Le Havre, France).
Vision of the Seas features two acres of glass walls, offering guests sweeping views of the Caribbean and the landscapes surrounding the Panama Canal. Guests can try their hand at the ship’s rock-climbing walls for a view from the ship’s highest point or choose to relax in the Vision Day Spa. Younger guests will be entertained in the cruise line’s award-winning Adventure Ocean and teen programming, with scheduled activities throughout the day. In the evenings, guests can enjoy the cruise line’s award-winning Broadway-style musicals and unwind in the multiple onboard bars and lounges.
