Royal Caribbean has announced new 2016 itineraries in Europe and Alaska. Four of the Europe ships will be new to the region, and Royal Caribbean’s third Oasis-class ship, Harmony of the Seas, will sail its inaugural season from Barcelona, while Independence of the Seas will return to Southampton as the U.K.’s largest cruise ship.
In Alaska, Explorer of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship to ever sail the region, the line said in a release. The ship will join Radiance of the Seas for the cruise line’s 27th consecutive season in the Great Frontier. Royal Caribbean’s 2016 Europe itineraries will open for booking starting March 19, 2015, and 2016 Alaska will open on March 26.
As part of all the new deployment openings, Royal Caribbean is announcing a new early booking BOGO50 offer. Vacationers can save 50 percent on the cruise fare of a second guest in the same stateroom with a full-fare guest, when making a new booking aboard sailings departing on or after May 15, 2015. Vacationers also can enjoy additional 50 percent savings on the fare of a third and fourth guest on nearly all 2016-17 itineraries, including the recently opened 2016-17 Caribbean itineraries. Additionally, guests can take advantage of the offer’s buy-one-get-one-half-off the second Premium Beverage Package by noting promo code ‘BOGOBEV,’ and complete their new booking with 50 percent reduced deposits. For more information about BOGO50, please visit www.Royalcaribbean.com/BOGO50.
BOGO50 is valid for new bookings, made between March 11 and April 30, 2015, in Oceanview and higher-category staterooms on five-night or longer itineraries. The offer does not include bookings on Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, and transatlantic, transpacific and China sailings.
New Oasis-class Vacations From Barcelona
After its delivery in May 2016, Harmony of the Seas will homeport at Barcelona and sail a round-trip, seven-night Western Mediterranean itinerary. Vacationers also can embark Harmony of the Seas at Rome (Civitavecchia), but guests must sail round-trip for seven nights.
Brilliance of the Seas also will alternate 12-night Italian Mediterranean and Greek & Italian Mediterranean cruises.
British and Scandinavian Cruises
The U.K. will welcome back Independence of the Seas in summer 2016. The ship will sail mostly 10- to 14-night Mediterranean or Canary Island cruises from Southampton, while Navigator of the Seas will offer British vacationers a wide range of new six- to 14-night Norwegian Fjords, Baltic, Mediterranean or Canary Island itineraries.
Serenade of the Seas will sail seven-night Norwegian Fjords and seven- to 13-night Scandinavia and Russia itineraries, round-trip from Copenhagen, Denmark, in early summer and August, and from Stockholm, Sweden, in June and July.
Italy and Greece Itineraries From Venice and Rome
Jewel of the Seas will alternate brand new 10-night Greece & Adriatic and 11-night Greece, Turkey & Croatia itineraries from Venice, while Vision of the Seas will alternate seven-night Greek Isles and Greek Isles & Turkey cruises. Jewel of the Seas will double the cruise line’s capacity at this city.
Rhapsody of the Seas will homeport at Rome (Civitavecchia) and sail nine-night Greek Isles cruises in early summer and autumn months. From late June through August, the ship will alternate seven-night Greek Isles and Greek & Turkey cruises.
Alaska Cruises
Explorer of the Seas will sail seven-night roundtrip itineraries from Seattle, WA, up Tracy Arm Fjords for a view of Sawyer Glacier. In September, the ship will sail three Pacific Coastal cruises, seven nights in duration, each of which have an overnight in San Francisco, CA.
Radiance of the Seas will alternate seven-night northbound and southbound Alaska cruises between Vancouver, BC, and Seward. On these itineraries, guests will venture into Disenchantment Bay for a close-up view of Hubbard Glacier.
Vacationers also can choose a wide range of transatlantic cruises, which bookend each ship’s 2016 Europe season and combine Europe and the Caribbean on 13- to 16-night itineraries aboard the aforementioned ships. For their part, Explorer of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas will reposition to Australia, via Hawaii.
Visit www.loyaltoyoualways.com