Royal Caribbean has entered into a strategic relationship with the municipal government of Xiamen and China World Cruises (CWC) in China including the CWC, a wholly owned subsidiary of property developer based in Beijing and the theme park of Shan-Hai-Shu, disposing of the Legend of the Seas for a total of four months in 2012.

During the four months, Royal Caribbean International operates 21 cruise, with departures from three to for eight nights from Xiamen and Shanghai, Tianjin and Hong Kong to ports of call in Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan and Korea. The five-night inaugural cruise from Hong Kong on March 20, 2012, while the first departure of the guests of Xiamen will be March 26.

The agreement with the full support of the Xiamen Municipal Government, is part of the development plan of the government of Xiamen, the fourth port-based Royal Caribbean International in China, after Shanghai, Tianjin and Hong Kong.

"This is an incredible opportunity for Royal Caribbean International, the municipal government of Xiamen and China World Cruises, and is truly unique to the rapid growth of the cruise industry in Asia," says Dr. Liu Zinan, CEO of the group Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in China and Asia. "We are the first cruise brand to gather support from local governments and the private sector."

Working with the Xiamen municipal government, the CWC intends to invest about $ 5 billion in the Xiamen area facing the sea and the port area to develop a cruise port with an amusement park, shops, luxury hotels, condominiums and a new cruise terminal. Xiamen is located between Shanghai and Hong Kong, is less than 200 kilometers from Taipei, Taiwan, and is one of the most important ports and fastest growing along China's coast.

"China has great opportunities for the cruise industry, including the development of port infrastructure, and attracts tourists from around the world," said Michael Bayley, senior vice president of Royal Caribbean Cruises International Ltd.. "These are exciting times and we are delighted to work with the Xiamen Municipal Government and China World Cruises on this strategic partnership."

The Legend of the Seas is an award winning boat that has been operating in Asia, outside of Singapore since 2008 and in Shanghai since 2010.

"We believe that Royal Caribbean International is the right brand to work on developing the cruise industry in China," says George Buge Zhang, president of China World Cruises. "In a few years, has established itself as the market leader and have proven they know local market conditions and the needs and preferences of Chinese consumers."

The strategic agreement with the municipal government of Xiamen and China World Cruises follows the announcement that in June 2012 put the Royal Caribbean International Voyager of the Seas in the seas of China. Offering a variety of routes, between four and eight nights, the Voyager of the Seas will double the size of all cruise ships operating in China and the Asia-Pacific.

With 14 passenger decks and cabins 1556, Voyager of the Seas will begin its 2012 season in Asia with a cruise from Singapore, followed by tours of Shanghai (Baoshan) and Tianjin, including the ports of Kobe and Fukuoka, Japan, and Busan and Jeju in Korea until October. Voyager of the Seas will begin 14-night cruise departing from Sydney, Australia, November 24, 2012 to other ports in Australia and New Zealand, while the trails in early 2013 will include stops in Tasmania and the South Pacific.

The announcement of the agreement and the deployment of the Voyager of the Seas in Shanghai in 2012 as part of the strategy of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "to the diversification and global growth.

Photo by zildjian79590

Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas will sail out of Xiamen, China as its homeport for the first time with its maiden voyage on Oct 19, 2011.  The cruise will feature five days and four nights itineraries.

Xiamen will become the fourth Chinese city Royal Caribbean has chosen to be a homeport once it conducts its cruises in October.  For its first cruise, Legend of the Seas will visit Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Royal Caribbean will continue to serve China with regular service in 2012 and will also add Voyager of the Seas to the mix as well later in the year.

Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas made a stop today in Taichung, Taiwan. The city's deputy mayor characterized the passengers as mostly from Europe, China and Australia.

To welcome the passengers, Taichung City Deputy Mayor Tsai Ping-kun greeted them at the port and gave the tourists an aboriginal-style welcome, offering them Taichung's famous sun cakes and seasonal fruits such as lychees.

In addition, the city provided ground transportation services for the Chinese tourists on board, who were visiting Taiwan under the recently introduced individual traveler program.

Legend of the Seas is scheduled to depart Taichung for Keelung Port later in the day. It was its eighth call at Taichung Port, the most recent being in March 2009.

Royal Caribbean is planning a spending spree to upgrade its fleet of cruise ships over the next three years to help keeps its older ships competitive in the cruise market.  

This $300 million revitalization called "Royal Advantage", will allow most of its Vision, Voyager and Radiance class vessels to get a series of upgrades including

• Restaurants from Oasis Class of ships
  • Chops Grille steakhouse
  • Rita's Cantina Mexican restaurants
  • Izumi Restaurant (sushi)
  • Chops Grille (Steak house)
  • Park Café (sandwiches and salads)
  • Boardwalk Doghouse (brats and wieners)
• New cabin designs
• Royal Babies and Tots Nursery
• Wi-fi throughout ship
• Digital Wayfinding Systems
• Oversized LED video screens on pool decks

There's more planned but no details are available quite yet.  These changes sound quite similar to the changes that have already been made to ships such as Radiance of the Seas mostly recently.

