Confirmed: RCI developing new ship class

[woodscruise]

Confirmed: RCI developing new ship class Royal Caribbean International (RCI) Chief Executive Michael Bayley (pictured) has confirmed the veracity of swirling rumours the cruise line is currently working on a new class of ships to follow its high-profile Icon-class. Bayley said the next phase of RCI’s ship development plan, currently in preliminary plan stages, will be to ultimately replace its ageing Vision- and Radiance-class vessels with a revamped model. “They are beautiful ships and beautifully constructed but like me and others they are getting older so we are now concepting thoughts and ideas about how we are going to replace those ships with a new class for Royal Caribbean,” he added. “We have already done a fair amount of work within the brand in terms of the concepting process, but these still have to go through the corporate machine, through the board and through a process, but we are actively working on trying to figure out what that would look like”. Bayley added from what he has seen from the early planning phases, the new class of RCI ships “look fantastic”. “We really do have some great ideas on the table and I could tell you a few now but I’m not going to,” he quipped. At a later immersion session, RCI Chief Product and Innovation Officer Jay Schneider declined to be drawn on the exact size of the new class, but confirmed it won’t be as large as the Icon class. “The new class of ships will not be the world’s largest class of ship, we are starting smaller and have not put a size to it yet but it will definitely be a ‘mic drop ship’ [like Icon],” Schneider noted. “It will take the same attention to detail [of Icon], that same level of focus on experience to achieve something like this but just at a different scale,” he added. RCI has two more Icon-class ships on order to launch next year (Star of the Seas) and in 2026. Schneider said the name of the third vessel has been chosen (CW 16 Jan), but has not yet been released to the public. 

 

Source Cruise Weekly 23January 2023

[MicCanberra]

Wow, smaller than Icon. I really hope they have a smaller vessel of around 2500 pax, but I think they will go to more like Ovation  size or larger.

[Chiliburn]

New ship , yeah, I hope it’s nothing like that abomination  icon .

[colourbird]

The Icon class was originally going to be smaller than Oasis, so these new ships will probably end up much larger than Icon once they try and fit everything in them.

[colourbird]

39 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

New ship , yeah, I hope it’s nothing like that abomination  icon .

 

The Icon i've seen is beautiful. Can't wait to sail on her.

[ceeceeDee]

We sailed on Symphony pre-Covid. Yes, it had the wow factor and all the bells and whistles but to be honest it didn't feel like a cruise ship. We much prefer something smaller. However, I suppose we can say 'been there, done that'. I am certainly not interested in trying Icon (just my personal opinion, and certainly not a reflection on anyone who loves the mega ships) - unless RCI offered us a freebie (as if!).😂

[icat2000]

Anyway under 3500 passengers and I consider sailing on it. 

[ceeceeDee]

1 minute ago, icat2000 said:

Anyway under 3500 passengers and I consider sailing on it. 

Me too

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, icat2000 said:

Anyway under 3500 passengers and I consider sailing on it. 

Agreed

[colourbird]

On 1/24/2024 at 10:41 AM, icat2000 said:

Anyway under 3500 passengers and I consider sailing on it. 

 

We were recently on Vista (max 1,200 pax) and apart from the grand dining room, the ship always seemed crowded. We even gave up going to shows as it was a struggle to find two seats together. On the large ships everyone is spread out in more venues so life onboard is more relaxing and civilised. We had a similar experience on Coral Princess nearly a year ago. There is not enough space on the smaller ships and too many people want to do the same thing at the same time. If there's an option, i'll always book a larger ship from now on.

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, colourbird said:

 

We were recently on Vista (max 1,200 pax) and apart from the grand dining room, the ship always seemed crowded. We even gave up going to shows as it was a struggle to find two seats together. On the large ships everyone is spread out in more venues so life onboard is more relaxing and civilised. We had a similar experience on Coral Princess nearly a year ago. There is not enough space on the smaller ships and too many people want to do the same thing at the same time. If there's an option, i'll always book a larger ship from now on.

I agree. You don't need to frequent the whole ship, and Royal has driven this somewhat by their "neighbourhoods" description. I don't have a need to drink at every bar, just the ones I like. Even then, if something is on that everyone wants to do at the same time, there will be a crowd. The bigger the ship, the bigger the crowd. Tendering is a prime example, and it is much easier for them to get 2500 passengers ashore than it is to get 4000 ashore. 

 

Our experience on Coral was very different though. There was plenty of space at the spots we frequented, except Crooners where one or two free seats at a table were always "taken". Down two floors to Good Spirits, and plenty of room.

[colourbird]

9 hours ago, arxcards said:

I agree. You don't need to frequent the whole ship, and Royal has driven this somewhat by their "neighbourhoods" description. I don't have a need to drink at every bar, just the ones I like. Even then, if something is on that everyone wants to do at the same time, there will be a crowd. The bigger the ship, the bigger the crowd. Tendering is a prime example, and it is much easier for them to get 2500 passengers ashore than it is to get 4000 ashore. 

 

Our experience on Coral was very different though. There was plenty of space at the spots we frequented, except Crooners where one or two free seats at a table were always "taken". Down two floors to Good Spirits, and plenty of room.

 

On Vista with 1,200 pax we waited a couple of hours to get off at our tender port and needed tickets. When we were on Ovation they initially said they were going to use tickets for the tenders, but it was flowing so smoothly they weren't needed and people were just getting onto the tenders and they were leaving regularly. 

