RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS Remade
Royal Caribbean International’s RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS entered Sembawang Shipyard (a subsidiary of Sembcorp Marine Ltd.) in Singapore March 2, to begin a month-long, US$54 million drydock where she will undergo a major revitalization. The RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS refit is the largest of its kind o take place in Singapore and will employ more than 800 workers from the region.
Part of the Royal Caribbean’s Vision Class of ships, RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS will receive a host of new dining and entertainment venues as well as an assortment of technological upgrades. All new furniture, carpet and upholstery, will be fitted from bow-to-stern while all the staterooms will be renovated.
“RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS’ drydock is part of Royal Caribbean’s commitment to continue to deliver the Royal Advantage to our guests,” said Adam Goldstein, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “With our $300 million investment through 2014, no ship in our fleet will go untouched and our guests will have an unrivaled vacation experience no matter which destination in the world they visit or on what ship they sail on.”
As with SPLENDOUR OF THE SEAS, which underwent its upgrade in November 2011, RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS will receive new dining venues, including Chops Grille, Izumi Asian Cuisine, Chef’s Table experience and Park Café. Additional offerings include a Diamond lounge for Crown and Anchor loyalty guests, a Concierge Lounge for suite guests and top tier loyalty guests, a transformed Viking Crown Lounge and the popular Royal Babies and Tots Nursery.
According to RCI, “Ship-wide Wi-Fi, will be added, along with a digital way finding system, electronic mustering, an outdoor movie screen, as well as iPad’s in every stateroom featuring content about the ship’s amenities and activities, ensuring a seamless cruise experience for guests. The ship’s Centrum, with its sweeping views and central location, will transform into a new chic and sophisticated venue featuring enriching daytime activities, dazzling nightly entertainment and jaw-dropping aerial spectacles. The ship’s Champagne Bar, located in the Centrum, also will reemerge as the R Bar, featuring a sophisticated 1960s vibe, complete with iconic furnishing and signature cocktails mixed by a savvy and personable mixologist.”
When the enhancements are completed on March 28, RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS will sail a 15-night voyage from Singapore to Sydney, Australia. From there, she will sail across the Pacific with a combination of cruises from Australia and Hawaii, before beginning her Alaska season in May 2012.
In Alaska, RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS will offer seven-night open-jawed itineraries from both Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seattle, Washington.
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Hi , its really one of the biggest spirit in the world of overseas, however the passenger will forsure feel its spirit soon , so far i want to work for this gaint value with full spirit , well iam an OILER and want to work on the same with true desire and desperately, kindly let me know by what time this project is going to be sucessfull nd by wht time can i join as per your grace. with urgent feedback
Nice of RCI to bring their ships up to snuff, as it were. They did the same with their older Celebrity Cruises’ ships – RCI refers to this procedure with the Celebrity ships as SOLSTCIZING, or, bringing the standards up to the Solstice level. And their old ones, rather than become orphans of the sea, LOL, find their way down to budget lines. This is a good thing. Saves our ships.
Nice to see work done to existing ships, not always building new ones, although, god knows I love a new ship as much as the next cruise fool does.
Sembawang do excellent work; I’ve only seen their work on ferries and didn’t realise they could handle larger jobs like this.
I remember when the “Vision” class came out; they looked so terribly modern and somewhat misshapen. Now, they’re starting to look like grand old dames of the sea. Do I see a touch of the Normandie’s stern treatment on this class of vessels?
The NORMANDIE stern – I hesitate to call them replicas – began reappearing on Royal Caribbean ships beginning in 1988 with the building of the SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS. They have been cropping up on many of the newer fleetmates since then. In the 1980’s at Miami, it was interesting to compare one of the SOVEREIGN-class trio when they docked next to the NORWAY, as the former FRANCE had the same remarkable stern under the rebuilt, overhanging aft deck.
I have so often said that the “new” -brandest newest -and, yes the old babes that have heavy plastic surgery to become “the latest Gibson Girls at sea,” are all too often built to unrecognizable proportions from their original staes – having said that, these somewhat older ships are being refitted and are incorporating the newest must haves for the contemporary passenger, balconies, state of the art spas and theaters and the latest places to dine, and yet they still retain their older glory.
Shawn, thanks for the explanation, which makes sense given the connection with the Norway.
We have enjoyed many RCL ships and look forward to going on the Rhapsody in September to Hawaii. I also think it is nice to modernize the existing fleet rather than building bigger ships. I like the intimacy of a smaller ship. I have been on the Freedom class and that was very nice but I still love a smaller ship.
Love reading “Maritime Matters” – and good to see that Rhapsody is being upgraded; I remember being distinctly underwhelmed when cruising on her a few years ago. However I think it would be helpful to be clear about what text in your article is yours and what is just RCI puff. I doubt that you can guarantee that the re-furbed ship will be “enriching”, “dazzling”, or “jaw-dropping”. Isn’t that for its future passengers to decide for themselves? If you must just quote from RCI publicity, at least put the words in quotes.