UK debut for Quantum of the Seas

//UK debut for Quantum of the Seas

quantum_640.jpgIt looks like the first paying passengers to board Quantum of the Seas will walk up the gangway from British soil, embarking for a Transatlantic crossing,
The official announcement from Royal Caribbean giving details of the innovative ship’s inaugural season itineraries referred only to voyages from home base in Bayonne, New Jersey to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
But the ship, to be built in Germany, will call into Southampton in November 2014 according to a sales brochure found elsewhere on a Royal Caribbean website by cruise enthusiast Patricia Dempsey (@linerlovers).
The seven-night Transatlantic is scheduled to depart on November 2, 2014. Following a series of welcome events in the US, the 4,180-passenger ship will undertake two three-night cruises into the nrth Atlantic.
The official maiden voyage, on November 23, 2014, will be an eight-night cruise to the Bahamas, visiting Port Canaveral in Florida, Nassau, and Coco Cay.
Ports of call on subsequent voyages to the Caribbean include Puerto Rico, St Maarten, Martinique, Barbados, St Kitts, and Royal Caribbean’s private resort at Labadee, Haiti.
Destinations may be of little concern to passengers travelling on the ship in order to take advantage of its first-time-at-sea features such as sky-diving, dodgem cars and the North Star observation platform – looking like a London Eye capsule on the end of a cherry-picker.
Bookings open to members of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor loyalty programme from Tuesday, May 28, and to the general public from June 4. No word from CEO and president Adam Goldstein about the visit to Southampton, but he did say: “We are proud to partner with some of the Caribbean’s top destinations for the inaugural season of Quantum of the Seas.
“The Quantum class of ships will combine a new set of truly exciting and first-at-sea innovations that can only be found on Royal Caribbean International, with some of the most incredible destinations in the region. We can’t wait to WOW holidaymakers with the new Quantum class.”

By | 2017-06-15T15:59:33+00:00 25 May 2013|Cruise News|3 Comments

About the Author:

John Honeywell is a travel writer specialising in cruise ships and cruise travel. Winner of CLIA UK's Contribution to Cruise award 2017.

3 Comments

  1. Coralyn Del Rosario 11 June 2013 at 5:00 am - Reply

    My husband and I have never experienced an inaugural or maiden voyage of any ship – we are considering in Quantum of the Seas in November 2014. I read that the maiden voyage is a 7-night transatlantic cruise from Southampton, UK to New Jersey on November 2, 2014 and the inaugural sailing is an 8-night Caribbean cruise on November 23, 2014. In the past, I had always thought that the inaugural sailing and maiden voyage are one and the same – so guess this is not the case. My question is: if we were to book one, which one should it be (the maiden voyage or the official inaugural sailing)? In other words, which is a better experience, which is more exciting, which has more perks, etc.??
    Will await your reply. Thanks.

  2. John Honeywell 11 June 2013 at 11:28 am - Reply

    Hi Coralyn. Gone are the days when “maiden voyage” meant a ship’s first sailing with paying passengers on board. Nowadays it is often a ceremonial event preceded by one or more inaugural sailings. For example, this week Royal princess is in the UK for a christening ceremony and will have sailed two short cruises before the official maiden voyage which departs on June 16.
    Quantum of the Seas is being built in Germany and will be based in the US. So it has to cross the Atlantic before it can start “work”. The same applied to Norwegian Breakaway. I suspect the Quantum crossing from Southampton will be very much a shakedown voyage, perhaps with some facilities not up and running, and crew still in training. Everything should be in perfect order by the official maiden. This is likely to be reflected in the fares. The other thing to consider is that the crossing has no ports of call – just seven days at sea. The maiden will call at several ports in the Caribbean. The choice is yours 🙂

  3. Mick Mattocks 6 May 2015 at 9:36 am - Reply

    Have been told the maiden voyages and inauguration voyages are massively discounted have never been on cruise but fancied doing a small 2/3 day one sort of try before you buy but how do you find out about these short trips please

    Many thanks

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