Spectrum Of The Seas

Spectrum of the Seas cruise ship is Royal Caribbean's first Quantum-Ultra class vessel designed and built specifically for the Chinese market. Quantum-Ultra is an upgraded (enlarged and enhanced) version of the Quantum-class ships Anthem, Quantum and Ovation.

History - construction and ownership

Royal Caribbean International (RCI) is an US company, trademarked brand and subsidiary owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL, shipowner). RCI was established in 1968 and currently has over 1/5 of the worldwide cruise market. RCI also has RCCL's largest fleet as both number of vessels and GT tonnage (ship sizes and capacities). All Royal Caribbean liners have names ending with "of the Seas".

The Spectrum ship was specifically designed for customers from China and South Asian countries.

Itineraries

Spectrum Of The Seas itinerary program is based on Asian cruises leaving from China (homeports Hong Kong and Shanghai). The inaugural cruise (16-night Suez Canal repositioning itinerary) was from Barcelona to Dubai (departure on April 18, 2019). The second repositioning cruise segment was from Dubai to Singapore (14-night, themed "Spice Route Cruise", departure May 4).

The combined maiden voyage (51-day "Global Odyssey" Barcelona to Shanghai) visited ports in 13 countries. The relocation cruise was available for booking in 5 segments. Cruises from Shanghai visit ports in Japan, Philippines and Far East Russia (Vladivostok). From Hong Kong and Shanghai are offered also mini cruises (4-day, one-port itineraries) to Vietnam (Danang) and to Japan (Naha or Kagoshima).

From homeport Singapore, Spectrum OTS offered three itineraries - 3-day to Port Klang/Kuala Lumpur Malaysia (May 18 roundtrip), 4-day to Penang Malaysia (May 21 roundtrip) and 9-day repositioning Singapore-Shanghai (May 25) visiting Vietnam (Saigon, Nha Trang) and Hong Kong (overnight).

From Shanghai, Spectrum OTS cruises on 4 roundtrip itineraries:

• 7-day "Best Of Japan" (Kobe, Yokohama)
• 5-day "Kagoshima and Okinawa" (Kagoshima, Naha)
• 4-day "Best Of Okinawa" (to Naha)
• 4-day "Best Of Kagoshima" (to Kagoshima)

In summer 2020, the liner visits Tokyo Japan (with overnight stays) docking at port's new cruise terminal Shinkyaku Pier. Tokyo is included in two special voyages with planned departures on July 25 (out of Shanghai) and August 2 (out of Tokyo).

From Hong Kong, Spectrum OTS cruises on 3 roundtrip itineraries:

• 7-day "Japan and Philippines" (Naha, Salomague Island, Luzon Island/Subic Bay)
• 5-day "Best Of Vietnam" (Da Nang, Nha Trang)
• 4-day "Best Of Chan May" (to Da Nang, Vietnam)

Cabins

Most Spectrum OTS staterooms are balconied and 100-185-ft2 insides. The largest (Ultimate Family Suites / 2-Bedroom Loft Suites) are sized 1640 ft2 (152 m2) with 610 ft2 (57 m2) balcony. The 2-story Family Suites feature 3D cinema and indoor slide.

"Golden Suite" is a new cabin category with VIP amenities - exclusive dining room, bar-lounge, sundeck. The “Royal Suite Class” booking category (suite accommodations only) provides Quantum's highest paying passengers with the ultimate all-inclusive cruise experience of Royal Caribbean, marked by Coastal Kitchen exclusive access, 24-hour personal butler service, included gratuities, all-inclusive drinks, free Internet and thermal suite unlimited access. Spectrum OTS also has wheelchair-accessible cabins and virtual balconies (interior rooms with real-time oceanviews).

Compared to the Oasis-class ships, Spectrum has larger staterooms, more connecting family cabins, new studio staterooms (for solo travelers). Spectrum is also RCI fleet's first liner with an exclusive suites-only complex. The enclave is located forward on decks 13-15-16 and consists of Golden- and Silver- categories suites grouped in a private complex. Golden and Silver passengers are provided with exclusive keycard access, private lift, exclusive restaurant and bar-lounge. Suites-exclusive amenities also include access to "The Balcony" (private sundeck area on Deck 16) and "The Boutique" (VIP shopping area on Deck 15, also providing information and booking of private/customized shopping tours ashore).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Passengers on Spectrum of the Seas are offered plenty dining options to choose from, with multiple choices for light bites as well. Reservations for all restaurants can be made online ahead of cruise. Though not required, reservations are definitely recommended to ensure guests get to eat where they want, when they want. Food and service at the main restaurants is varied and offers an array of experiences.

Follows the complete list of Spectrum of the Seas restaurants and food bars.

