One of the most popular cruise ship companies in the world is Royal Caribbean. To date, Royal Caribbean operates 26 cruise ships that travel to some of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The company was established in 1968 in Norway. Now headquartered in Miami, Florida, it is the biggest revenue earner of all cruise ship companies and also the second-highest in terms of passengers served.
What is the newest Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship? The newest Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship is the Symphony of the Seas — launched in 2018. She is an Oasis-class ship and is the fourth ship Royal Caribbean has in this series.
Royal Caribbean is still adding to its fleet of cruise ships. The newest in its fleet of cruise ships that went into service is Symphony of the Seas. It has many amenities and features that are not found in its sister ships.
Symphony of the Seas was built in Chantiers de l’Atlantique — a shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. It was delivered to its first homeport in Barcelona on Mar. 29, 2018. The Symphony went on its maiden voyage on Apr. 7, 2018. It berthed at its official home base in Miami, Florida, on Nov. 9, 2018.
Read on to learn more about the newest Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship — the Symphony of the Seas — as well as the many amenities, features, and attractions it offers.
What Is the Newest Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship?
Symphony of the Seas is the name of the newest ship of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. The name of the company tells the route it is taking—the Caribbean. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. gave the order to build this ship on May 9, 2014, to the shipbuilder, Chantiers de l’Atlantique, in Saint Nazarene, France.
The Symphony was built at the cost of $1.35 billion. The ship’s keel was laid down on Oct. 29, 2015, and was floated out on June 9, 2017. Everything was completed on Mar. 23, 2018. It made its maiden voyage thereafter on Apr. 7, 2018.
Symphony of the Seas is the fourth ship of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class series. Oasis-class ships are the biggest and longest passenger ships in the world. These ships also have split structures with outdoor areas that are five decks high. The five decks run down the middle of the ship.
She has a gross tonnage of 228,081 tons. The length of the Symphony is 361,011 meters (1,184.42 feet), and its width is 66 meters (215.5 feet). Its total height is 72.5 meters (238 feet). The cruising speed of the Symphony is 22 knots (41 kph or 25 mph). It is propelled by a hybrid power consisting of diesel and electric marine engines.
There are 18 decks in the Symphony with staterooms that can accommodate a maximum of 6,680 passengers. They are served by 2,200 crew members. She holds the record of the world’s largest cruise ship in 2018.
Symphony of the Seas has 16 decks that are open to passengers. She has 2,759 cabins, 22 restaurants, four swimming pools, and a full-sized basketball court.
Symphony of the Seas has seven different neighborhoods. They include the luxurious Royal Promenade, which is full of shops selling all sorts of sundry items. There is also Central Park that is lined with trees. These differing neighborhoods create unique areas that guests can explore and enjoy.
Symphony closely resembles its sister ship, Harmony of the Seas. They have similar restaurants, such as the Abyss and the multi-deck water slides. However, there are many features and amenities in the Symphony that are not available in any of its sister ships.
For instance, Symphony of the Seas has two specialty restaurants that other Oasis-class ships don’t have. These restaurants are the Hooked Seafood that offers a fresh seafood cuisine and a raw bar, and the El Loco Fresh, which offers Mexican foods like tacos and a sundry of fast food items.
The Symphony has a modified Boardwalk featuring the Playmakers Sports Bar that spans the entire length of the space. Lots of sports and arcade games are available on over 30 TVs. This cruise ship also has a laser tag arena that features glow-in-the-dark attractions with a galactic theme.
Amenities, Features, and Attractions at the Symphony of the Seas
With regard to the different attractions, features, and amenities, you will not get bored onboard the Symphony of the Seas. Next, I list some of the top attractions and features on this ship:
1. Improved Accommodations
The Ultimate Family Suite will make your jaw drop because of its superior amenities. This room has a slide connecting the kids’ room to the living room. Your kids will really have fun sliding their way to the living room.
There is also a private cinema room, where you will be greeted with a huge 85-inch Ultra HDTV to watch your favorite flicks. You can play your adrenaline-rushing video games on the consoles as well. And there’s a table tennis table on the balcony, which can be used as a dining table.
There are different staterooms available. You can surely get one that will squarely suit your taste and style.
There are nine different categories of interior staterooms. These staterooms are spacious guest rooms with two twin beds that can be converted to Royal King. Their floor areas range from 149 to 258 square feet.
The Symphony has four different categories of Oceanview Staterooms. These are spacious rooms with floor areas ranging from 179 to 272 square feet. They also have two twin beds that convert to Royal King.
This ship has 10 categories of balcony staterooms. These rooms come with two twin beds that can convert into a Royal King. They have large spaces ranging from 182 to 374 square feet.
2. Great Entertainment
There will be no time for you to get bored when you are onboard the Symphony of the Seas.
Royal Theaters: There the two-deck Royal Theaters on the fourth and fifth deck. If you are fond of symphony music, this is your place to go. The first theater presents the stage production of “Hairspray.” This show is back because of popular demand.
In the second theater, you will be presented with an original play titled: “Flight: Dare to Dream.” You will be transported to the Mars of the future and then go back to the original time when you started your voyage. Royal Caribbean hired a former astronaut to make this show as authentic as possible. All these entertainment fares are for free.
Aqua Theater Show: This cruise show one of the best entertainment venues in the Symphony. You will enjoy the performances of “AquaNation,” a production that features “4D harnessing.” It is amazing to see the performers moving up and down, forward and back, and from side to side into space where the audience is seated.
