In May 2015, Royal Caribbean International will send its brand new Quantum of the Seas to homeport in Shanghai (Baoshan), China, where the cruise ship will join Mariner of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas in Asia, increasing the company’s capacity in the region by 66%.
Beginning late June 2015, the ship will sail three- to eight-night itineraries year-round from Shanghai to Japan and Korea.
The move shows how important the Chinese cruise market is to Royal Caribbean by putting a brand new cruise ship there instead of the usual pattern of older ships going to Asia.
Meanwhile, sister ship Anthem of the Seas will also be moving in 2015. She will replace Liberty of the Seas in Bayonne, New Jersey, USA for the winter 2015-2016 cruise season.
Anthem of the Seas is the second in the Quantum-class of cruise ships and will debut in Southampton, England, in April 2015 first and then move to New York for the winter. This is a change for Anthem of the Seas as she was previously planned to be sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in winter 2015.
Adam Goldstein, Chief Operating Officer, said: “Consumers in China have grown to expect the best the world has to offer, and Quantum of the Seas meets that standard like no other ship. We are ready to accelerate the growth of this vital market with a ship that will capture the imagination of travellers looking for a one-of-a-kind vacation experience.
“Every trend we are seeing in China tells us we can achieve real long-term competitive advantage and appealing returns on our investments in this fast-growing market by accelerating our presence there. We will have to be nimble, but the ability to move fast is one of our strengths.”
