Shenzhen Business Daily Reading Client Reporter Fan Hongtao
From April 18 to 26, Royal Caribbean's giant cruise ship Spectrum of the Seas sailed north from Singapore to Hong Kong before arriving at its main home port in 2024, Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Port.
The return of this cruise ship to China after 5 years not only marks Royal Caribbean's attention to the Chinese market, but also brings a new maritime experience to domestic cruise enthusiasts. What can Spectrum of the Seas bring to Chinese cruise enthusiasts this time, and what destinations will it take us to from China?
With a gross tonnage of 170,000 tons, the Spectrum of the Seas has a gross tonnage of 170,000 tons, a length of 348 meters and a width of 41.5 meters, and has more than 2,000 guest rooms, including luxury suites, balcony rooms and interior cabins. There are also a number of restaurants and bars on board, offering cuisines from around the world, allowing visitors to enjoy the scenery of the sea while also enjoying a variety of delicious dishes.
The entertainment aboard Spectrum of the Seas is equally breathtaking. From Broadway-style cabaret shows to thrilling water parks, from virtual reality games to children's play areas, there's something for adults and kids alike on board. In addition, there is a gym, spa center and shopping mall on board, providing visitors with a full range of leisure experiences.
According to the person in charge of the ship, Royal Caribbean has dispatched an international professional team with rich experience in the Chinese market for the voyage and hotel operation of the "Spectrum of the Seas" in China, and more than 30% of the middle and senior crew members of the "Spectrum of the Seas" after the resumption have management experience in Chinese routes. In order to ensure that there is no language barrier for Chinese tourists on board, Royal Caribbean has also dispatched a sufficient number of experienced Chinese waiters from overseas routes.
"I haven't been back for many years, so I chose to take this boat this time, and I plan to start from Shanghai and travel all over China. A Singaporean Chinese excitedly introduced his travel arrangements to reporters. In May 2023, Royal Caribbean International Cruises took the lead in releasing the deployment of international cruise routes in China in 2024, and is the only international cruise ship head enterprise to deploy home port routes in China throughout the year this year.
From April to November 2024, the "Spectrum of the Seas" will start operating from Shanghai as its home port, during which a total of 48 4-7 night cruise routes to Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Okinawa and other places will be carried out. From December 2024 to January 2025, Spectrum of the Seas will be transferred to Hong Kong to provide guests with Christmas and New Year sailings. During this period, a total of 8 cruise ship vacation routes ranging from 4 to 9 nights will be carried out to neighboring countries, covering popular Asian destinations such as Okinawa, Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Fukuoka and Nha Trang. These destinations are not only scenic but also culturally rich, making them great routes for tourists to experience exotic locations. To this end, Royal Caribbean has also carried out an epoch-making transformation of the cruise ship shore mode, creating more than 100 boutique tour routes covering popular destination cities in neighboring countries, exploring local natural landscape resources and cultural and historical connotations, and meeting the personalized pursuit of voyage sightseeing by different tourist groups.
From March 2024, bookings for 2025-2026 itineraries departing from Shanghai, Tianjin and Hong Kong homeports will be available through all channels, and consumers can visit Royal Caribbean's official website, mini program, Fliggy flagship store, 400-8850-277 hotline and authorized travel agencies nationwide to inquire and book new routes.