 

We didn't need to tender on our last cruise, but Edge had a modern style tender (almost like a bus) with multiple entrances.

 

[Mick B]

Hi,

As these newer larger ships can't fit into many ports and therefore have become more of a destination themselves with all the latest gadgets, it would be nice if RCI could build some more ships in the Voyager or Freedom class range that can fit into more ports and still have a good range of gadgets on board for those who want them.

A nice Royal Prom and Ice Rink for the Ice shows would be nice. 

My first cruise was on the Indy back in 2008 and I cannot wait to get back on her next year when she returns to the UK. Although the Anthem was a nice ship, she did not have that feel that the Indy has to me.

Ships like the Navigator and Explorer are also amongst my favs too,

 

Mick.

 

[arxcards]

8 hours ago, colourbird said:

 

On Vista with 1,200 pax we waited a couple of hours to get off at our tender port and needed tickets. When we were on Ovation they initially said they were going to use tickets for the tenders, but it was flowing so smoothly they weren't needed and people were just getting onto the tenders and they were leaving regularly. 

 

We didn't need to tender on our last cruise, but Edge had a modern style tender (almost like a bus) with multiple entrances.

 

The restricted flow of passengers in and out of tenders doesn't happen on the ship, but in our ports. Even with multiple tender access points on the ship, they are relying on calm conditions and the facilities at the jetty at the island/port. It will always take less time to get 1000 passengers ashore than it will to get 2000 passengers ashore. A lack of tender tickets can just mean a lack of passengers going ashore.

 

Then there is the big ship that has to tender in places like Cairns or Port Vila while the small and middle sized ships can dock. Our upcoming cruise on Diamond Princess is a case in point, which will dock in Cairns. The same itinerary on Royal Princess, Celebrity Edge or Ovation requires a tender to Yorkeys Knob and a bus into Cairns. Also, the difference in places like Noumea between berthing at the main dock or getting bussed around from an industrial dock.

 

A pic of QUANTUM passengers waiting 2hrs for a tender back to the ship this past November. with no shelter or amenities Thankfully, we will be docked for Diamond Princess next February.

 

The story of what some of those in the queue thought about their day tendering at the knob:

Big Ship dilemma as 4000 face queues to board in Cairns - Cruise Passenger

Edited January 26 by arxcards

[icat2000]

On 1/27/2024 at 5:37 AM, arxcards said:

The restricted flow of passengers in and out of tenders doesn't happen on the ship, but in our ports. Even with multiple tender access points on the ship, they are relying on calm conditions and the facilities at the jetty at the island/port. It will always take less time to get 1000 passengers ashore than it will to get 2000 passengers ashore. A lack of tender tickets can just mean a lack of passengers going ashore.

 

Then there is the big ship that has to tender in places like Cairns or Port Vila while the small and middle sized ships can dock. Our upcoming cruise on Diamond Princess is a case in point, which will dock in Cairns. The same itinerary on Royal Princess, Celebrity Edge or Ovation requires a tender to Yorkeys Knob and a bus into Cairns. Also, the difference in places like Noumea between berthing at the main dock or getting bussed around from an industrial dock.

 

A pic of QUANTUM passengers waiting 2hrs for a tender back to the ship this past November. with no shelter or amenities Thankfully, we will be docked for Diamond Princess next February.

 

The story of what some of those in the queue thought about their day tendering at the knob:

Big Ship dilemma as 4000 face queues to board in Cairns - Cruise Passenger

No different in a port stop in Bali 2hours plus waiting to board Diamond Princess and that a smaller ship. 

[arxcards]

15 hours ago, icat2000 said:

No different in a port stop in Bali 2hours plus waiting to board Diamond Princess and that a smaller ship. 

And for a ship with 5000 passengers, it would be double trouble.

[colourbird]

Icon and Oasis class ships don't tender, so that's not an issue.

 

I'll let you know what the crowds are like later in the year.

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, colourbird said:

Icon and Oasis class ships don't tender, so that's not an issue.

 

I'll let you know what the crowds are like later in the year.

Quantum Class max passenger capacity is 4900, Majestic Princess is max 5600. That is a significant issue at our tender ports. Compared to Diamond Princess, or RCI Radiance class ships, tenders aren't required in places like Cairns, Eden, Port Vila and tendering becomes much less of an issue.

[Chiliburn]

[arxcards]

31 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

Tonnage?

 

Nova class. For Novocastrians, to be based in Newcastle. 🤣

[arxcards]

Is there a crossed wire?

Royal subsidiary Silverseas has recent Nova class ships.

[Chiliburn]

3 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Tonnage?

 

Nova class. For Novocastrians, to be based in Newcastle. 🤣

I don’t know,looks a bit like the virgin ship.

[arxcards]

3 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

I don’t know,looks a bit like the virgin ship.

Not to me. Looks more reminiscent of Norwegian Prima

[Chiliburn]

1 minute ago, arxcards said:

Not to me. Looks more reminiscent of Norwegian Prima

What if you painted it grey ,would it look like the virgin ship ?

 

It probably look nothing like that ,Royal likes to be miss leading .

[arxcards]

10 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

What if you painted it grey ,would it look like the virgin ship ?

 

It probably look nothing like that ,Royal likes to be miss leading .

The Virgin Lady's look a bit more like tugboats. I don't mean that as a sledge, but the prom deck looks wider and more open than the passenger decks stacked above like a turret vs the usual modern day block of flats.

Edited February 15 by arxcards