The world's best naval and structural architects are turning a complicated concept into reality. Two70 on Royal Caribbean International's Quantum-class will give guests spectacular views and thrilling shows in the cruise industry's most transformational space.
We stumbled across a list of frequently asked questions that Royal Caribbean created related to Quantum of the Seas and there's some new details here that was news to us.
The document, aimed at travel agents, answers a number of concerns people have raised about the new ship and while it does not divulge everything we wanted to know, it does give us a better glimpse at what we can expect.
After going through the document, here's what we found interesting.
If there's one feature of Royal Caribbean's next-generation cruise ship that is just starting construction, Quantum of the Seas, that is capturing people's imagination the most, it's likely the virtual balconies. These 80-inch LED screens attached to a wall are promising to deliver an innovative take on the inside cabin.
Understandably, there's a lot of intrigue regarding this new kind of cabin and people want to know what it is exactly and what to expect. We don't know everything quite yet, but here's a listing of all the information on virtual balconies that we do know in one place.
The virtual balconies will be 80-inch LED projection screen that stretches from floor to ceiling. They will offer digital real-time views of the ocean and destinations visible from the ship’s exterior.
It will be displayed in high-resolution color on a giant 80-inch LED screen on the wall of an otherwise windowless stateroom. It will work at sea and in port.
When they were announced, Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein said there will not be a specific surcharge for interior cabins with virtual balconies, but added that he hopes they will bring higher yields.
There will be 373 inside cabins on Quantum of the Seas that will offer the virtual balcony feature.
It's a safe bet sister ship Anthem of the Seas will have virtual balconies along with the unnamed third Quantum-class cruise ship Royal Caribbean has on order.
In addition to those ships, Navigator of the Seas will receive virtual balconies as part of a previously planned refurbishment. Navigator of the Seas will go for its refurbishment in December 2013. It is scheduled to sail from Galveston when the upgrades are complete. Royal Caribbean will use Navigator of the Seas as the "testing ground" for this brand new innovation.
In addition to Navigator of the Seas, virtual balconies will be included as part of scheduled refurbishments for Voyager, Adventure and Explorer of the Seas. Those ships are set to undergo the revitalization process in 2014-15.
No, you may turn the virtual balcony feature on or off at your convenience.
According to Royal Caribbean Chairman Richard Fain, they got the idea from Disney Cruise Line's virtual portholes that debuted on their ships a few years ago.
"We actually had looked at the idea, and we didn't think that the technology and the receptivity from the public was there," he says. Disney "proved that the public does value something like this."
Today at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, Royal Caribbean held its keel-laying for Quantum of the Seas and put down a 430-ts block in place in the yard's covered building dock.
Royal Caribbean Executive Vice President Maritime, Harri Kulovaara, put down the lucky penny before the ship's block was lowered by the 800-ts crane.
The first of a total of 74 blocks of Quantum of the Seas weighs 430 tons. This keel-laying marks the official start of construction of the Quantum of the Seas. For the time being the 167,800-gt Quantum of the Seas is the biggest ship the shipyard has built so far.
Quantum of the Seas will be able to accommodate 4,180 passengers with 2,090 staterooms. She will enter service in November 2014.
UPDATE: 11:11AM: Newly minted coins were placed under the keel which then stays in place until the end of construction. Once the ship is nearing completion the coins are retrieved and presented to the ship’s Captain and crew to be placed onboard the ship. According to maritime tradition, the coins are said to bring luck to the ship during its construction and then to its Captain and crew when she is at sea.
We've gotten word that later today construction will begin on Royal Caribbean's two newest cruise ships, Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas.
These two Quantum-class cruise ships will take steps forward in becoming a reality when at 1:00pm, Anthem of the Seas will have her steel cutting ceremony. This will be followed by the official keel-laying for Quantum of the Seas at 2:00pm. (We aren't sure if these times are local or eastern)
Both events will take place at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
Quantum of the Seas' keel-laying has been expected for some time now, as photos of what appears to be her keel popped up online. Meanwhile, Anthem of the Seas' steel cutting will be the first substantial news we've heard regarding her since her name was announced.
Quantum of the Seas is scheduled for her first cruise in November 2014, with Anthem of the Seas offering her inaugural cruise sometime in Spring 2015.
Last week officials from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey approved a $70 million plan to expand the port to accommodate Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas and this new deal has some thinking that this could be the catalyst for the area becoming a tourist hub.
With the Royal Caribbean deal in place, the city of Bayonne may be on the verge of inking an agreement for the development of a new hotel and possible complex to accommodate incoming and outgoing passengers.
Bayonne officials say they have been working towards getting a hotel development near the cruise port for months, but negotiations hinged on moves by the Port Authority.
“The new Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal will provide the people of New Jersey and New York with the world-class travel experience they deserve,” said Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni. “We welcome the significant investment Royal Caribbean is making in our region and look forward to welcoming the Quantum of the Seas to her new home in our port.”
Construction is scheduled to begin this summer and be completed by October 2014.
Royal Caribbean has released a new photo from the development that is ongoing for Quantum of the Seas. Today, we have a photo of the North Star observation pod, featuring a scale model of the top of the ship and arm.
In the background, we can see a full size replica of the observation pod that will be attached to the North Star "arm".
When finished, North Star will be a first of its kind innovation for a cruise ship, where passengers can go up to 200 feet above the ocean's surface to get what is sure to be beautiful views. The inspiration for the North Star was revealed to be the London Eye.
Quantum of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's next cruise ship that will be built and will have her first official cruise in November 2014.
As we reported earlier this week, Royal Caribbean got the official go-ahead to build a new cruise terminal at Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey and today we've got more details as to what the facility will entail.
The $70 million terminal will be paid for by Royal Caribbean and includes a 36,000-square-foot check-in terminal, a 60,000-square-foot luggage area, a parking deck, additional parking and berth improvements. Construction will begin this summer and should be completed by October 2014. Quantum of the Seas is scheduled to have its first cruise out of Cape Liberty in November 2014.
As part of the agreement allowing construction of the cruise terminal, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the marine terminal facility in Bayonne, agreed to extend Royal Caribbean’s operating agreement for the terminal for an additional five years through 2043.
Passenger volume at the Cape Liberty port have been increasing steadily over the past three years, from 393,000 in 2010 to 476,000 in 2012. Once the new cruise terminal is complete, officials expect the passenger volume to increase to about 600,000.
Officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey have approved a proposal by Royal Caribbean to redevelop the Cape Liberty cruise port in Bayonne, New Jersey.
The Board of Commissioners approved the plan earlier tonight at a meeting. The purpose of the proposal is to allow the port to handle Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, which will arrive in November 2014.
Port Authority Director Bill Baroni commented on the decision, "This new lease extension will bring to Bayonne one of the most modern cruise terminals in the country. Royal Caribbean is going to invest $50 million in the new terminal and two parking facilities for people going out of Bayonne."
Baroni believes Quantum of the Seas will also give Bayonne's economy a boost.
"This new terminal will help create jobs in construction and will have a long term economic benefits on our region. When a ship like this calls a port that ship brings about $1 million a trip to the city in local economic activity. Once completed, the terminal is expected to bring in 600,000 people every year."
Baroni did say that Royal Caribbean's proposal still needs to have its finances approved by the Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority and once that happens, construction will begin in a few months. The project should be completed by 2014 right before the new cruise ship arrives.
Royal Caribbean will fund the project in conjunction with the city of Bayonne, which would issue $70 million in bonds.
Once completed, the new terminal will see passenger volume rise by 25 percent to 600,000 per year, according to Baroni.