BAYONNE, N.J. -- Royal Caribbean Cruises officially opened its new
port operations in New Jersey last week.
The Empress of the Seas kicked off Royal Caribbean's cruise
season from Cape Liberty, the name for its cruise port here, with a
cruise to Bermuda. The Voyager of the Seas was to be the backdrop
for a pierside ceremony to officially open Cape Liberty May 14;
that vessel begins its cruise season from here May 16.
During an overnight cruise for agents on the Empress of the
Seas, Royal Caribbean CEO Richard Fain called Bayonne "a home
run."
"I got excited about it when I saw the footprints, the
drawings," he said. "The potential [for Bayonne] is terrific."
Most of the travel agents onboard the Empress were retailers
from the New York-New Jersey area.
Agents TravelWeekly.com spoke with overwhelmingly praised the
Bayonne location for its ease of access and its being easy to
reach. The week before the port opened, green road signs guiding
the way to "Cruise Port Bayonne" started popping up along major
roadways in New Jersey.
The Empress emerged earlier this month from a three-week drydock
during which the vessel received upgrades to its public rooms and
suites. Several of the enhancements are borrowed from Royal
Caribbean's newer ships -- specifically the Latin-themed Boleros
bar from the Navigator of the Seas and the Schooner Bar from the
line's Radiance-class ships.
The renovations don't touch every area of the ship, and agents
noted that, at least on the introductory cruise, some parts of the
ship, such as the pool deck and some of the cabins, hadn't been
finished.
But Royal Caribbean executives said the ship was ready for
paying passengers on May 9, minus the newly added Portofino's, an
alternative restaurant. That venue is under construction and will
be ready this week.
To contact reporter Rebecca Tobin, send e-mail to [email protected].