These overhauls will require each ship to enter into a lengthy drydock process where the ship will get its upgrades.  The schedule of upgrades are as follows

1. Splendour of the Seas - November 2011
2. Rhapsody of the Seas - March 2012
3. Grandeur of the Seas - May 2012
4. Serenade of the Seas - November 2012
5. Legend of the Seas - 2013 or 2014
6. Vision of the Seas - 2013 or 2014
7. Navigator of the Seas - 2013 or 2014
8. Voyager of the Seas - 2013 or 2014
9. Explorer of the Seas - 2013 or 2014
10. Adventure of the Seas - 2013 or 2014
11. Brilliance of the Seas - 2013 or 2014

We know that the overhaul for Splendour, Grandeur and Serenade of the Seas will take place in Cadiz, Spain after Royal Caribbean signed a deal to have those ships rehauled there last month.

Royal Caribbean also mentioned that Independence of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas will receive smaller, less significant upgrades.

Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein is excited about the changes that will help keep the cruise line competitive, "The Royal Advantage revitalizations takes many of the best features that we have created in recent years and introduces them across our fleet, offering our guests enhanced vacation choices around the world."

If you're looking to explore Southeast Asia, Royal Caribbean is set to introduce a series of  itineraries to popular ports-of-call in Malaysia, as well as new ports such as Ho Chi Minh and Bali for the cruise season of November 2011 to March 2012 aboard Legend of the Seas.

This is the second season Legend of the Seas will be operating out of Singapore and based on last year's options, there's a lot of great choices.  Legend of the Seas will offer many different types of shore excursions at each port.  There are sightseeing excursions, shopping excursions, cultural excursions and more.

Excursions can cost between 5-7 hours and cost between $25 - 52 per adult.

Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas recently feaured award-winning chocolatier Then Chui Foong was aboard the cruise ship to create a chocolate sculpture in an exclusive demonstration, which had never been done at sea.

TODAYOnline was able to sample the chocolate offerings aboard this ship, such as a cherry on the ile flottante (a French dessert called "Floating Island").

"It's like a fantasy, so I made it look like flowers blooming. To me, it's like the sea and blossoms and sunshine."

Foong described the art of making chocolate sculptures and the challenges that come with it, "Making a chocolate sculpture is very technical, and I was without the usual equipment and utensils.  But I overcame that by using the most basic techniques - just hot water to melt the chocolate slightly and to adjust the temperature quickly, so that I could assemble the showpiece in half an hour."

Photo by Cheryl Tiu

After the devastating earthquake struck Japan earlier this year, Royal Caribbean halted all stops to the country but we're hearing now that Royal Caribbean is planning on resuming port of call service to the Asian country.

Thanks to Japan's ability to stabilize the situation, Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas will start making calls in Japan starting with Okinawa on  August 1, 2011, following its Hong Kong summer season.

Legend of the Seas will offer 11 sailings including a number of charters to various Japanese ports-of-call such as Okinawa, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Beppu, Nagasaki and Hokkaido, out from Hong Kong, Tianjin and Shanghai, from late July to early October.

These newly planned itineraries are based mostly on Legend of the Seas' original trips that were planned for this year and are areas that are not affected by the tsunami and nuclear crisis.

Royal Caribbean Regional Director of Asia Pacific thinks its time for Royal Caribbean to return to Japan, "Judging from the current situation in Japan, we are well-assured of the safety of traveling to Japan. Japan has always been an attractive tourist destination and its show of great resilience in the face of the recent crisis has given travelers the confidence to visit the country again. Travellers also understand that visiting these cities on a cruise ship is a safe and hassle-free option.”

Royal Caribbean had canceled stops in Japan after the earthquake devastated the country and has now officially decided to change Legend of the Seas' schedule for cruises between April 23 and July 16, 2011.

The new itineraries include two- to seven-night itineraries out of Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

For those that were already booked on a cruise that has had its itinerary changed due to the earthquake, Royal Caribbean is offering options and refunds.

• Passengers booked on canceled sailings out of Yokohama will receive a 100 percent refund of their cruise fare. Plus, travelers booked on the April 23, May 8, May 16 and May 24 sailings will receive a 10 percent future cruise credit
• Those booked on the April 30 sailing will receive a 20 percent future cruise credit
• For sailings departing between May 24 and July 16, if those who are booked already choose to cancel, they can receive a full refund plus a 10 percent cruise credit towards a future sailing.