NEW YORK -- More than two years after announcing it would build two 5,000-passenger ships, Royal Caribbean International finally offered a sneak peak at what the Project Genesis vessels might look like.
Royal Caribbean Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said here today that the ship’s central area, called Central Park, would be a massive, midship, open-air promenade filled with canopy trees, grass, tropical flowers and bars and restaurants with outdoor seating.
Central Park, which starts on Deck 8, will soar six decks high and stretch the length of a football field. It will be double the width of the Royal Promenade area on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom-class ships, Fain said. Also, Central Park will be lined with five decks of 334 cabins, 254 with balconies that overlook the park area below.
The cabins will be in a new cabin category, as an outdoor cabin that does not overlook the sea. Royal Caribbean President Adam Goldstein said that the cabins would be considered outside because they will be outdoors, overlooking the park and facing up toward the sky.
Those views will offer more than the traditional outdoor cabins, Fain said, because at night there is little to see on an ocean-facing balcony. At night, Central Park will have alfresco dining, concerts and street performances.
Several bars will be part of Central Park, but Fain seemed particularly excited about what he called the first moving bar at sea, the Rising Tide, a bar that will ascend and descend a three-deck span of the ship. The bar will stop at each level to let people on and off.
Other bars will include the Canopy, located at one of two glass-domed canopies, and Royal Caribbean’s familiar Vintages wine bar.
Chops Grill will be the only familiar restaurant brand, as Royal Caribbean will introduce several new ones, like 150 Central Park, a restaurant the line says will offer leading-edge dinner cuisine with an observation window to the kitchen. Giovannia’s Table will be a casual restaurant serving rustic Italian dishes for lunch and dinner. Central Park Cafe will offer casual counter service all day and through the late evening hours.
Central Park will also have upscale retail boutiques, an art gallery and a photo studio.
Royal Caribbean will slowly disclose more details of the ship in the coming year, before its late 2009 debut. Its next major reveal is scheduled for June 18.