Royal Caribbean has opted to exercise an option to build a second Sunshine-class cruise ship, that will be delivered in Spring 2015.

Royal Caribbean's decision to build the second of the yet-to-be-seen class of ships signals the company feels good about the project.  The ship will be built by German shipbuilder Meyer Werft on substantially the same terms as its first Sunshine ship.

Royal Caribbean Chairman Richard Fain commented on the decision, "This confirms our continued confidence in the success of this new generation of ships and our strong conviction about the Royal Caribbean International brand."

Like the first ship Royal Caribbean ordered (and is still under construction), the second ship will be 158,000 gross registered tonnes and accommodate 4,100 guests.

Royal Caribbean is getting ready to kick off the summer season in Italy. Among these there are two Voyager Class ships including Navigator of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. 

Navigator of the Seas will offer cruises of 7 nights between May and October from Civitavecchia and the new home port of Messina. Mariner of the Seas will offer cruises from June to September, with a new route of 7 nights in the Western Mediterranean from Genoa and Civitavecchia, from May to October, 12-night cruises to the Holy Land from Civitavecchia.

Another novelty of the season will be cruises of 6, 7 and 8 nights from Venice and the new home of the re-port of Bari with Spendour of the Seas, which completed a dry-dock refit in November 2011, and is ready to return to Italy with some of the most exclusive of the upgrades including more technology, more rooms with balcony, new restaurants and entertainment options. 

Royal Caribbean is going to hold an open audition for singers, dancers and gymnasts on March 4th in Atlanta, Georgia.  Royal Caribbean Productions is looking to fill some roles in its various shows aboard its ships including its Broadway, ice and aqua shows.  

The audition event will be at the Atlanta Ballet and they are looking for talented performers between the ages of 18 and 40.

Anyone interested in attending should bring with them a current photo and resume.  In addition, singers should come prepared with sheet music in the proper key and 16-32 bars of a ballad and an up-tempo song. Must be able to sing various styles of music.  Dancers must be technically trained with a strong background in Jazz. Flying and tumbling skills are a plus.

Fans of the "Jersey Shore" television show can book a cruise that features Deena Nicole Cortese in September.

The cruise aboard Explorer of the Seas departs Cape Liberty, New Jersey on September 16 and sail to Bermuda before returning on September 23.  

The cruise will feature

• Deena will host happy hours
• private events
• a club night in Bermuda

In addition to Deena, DJ Nicky Sibilia will also be onboard the cruise.

Prices start at $1,200 and go up to $2,975 depending on how swanky one wants to get. Additional opportunities -- outdoor games with Deena, dinner with Deena, dance lessons with Deena, etc. -- can also be had for an extra fee.

The Ukrainian government intends to transfer access to the ports of Sevastopol and Yalta to Royal Caribbean in an agreement that was reached. This was announced today at a press conference bythe first deputy chairman of the city administration Sergey Savenko.

According to Savenko, "This company is willing to invest 250 million dollars in the infrastructure to handle the large cruise liners, in the construction of hotels, restaurants, in the reconstruction of quay walls, such as passenger ships require long piers not less than 300 meters."

Sergey Savenkov also noted that "we consider the more expensive option of building a new wharf at Cape Crystal." In the meantime, he says, "the main task for us - removal of the base repair of ships from the South Bay away from the center, most likely in the area of ​​Inkerman, and a marina prepare for the reception worthy of yachts and ships."

As the head of the Sevastopol Sea Trade Port Sergei Tarakanov, "now active negotiations with the investor and the only obstacle to the imperfection of the Ukrainian legislation." "The government is preparing a decree according to which the Yalta and Sevastopol port may be conceded," - said Tarakanov. According to him, "in the next six months, the issue is resolved. I'm sure - this is one of the good lines, just because no one will give money. Investor needs to know what to pay."

Administration of the seaport of Sevastopol is also considering converting to receive large cruise ships dock, however that is currently on loan at the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Royal Caribbean's Splendour of the Seas arrived on Wednesday for the first time in Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil to begin cruises in the area.

A note from the Secretary of State for Tourism, Danielle Holder Novis, says that the arrival of the Royal Caribbean ship was "an achievement of the State Secretary of Tourism of Alagoas and the Municipal Tourism Promotion of Macedonia, who articulated the process."

The 2011/2012 cruise season is the largest that took place in Brazil and according to the Brazilian Association of Maritime Cruises (Abremar), Maceió will receive a visit from nine ships in 37 occasions, totaling over 100,000 cruisers in the capital of Alagoas.

Royal Caribbean plans to make 69 stops in Portugal this year, of which 34 are in Lisbon, 24 and 11 in Ponta Delgada, Royal Caribbean Director Francisco Teixeira said this morning on board the Independence of the Seas, the ship that most often visited the capital of Portugal in 2012.

Royal Caribbean will bring a fleet of five ships to Lisbon, with the vast majority being the aforementioned Independence of the Seas, with 25 stops, then it is the Vision of the Seas on five occasions, the revitalized Splendour of the Seas, Brilliance and on two dates and Grandeur of the Seas, which will come once every to Lisbon.

In total, Francisco Teixeira says Royal Caribbean will move about 200,000 tourists through Portugal.

Earlier this month Royal Caribbean launched a promotional campaign in New York's S-line subway, where they decorated the subway cars with Royal Caribbean prints to make it look like a ship.  Today, Royal Caribbean has sent a number of actors to ride the subway line and personalize the promotion.

Photo by Ellen Wilson

Photo by Ellen Wilson

The surfers with the sea shells to their heads are promoting the "Sea is Calling" advertising campaign.  But Royal Caribbean is having a little fun too with some people portraying characters from the Broadway play "Hairspray" that is shown on Oasis of the Seas.

Photo by Claire Tucker

And if that wasn't enough, these Royal Caribbean people are also offering "surf lessons" inside the subway cars.  Only in New York, right?

One of the largest cruise fan websites, CruiseCritic, has released the results of the 2012 Cruisers' Choice Awards and Royal Caribbean has walked away with a number of prizes for its ships.

Among large cruise ships, Royal Caribbean was nominated in many categories and won the following categories:

• Best For Dining: Serenade of the Seas
• Best for Embarkation: Allure of the Seas
• Best for Entertainment: Oasis of the Seas
• Best for Families: Allure of the Seas
• Best for Fitness: Freedom of the Seas
• Best for Service: Serenade of the Seas

United States Coast Guard reported that a 75 year old cruise passenger had to be evacuated by sea from Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas after he fainted.

The Coast Guard was called at 6:12pm and a 45-foot vessel was sent to take the man and his family to Medical Center of Trinity in Tampa, Florida. The cruise passenger had an irregular heartbeat after he fainted and it was determined by the ship's doctor that the best course of action was to get him off the ship.