Royal Caribbean to Sail Rhapsody of the Seas in Asia in 2007

Royal Caribbean International said it will begin sailing out of ports in Asia in December 2007, including Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

The Vision-class Rhapsody of the Seas will offer a series of sailings to ports in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, sourcing mostly from the local Asian markets, Royal Caribbean said.

“The introduction of Rhapsody of the Seas into Asia, together with our previously announced deployments of ships to South America and the Dominican Republic, are all part of the company´s strategy of international business development and expansion into emerging and high-growth markets,” said Adam Goldstein, president of Royal Caribbean International in a press release.

The Rhapsody of the Seas will debut in Singapore on December 10, 2007 offering itineraries to Malaysia and Thailand.

The ship will then sail on to Hong Kong for the Chinese New Year holiday season, and sail to Taiwan, Japan, and China´s Hainan Island. It will then move to Shanghai, China, and run trips to ports in Japan and Korea.

The 78,491-ton Rhapsody of the Seas holds 2,435 guests, making it one of the largest cruise ships to homeport in Asia, Royal Caribbean said.