Royal Caribbean International will name its
third and final Freedom-class ship the Independence of the Seas,
the line said today.
The ship, currently
under construction at Aker Yards in Turku, Finland, is slated to
enter service in May 2008, following the Liberty of the Seas, which
will debut in New York in May. The 160,000-ton vessel will hold
3,634 guests, sharing the title of the world's largest cruise ship
with sister ships the Freedom of the Seas and the Liberty of the
Seas.
"Independence of
the Seas will have all of the signature elements of her sister
ships ... making the Freedom-class ships the most innovative and
forward-looking class of ships in the cruise industry," said Adam
Goldstein, president of Royal Caribbean International.
Amenities on the
Independence of the Seas will include the innovations already found
on its sister ships, including the FlowRider surf simulator; the
H20 Zone aqua park; cantilevered whirlpools; an ice-skating rink; a
boxing ring; and the 1,215-square-foot Presidential Family Suite
that sleeps up to 14.
Beginning May 19,
the Liberty of the Seas will depart Miami on Saturdays and sail
alternating seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries
year-round from Miami, calling in San Juan; Philipsburg, St.
Maarten; and Labadee, Haiti in the east; and Labadee; Montego Bay,
Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Cozumel, Mexico, in the
west.
To contact the
reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail to Johanna Jainchill
at [email protected].