Royal Caribbean Unveils Port Changes to Numerous Vessels

Royal Caribbean International revealed a series of port and itinerary changes and the naming of its newest ship, the Liberty of the Seas, during the Cruise Lines International Association´s Cruise3sixty convention in Fort Lauderdale.

The Liberty, Royal Caribbean´s second Freedom class ship, will debut in May 2007, one year after its sister ship, the Freedom of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean also said that the Explorer of the Seas now will sail year round out of its port in Bayonne, N.J., staying through the winter months for the first time.

Starting in May, the ship will operate alternating six- and 10-day itineraries to Bermuda and the Caribbean, switching to six- or eight-day itineraries taking in Canada and New England for the fall and then back to the Caribbean for 10- and 13-day Caribbean sailings over the winter.

The cruise line also announced that the Empress of the Seas will split its home porting between Norfolk, Va., and Philadelphia, starting in April 2007. The ship will operate Bermuda sailings from both ports.

In other port change news, the Voyager of the Seas will replace the Rhapsody of the Seas in Galveston, Texas, and the Splendor of the Seas will home port in the Dominican Republic.