• 3-level Main Dining Room restaurant (capacity 1844 seats) serves Chinese and International cuisine specialties with additional a la carte menu items. Menus rotate each day of the voyage.
• Silver Dining (Suite-passengers only) complimentary restaurant
• Golden Dining and Lounge (complimentary and exclusive / Suite-passengers only) complimentary restaurant
• Teppanyaki (Japanese Hibachi specialty restaurant)
• Wonderland’s Dadong is a Chinese restaurant via partnership with celebrity chef Dong Zhenxiang.
• Windjammer Marketplace is the buffet restaurant offering Early Breakfast, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The restaurant is complimentary and approx 1/5 larger in comparison to Quantum-Class liners. Among the dishes offered at the buffet restaurant are noodles, pizzas by the slice, Teppanyaki (Japanese cuisine with iron griddle-cooked meals) and Chinese hot pot food.
• Chops Grille is a specialty steakhouse/seafood restaurant.
• Chef’s Table (14-guest capacity, gourmet private dining package)
• Jamie’s Italian Restaurant is via partnership with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
• Izumi Japanese Cuisine is a specialty restaurant.
• The Cafe @ Two70° (casual dining marketplace/cafe bar)
• "Leaf and Bean" is a Cafe Restaurant / Patisserie / Coffee Shop / Tea Room offering traditional Chinese beverages and snacks, authentic teas, coffee drinks, fresh-baked pastries and gourmet desserts.
• Solarium Bistro (healthy dining menu, ex-“Devinly Decadence”)
• Noodle Bar
• Splashaway Cafe (poolside indoor food bar)
• Sichuan Red (Chinese specialty restaurant) serves authentic cuisine specialties traditional for China's Sichuan province.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Guests on Spectrum of the Seas are free to enjoy 16 decks, with a top deck featuring solarium for adults, an outdoor pool, a new indoor pool with a roof system and H2O Zone kids' aqua park. Additional facilities aboard the cruise ship include a surf simulator, a rock climbing wall measuring 40ft above the deck, a spa, a casino, and an outdoor movie screen.

Spectrum OTS (and all Quantum-Class liners) feature as unique facilities "iFly by RipCord" (skydiving simulator at fee, reservations are required) and "North Star" (jewel-shaped glass capsule) rising 300 ft (92 m) above sea level for 360-degree views above the ship. North Star is at fee and also can be privately booked (for special events). At "iFly by RipCord", each passenger is fitted with goggles, helmet and jumpsuit before jumping into the chamber (1-min sessions). These vessels also have Bionic Bar where "bartending robots" mix up cocktails ordered via tablet.

Follows the complete list of Spectrum of the Seas lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Royal Theater (1299-seat, features 3D Movies, aerial acrobatic performances and Broadway-style productions). Exclusively for Spectrum OTS, Royal Caribbean developed two original musical productions (both with hi-tech special effects) held at Royal Theater - "The Effectors" and "Showgirl! Present Future". The Effectors is themed on 4 superheroes - Captain Coreo (leader, has powers to control all movements), Lume (sassy supergirl, has power to control light and all visual creations), Pixel (sexy and mysterious supergirl, has power to control all images and projectionS) and Reverb (unpredictable superhero with enormous power to control sounds). Spectrum's superheroes fight Crash - the evil enemy who tries to control the world - and to hinder the show. The Showgirl production combines modern choreography, vocal performances, costumes, innovative video- and light effects.
• Music Hall (2-deck high live entertainment venue)
• Two70° Lounge (3-deck high relaxation lounge) features interactive floor-ceiling windows, a 6-person troupe (providing live entertainment), Vistarama media projection technology (transforming lounge's wall-to-wall windows into a 135x22 ft / 41x7 m tall screen), Roboscreens (mobile screens "dancing" in synchrony with the music), special visual effects. Exclusively for Spectrum OTS' Two70 Lounge, RCI developed "The Silk Road" production. This show is themed on world's diverse cultures and music of the countries along the Silk Road (a network of ancient trade routes connecting Asia with Europe). This original RCI production is combined with lounge's signature technologies Vistarama and Roboscreens. At Two70 is also held the "Expedition Two70" (reality gaming) featuring scenes like fantasy-type temples and ruins.
• Photo Gallery and Shop; SeaTrek Shop (diving equipment)
• Diamond Club Lounge and Bar (past guests only); Concierge Club and Lounge (suite- and past guests only); Golden Room / Card Room
• Bionic Bar, NorthStar Bar, Schooner Bar (piano bar); Sky Bar; Vintages Wine Bar
• Royal Esplanade (an area between the boutique shops and restaurants on decks 4 and 5; part of it is “The Via” with the Vintages wine bar, Port Merchants and Jamie’s)
• Casino Royale; Casino VIP
• Star Moment (Karaoke Room for private parties and singalongs)
• Outdoor Movie Screen
• Cafe Promenade (24-hour; serves snacks and drinks, as well as Starbucks specialty coffee)
• Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center
• Focus (Photo Gallery and Shop)
• Solarium lounge (includes Solarium Cafe, pool bar and adults only pool area); Solarium Bar
• Video Games Arcade; The Living Room and Night Club teen areas; Royal Babies and Tots Nursery; Adventure Ocean kids lounge area; Workshop (family venue); H2O Zone family and kids area; Kung Fu Panda
• North Star; FlowRider (surf simulator); RipCord by iFly; Jogging Track; Rock-climbing Wall
• Sky Pad topdeck aft-located bungee trampoline with optional virtual reality gaming headsets.
• "Battle for Planet Z" (laser tag course at Studio B) allows two 8-person teams to fight against each other to claim galaxy's last planet.
• SeaPlex (the largest sports complex at sea) offers roller skating, bumper cars, circus school, full-sized basketball court for American basketball, table tennis, fencing, archery. Spectrum OTS' SeaPlex has fleet's first reality walls and flooring for interactive experiences. Outside SeaPlex (on the exterior deck near the rock-climbing wall) will be positioned a large-size (33 ft / 10 m tall) animal statue (yet to be revealed).

