By Rosalind Smith, The Cruise Web, Inc.

I recently had the privilege to sail aboard the Quantum of the Seas’ pre-inaugural voyage along with Royal Caribbean’s most loyal passengers, executives, travel industry professionals and the media. It was a joy to witness the christening ceremony of the Quantum of the Seas by her Godmother, Kristin Chenoweth. After a live performance exclusively for us, Ms. Chenoweth began the traditional ceremony with a blessing for the ship, her passengers and crew. She put the smart ship’s improved internet service to the test and with a simple touch of the tablet released the elegantly suspended champagne bottle to smash precisely over the vessel’s name.

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By The Cruise Web, Inc.

Ready to become the most modern and smartest cruise ship at sea, Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, has recently made Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ her homeport, introducing a new audience to her array of innovative features. Robotic bartenders, skydiving simulations, high-speed wireless connectivity and celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Michael Schwartz and Devin Alexander are just a few of the amazing things you’ll fine aboard this grand vessel.

Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., said “Quantum of the Seas isn’t just changing cruising, it’s changing how today’s traveler vacations. It’s not just how you travel, it’s the experience from start to finish. With Quantum we are empowering our guests to customize every aspect of their journey, providing them with an unprecedented level of freedom and flexibility.”

The Quantum of the Seas had her official naming ceremony on November 14th by her godmother, Kristin Chenoweth.

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By The Cruise Web, Inc.

Royal Caribbean is prepped to launch the Quantum of the Seas, the first in their exciting new Quantum class of ships. She’ll be jam-packed with exciting features like a skydiving simulator, FlowRider, bumper cars / roller skating arena, new staterooms and the revolutionary new Two70 entertainment venue. The Quantum of the Seas will debut in November 2014 to start her inaugural season sailing from Cape Liberty, New Jersey. Then, in May 2015 she will be repositioned to China.

You can learn all about these features in our latest infographic: A Look Inside the Quantum of the Seas.

Which of these features are most exciting to you?

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By The Cruise Web, Inc.

Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas is set to debut in about 5 months! This grand ship has already wowed us with features like the North Star and a whole new way of onboard dining that promises to be dynamic. Now Royal Caribbean is releasing information on the music, theater and parties that are going to wow onboard.

So let’s let the curtain rise on these announcements. Keep reading as we detail each new performance based on the ship’s venue.

Royal Theater

• Mamma Mia! – Royal Caribbean continues their partnership with Broadway, bringing their 5th Broadway production onboard. Mamma Mia! has been on Broadway since 2001, the ninth longest running musical on Broadway. The production follows a bride in search of the father she wants to walk her down the aisle. The play features the upbeat pop hits of ABBA.
• Sonic Odyssey – This is an original production from Royal Caribbean and uses amazing instruments designed by William Close. These instruments include an Earth Harp, a 136-drum Drum Wall and a Violin Dress. The show, which is one that is better seen than explained, features a cast of singers, dancers and aerialists.

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By The Cruise Web, Inc.

Royal Caribbean is making bold moves when it comes to growing their brand in Asia. This month they announced that their most anticipated ship, the Quantum of the Seas, will be going to China in May 2015 to home port in Shanghai.

The Quantum of the Seas, which won’t debut until November 2014, is being built to include spectacular features like the North Star, which is a capsule attached to a mechanical arm that takes passengers soaring above the water with amazing views of their surroundings. There will also be bumper cars, a simulated sky diving experience and a three-story lounge with digital screens to back up aerialists and other performers.

When it debuts, the Quantum will be sailing from Cape Liberty, just outside New York City, on itineraries to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. In May, this ship will make the journey to Shanghai where she will be sailing 3- to 8-night itineraries that feature stops in Japan and South Korea. Royal Caribbean is making this major move as a way to gain traction with the growing population of Chinese who are looking for exciting ways to spend their free time. [Read more →]

By The Cruise Web, Inc.

Wow, 2013 was a big year for new cruise ships. There was the debut of Norwegian’s Breakaway in New York City. HRH the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) christened the Royal Princess – Princess’ first new ship in almost a decade – and Viking River Cruises broke a Guinness record by christening 10 ships. Those were only the highlights, but 2014 looks like it might be just as exciting as 2013.

