After months of speculation, it has been confirmed that Rhapsody of the Seas will be replaced next year by the newer, bigger Explorer of the Seas for the Australian summer season.
From November 2015, the 3,800-passenger Voyager-class megaliner joins Royal Caribbean’s other megaliner, Voyager of the Seas, with both of the sister ships to be based in Sydney.
Rhapsody of the Seas is set to leave the local fleet in April 2015, embarking on a farewell voyage from Sydney to Istanbul (Turkey).
Sharing the claim of ‘Australia’s biggest megaliner’, Explorer of the Seas is scheduled to depart Europe in September 2015, after its inaugural six-month season based in Southampton UK, which was also announced earlier today.
This timetable leaves one month in between the European and Australian deployments.
Four years younger than the 1996-built, 2,300-passenger, 78,878 GT Rhapsody of the Seas, the 137,308 GT Explorer of the Seas was launched in 2000.
Explorer features a 120-metre Royal Promenade down the centre, providing a view for inside staterooms, as well as an 11-deck high atrium, a three-storey dining room, and 15 bars and clubs.
Dining options including Windjammer Café, Café Promenade, Jade Sushi and Asian-fusion cuisine, Johnny Rockets and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.
Royal Caribbean’s other Sydney-based ship, Radiance of the Seas will return to the region again for the 2015-2016 Australia/New Zealand cruise season, with a focus on cruising in the South Pacific and around Australia.
The line’s South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand 2015-16 cruise season will be on sale from 29 April 2014.