On June 24, 2017, the shipowner Royal Caribbean (RCCL) filed a trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office for the vessel name "Spectrum of the Seas". In September 2014, RCCL trademarked "Spectrum of the Seas", but the trademark was abandoned on September 14, 2015.

On August 16, 2017, was held the steel-cutting ceremony, marking the official start of the vessel's construction. On November 8, 2017, was vessel's keel-laying ceremony held at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg Germany. Traditionally, newly-minted lucky coins were placed under the hull's first building block (out of all 74 blocks). All these mega-blocks (hull and superstructure) are constructed and pre-assembled at Neptun Werft Shipyard (Rostock Germany), then loaded (via hydraulics) onto pontoons and shipped down Ems River to the shipyard in Papenburg.

Spectrum OTS is the first "Quantum-Ultra" class liner specifically designed for operations in Asia (China and Asia-Pacific regions). As of 2017, RCI had 6 ships on order (under construction). Vessel's launch (float-out from drydock) was on February 25, 2019. Then it was berthed at shipyard's outfitting pier to receive the funnel and North Star structure. The conveyance through Ems River to North Seas (for sea trials) was in March. Following the float-out of Spectrum OTS, into the covered building dock N2 was maneuvered back the hull of Norwegian Encore (NCL).

Spectrum OTS' conveyance from Papenburg Shipyard to Eemshaven (down Ems River) was scheduled for March 19, 2019 (starting at 6 pm) and ending on March 21. Followed sea trials (in North Sea) to check vessel's technical equipment and navigation capabilities. Following the sea trials, the ship arrived in Bremerhaven Germany. Next is listed the conveyance schedule:

• March 19 - 6:30 pm (waiting in Papenburg), 7 pm (passing Dockschleuse (shipyard's river lock)
• March 20 - 1:30 am (passing Weener Bridge), 6 am (passing Jann-Berghaus-Bridge / Leer), 10:15 am (arriving in Emsperrwerk shipyard), 11: 45 am (passing Emsperrwerk), 1:15 pm (passing Emden Germany)

Meyer Werft officially delivered the liner to RCI on April 11, 2019. The ceremony (held at Meyer Werft's Bremerhaven Shipyard) was attended by Richard Fain (RCCL's Chairman and CEO), Michael Bayley (RCI's President and CEO) and Bernard Meyer (Meyer Werft's owner). Ship's Captain is Captain Charles Teige (previously Master of Liberty of the Seas).

Liner's christening ceremony was on June 3 (2019) in Shanghai China, after completing the 46-day relocation cruise from Europe. The naming ceremony (held at Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal) also marked Royal Caribbean’s 10th year in China. The event was attended by Michael Bayley (RCI's President and CEO), the couple Xiaoming Huang and Angelababy (godparents), Chinese celebrities.

On October 17, 2016, RCCL filed a trademark application with the US Patent and Trademark Office for the cruise ship name "Icon of the Seas". RCI previously announced the order of two vessels for the new Icon-class of ships (LNG-powered, with fuel cell technology).

The vessel names "Apex of the Seas" (serial number 87507244) and "Joy of the Seas" (serial number 87507232) were trademarked on June 27, 2017. Both names were previously registered on September 14, 2014, but abandoned a year later (September 14, 2015).

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2019

Next tables show the liner's maiden voyages (segments of the "Spice Route" repositioning cruise from Europe to China) with prices per person (cheapest double-occupancy Interior Cabin rates).

16-day Suez Canal repositioning from Barcelona to Dubai - prices started from USD 1050 pp. Vessel's Suez Canal crossing fees were reportedly USD 964,000.

13-day repositioning from Dubai to Singapore - prices from USD 1050 pp

3-day Inaugural Asian cruise roundtrip from Singapore (themed "Tour Of Malaysia") - prices from USD 420 pp

9-day repositioning from Singapore to Shanghai - prices from USD 1130 pp

7-day Inaugural Japan cruise roundtrip from China (themed "Best Of Japan") - prices from USD 15000 pp

8-day Inaugural Japan and Russia cruise from China - prices from USD 1300 pp

4-day repositioning from Shanghai to Hong Kong - prices from USD 490 pp

4-day Inaugural cruise roundtrip from Hong Kong (themed "Best Of Chan May") prices from USD 720 pp

Godspeed to the new ship!