The first ship to make its debut will be the Norwegian Getaway. This is the sister ship to the Norwegian Breakaway, and while she will be similar to her sister in size and shape, the Getaway will have a personality all her own. For starters, the Getaway will be based out of Miami and will feature some of this beach city’s key aspects. She’ll have a lot of Latin flavor at the Flamingo Bar & Grill and the Sugarcane Mojito Bar, and music is all over this ship with the GRAMMY experience, where you’ll see live performances and memorabilia from your favorite rock stars. The ship will feature the first production of the musical  Legally Blonde at sea, and it will also have an incredible magic show at the Illusionarium with its domed video screen. [Read more →]

By The Cruise Web, Inc.

One of our favorite things about the end of the year is looking back at all that has happened. As a company, this year (our 19th) has been an exciting one full of growth. Early in the year we added Viking Cruises to our preferred partners and we also celebrated many 10-year anniversaries and one 15-year employment anniversary. We fit right in with the cruise industry, which this year had some great moments. Here is what we thought were the top 5 of 2013:

1. The Debut of the Norwegian Breakaway – This ship made a statement. She’s not the biggest ship in the sea, and she’s not offering extremely different itineraries, but she is jam-packed with exciting activities and features. Start with the fact that she has a New York theme, where you can get a hot dog from a cart while onboard, then move to the exciting shows like the Broadway productions Rock of Ages and Burn the Floor. You can also find several gourmet restaurants onboard, most notably Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s Ocean Blue.

2. Kate Middleton Christens the Royal Princess – Following in the footsteps of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, HRH the Duchess of Cambridge, formerly known as Kate Middleton, christened the Royal Princess back in June, just a month before giving birth to Prince George. Diana christened the original Royal Princess back in 1984. The Royal Princess is a landmark ship for Princess, she’s larger than any ship in their fleet and offers innovative features like the SeaWalk and a stunning fountain show on the pool deck.

3. Holland America partners with Dancing with the Stars – This year cruisers had dance fever as on all of Holland America’s ships they could take Dancing with the Stars dance classes and even compete to become the champion dancer of their sailing. This partnership, which is continuing through 2014, also includes a selection of sailings where some of the show’s professional dancers, like Kym Johnson, Mark Ballas and Derrek Hough, appear on board along with the show’s most popular stars, including Shawn Johnson and Carson Kressely, to perform, meet guests and participate in Q & As. [Read more →]

By The Cruise Web, Inc.

Dhani Jones, former NFL linebacker for the Giants, Eagles and Bengals, now joins the Royal Caribbean team as a Sports and Fitness Experience Advisor for the much-anticipated Quantum of the Seas ship that will debut in the fall of 2014. Royal Caribbean will be announcing a variety of other celebrity experience advisors in different fields in the next few months. So far the first Experience Advisor revealed was HGTV designer Genevieve Gorder. [Read more →]

By The Cruise Web, Inc.

To ensure their upcoming Quantum class of ships is as glamorous and star-studded as possible, Royal Caribbean has decided to seek help from celebrity experts in design, sports & fitness, entertainment and more. These celebrities will be part of the Quantum Experience Advisors. They will provide insight into different aspects of the passenger experience aboard Royal Caribbean’s newest ships: the Quantum of the Seas, which is set to debut in November 2014, and the Anthem of the Seas which will debut in April 2015.

So far the only Experience Advisor revealed is HGTV designer and personality Genevieve Gorder. Gorder currently hosts Dear Genevieve, a show on HGTV where she answers viewers’ design questions. She has been working with the design team at Royal Caribbean since May 2013 and has had a lot of input in the fabric, furnishings and carpets in the ship’s suites and lofts. [Read more →]

By The Cruise Web, Inc.

If you haven’t heard yet, Quantum of the Seas is well on its way, and this week Royal Caribbean announced the first set of features designed to wow. The ship promises staterooms with roughly 9 percent more space and accommodations to please big families. What really takes the cake are the fun and exciting activities that this new ship will facilitate. Here are our top five features on Quantum of the Seas.

• North Star – This is like an arm of the ship transporting passengers over the edge of the ship for 360-degree views of the ocean and surrounding locales. The capsule is lined with windows and takes up to 13 passengers 300 feet above the water. A trip in the North Star is free, but cruisers can pay for a private ride or to go at exclusive times like sunrise and sunset. [Read more →]