Today (29 October 2014) marks a historic moment in the Quantum of the Seas’ history as she arrives in Southampton ahead of her inaugural voyage. Royal Caribbean has officially accepted delivery of their newest vessel from shipbuilders Meyer Werft.
The ship set sail from Bremerhaven yesterday and is due to arrive just after midday today. Although the Quantum of the Seas has long been a twinkle in Royal Caribbean’s eye, the ship only became a member of the family after the official signing ceremony in Germany. Royal Caribbean Chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain and Meyer Werft Managing Partner Bernard Meyer met for the signing ceremony and the official handover.
The ship will undertake a two-night voyage with more than 500 agents aboard, giving them a taste of what to expect from the world’s first ‘smartship’. The ship will then return to Southampton to undertake her inaugural voyage to New York before sailing on to the Bahamas and the Caribbean to take in a number of cruises as part of her maiden season.
Agents will be given a tour of the ships innumerate features and amenities, many of which are world and industry firsts. The agents will also be presented with the opportunity to enjoy the Quantum Class cabins, the largest of the Royal Caribbean fleet. The cabins will also be amongst the first on the seas to incorporate virtual balconies: floor-to-ceiling LCD screens projecting live footage of the ship’s external view.
The agents will be capable of blogging and tweeting live from the ship thanks to Royal Caribbean’s improved internet service, which is set to be the fastest and most reliable on the seas. The Quantum class internet bandwidth will offer passengers 500 times the connectivity allowing them to stream videos, conference call and go about their daily browsing.
Many of these features will also be included on Quantum’s sister ship, Anthem of the Seas, which is due to launch in April 2015.
Images sourced via Royal Caribbean Press Center and Flickr Creative Commons. Credits: Henry Burrows
