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Groundbreaking features for China's Spectrum of the Seas

Royal Caribbean's first Quantum Ultra ship will offer the line's first private enclave for suite guests, new stateroom categories, innovative dining concepts and some never-before-seen-at-sea features.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

June 12, 2018

4 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

Custom-built for the Chinese market, Spectrum of the Seas is scheduled to begin sailing from Shanghai in June 2019.

Among the upper-deck features are Sky Pad, a virtual reality, bungee trampoline experience the line has been retrofitting onto select ships; North Star, a glass capsule that soars more than 300 feet above the ocean; RipCord by iFly, a skydiving simulator experience; and the FlowRider surfing simulator.

Suites enclave with keycard access

Golden and Silver suite accommodations will be housed in a private enclave at the forward end of the ship on decks 13 through 16. Vacationers booked in these luxury suites will have keycard access, a private elevator and a dedicated restaurant and lounge. In addition to a range of exclusive amenities, guests will have access to The Balcony, a private outdoor space for sunbathing and relaxing that offers the best views on board. Also in this suites enclave is The Boutique, a shopping area where travelers can book private shopping experiences.

'When Quantum of the Seas made her debut in Shanghai three years ago, it changed the face of cruising in China. Fast forward to today, and we are revealing just how we’ll transform the cruise vacation market, yet again, with the debut of Spectrum of the Seas,' Royal Caribbean International president and CEO Michael Bayley said.

Enhanced Ultimate Family Suite

Spectrum of the Seas also has a two-level, 2,809-square-foot Ultimate Family Suite, accommodating up to 11. The three-bedroom suite includes a master bedroom with a bathroom that extends over the side of the ship, along with two additional suites for grandparents and other family members.

Kids have their own kid-friendly space on the upper level, complete with an in-suite slide that will transport them to the living area below. Everyone in the family can spend time together in the recreation room, featuring surround-sound equipment for a night of karaoke, movies or video games.

20% larger Windjammer Buffet

Spectrum of the Seas will feature a three-level main dining room with 1,844 seats to serve a variety of Chinese and Western a la carte options rotating each day of the sailing. The casual Windjammer Marketplace—20% larger than those on Quantum-class ships—will offer a wide buffet selection of Chinese and Western dishes, including noodles, pizza, Japanese teppanyaki and mini hot pot.

New specialty dining

A new specialty restaurant, Sichuan Red, located in the Royal Esplanade, will serve authentic cuisine from China's Sichuan province. Royal Caribbean’s popular signature restaurants, including Wonderland’s Dadong, a new outpost of Chinese chef Dong Zhenxiang, renowned for his coveted roast duck dish; Jamie’s Italian by British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver; Izumi Japanese cuisine; and Chops Grille will join the lineup as well.

In addition, the new Leaf and Bean traditional tea room and café parlor will debut on the Royal Esplanade. This quaint spot will offer a range of authentic Chinese teas, classic coffee drinks and freshly baked Chinese and Western desserts and pastries.

New karaoke venue

New to Royal Caribbean and first on Spectrum of the Seas is Star Moment, a lively and energetic karaoke venue where family and friends can belt out and sing like stars. The cruise line also will enhance SeaPlex—the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea where families can enjoy bumper cars, roller skating and basketball—with new augmented reality walls and floors, providing guests with thrilling, high-tech interactive experiences.

Spectrum will also reprise the Quantum-class Two70 lounge with its expansive floor-to-ceiling windows offering breathtaking 270-degree views of the ocean. The venue returns with its signature Vistarama technology, which transforms the panoramic windows into a projection surface more than 100 feet wide and over 20 feet tall, showcasing spectacular digital shows. Six agile RoboScreens, controlled by nimble robotic arms, create scenes as they soar and twist solo or as one.

New itineraries and ports in Asia

Royal Caribbean will diversify itineraries in the Asia region for 2019, to include new longer sailings with first-time destinations and weekend getaways as well as special holiday and festival sailings. There will be 27 different itineraries, featuring 23 destinations across three countries, departing from ports such as Shanghai, Tianjin, Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China.

Spectrum of the Seas will debut in April 2019 with a 51-night 'Global Odyssey' from Barcelona to Shanghai, calling at 13 countries.

The Shanghai itineraries will visit new ports, such as Hakodate and Niigita, Japan; Ilocos, Philippines; and Vladivostok, Russia. In winter 2019, the ship will reposition to Hong Kong to offer special holiday cruises.

Quantum of the Seas will shift to Tianjin

Meanwhile, Quantum of the Seas will sail a farewell season from Shanghai before moving to Tianjin in summer 2019. Voyager of the Seas is set to return to Hong Kong and Shenzhen for the summer, and will sail a variety of itineraries calling on Vietnam, Japan and the Philippines.

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About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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