Studio B: This space will transform into the Battle for Planet Z, an exciting glow-in-the-dark laser tag arena. Your team will be pitted against another team for the goal of saving the last planet in the galaxy.
Night Fun: It is not all fun during the day at Symphony. Exciting attractions are also available in the evenings. There are nightly comedy shows and live music in The Attic. You have more than a dozen bars and lounges where you can maintain your good vibes late into the night. And you can head on to the casino, where you can play the slots or join a table of poker players.
3. Fun on Deck
There’s even more fun on the decks outside the theaters. Symphony of the Seas has the FlowRider, walls for rock-climbing, ice skating, water slides, and dry slide. You can also join a game on the Sports Court if you are someone who loves to be physical. If you want to learn how to dive, there’s a training course provided by PADJ on the pool deck. You will receive a certificate after. Then you’ll be able to dive into one of the Symphony’s ports of call.
Symphony of the Seas has a 10-story slide that they call the Ultimate Abyss. This tallest slide is actually composed of three waterslides. It features the Splashaway Bay kids’ waterpark. A second pool, the Solarium, will also be added on deck 15, which adds more fun spaces to enjoy.
You won’t fail to catch the festive mood when the parades are held in the Royal Promenade. In these parades, the Main Street of Symphony will present “Anchors Aweigh,” a production spectacular that features big floats and performers greater in number than what is presented in its sister ships.
Symphony of the Seas Destinations and Basic Prices
The current cruise of Symphony of the Seas is the 7-day round trip to the Eastern Caribbean and Perfect Day. Prices start from $2,180 for double occupancy.
Symphony of the Seas Schedules and Starting Prices
Here are some examples of the schedules and itineraries of Symphony of the Seas for the rest of January and the whole of February 2020, along with their corresponding rates: (source)
- Jan. 18, 2020 – 7 nights, Western Caribbean & Perfect Day. Prices of Deluxe accommodations start at $10,971.
- Jan. 25, 2020 – 7 nights, Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day. Prices of Balcony start at $1,334.
- Jan. 25, 2020 – 7 nights, Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day. Prices of Balcony start at $1,334
- Feb. 8, 2020 – 7 nights, Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day. Prices of Balcony start at $2,005.
- Feb. 15, 2020 – 7 nights, Western Caribbean & Perfect Day. Prices of Balcony start at $1,558.
- Feb. 22, 2020 – 7 nights, Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day. Prices of Deluxe accommodations start at $5,031.
- Feb. 29, 2020 – 7 nights, Western Caribbean & Perfect Day. Prices of Deluxe accommodations start at $2,599.
Other Ships in the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean is currently operating 26 cruise ships. Here is a complete list of all the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships:
- Adventure of the Seas
- Allure of the Seas
- Anthem of the Seas
- Brilliance of the Seas
- Empress of the Seas
- Enchantment of the Seas
- Explorer of the Seas
- Freedom of the Seas
- Grandeur of the Seas
- Harmony of the Seas
- Independence of the Seas
- Jewel of the Seas
- Liberty of the Seas
- Majesty of the Seas
- Mariner of the Seas
- Navigator of the Seas
- Oasis of the Seas
- Ovation of the Seas
- Quantum of the Seas
- Radiance of the Seas
- Rhapsody of the Seas
- Serenade of the Seas
- Spectrum of the Seas
- Symphony of the Seas
- Vision of the Seas
- Voyager of the Seas
Future Ships in the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is planning on adding several more ships to its fleet in the coming years. Here are the future ships that will be included in Royal Caribbean’s fleet of cruise ships according to the order of completion. The orders for these ships are already confirmed.
1. Odyssey of the Seas
The Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas Cruise Ship will be able to carry 4,246 passengers. Its inaugural cruise was scheduled in 2020.
2. Wonder of the Seas
The Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas Cruise Ship can accommodate a maximum of 5,400 guests. It will go on its maiden voyage in 2021.
3. First Icon Class Ship (Still Unnamed)
This future Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship is designed to carry approximately 5,000 passengers. Its expected inaugural cruise is in 2022.
4. Second Icon Class Ship (Still Unnamed)
When this ship is finished, it will be able to accommodate around 5,000 guests. Its maiden voyage is scheduled for 2024.
5. Sixth Oasis Class Ship (Still Unnamed)
This ship will be able to accommodate 5,400 passengers. It will go on its inaugural cruise in 2023.
6. Third Icon Class Ship (Still Unnamed)
This ship is designed to carry around 5,000 guests. Its inaugural cruise is scheduled in 2025.
Conclusion – What Is the Newest Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship?
So, to revisit our initial question: “What is the newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship?” The newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Symphony of the Seas. The Symphony of the Seas is the fourth ship in the Oasis-class series. Oasis-class cruise ships are the biggest and longest in the world.
This cruise ship was built in France. It was delivered to its first homeport in Barcelona on Mar. 29, 2018. Symphony went on its maiden voyage on Apr. 7, 2018. It berthed at its official home base in Miami, Florida, on Nov. 9, 2018.
Symphony of the Seas is not only the newest Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship but is also one of the best cruise ships in the world. It has so many incredible features, amenities, and attractions, providing many wonderful memories. Stay tuned for the near future, as there are several new and upcoming Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships soon to launch.
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