RCI conducts delivery ceremony and honours of Harmony of the Seas crew

Royal Caribbean International recently honoured the crew and project team of the new Harmony of the Seas at a traditional delivery and flag changing ceremony in Saint Nazaire, France.

Following 32 months of construction at the STX France shipyard involving thousands of shipyard employees, sub-contractors and suppliers, the world’s largest  cruise ship is now home to 2,100 crew members from 77 different nationalities.

Joining the festivities in the ship’s signature AquaTheatre were Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International together with Laurent Castaing, General Manager, STX France.

“Harmony of the Seas is the product of our zealous spirit of continuous improvement, where we have combined revolutionary ship design with the technological strides that have defined the Royal Caribbean brand,” said Richard D. Fain. “Thank you to STX France for their ongoing partnership in building our ships, which continue to introduce unexpected industry innovations.”
“Harmony is truly magnificent in every sense of the word, from her architecture and design to the level of care and attention to detail with which our incredible crew are taking to prepare for our first guests,” said Michael Bayley.

“The ship is the ‘best of the best’ of what our guests love most about Royal Caribbean, combined with new and thrilling experiences never before found in one place but it is the passion and dedication of our crew that will make everlasting memories for our guests.”

Costing more than $1billion, Harmony of the Seas will be the 25th ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet and has first-at-sea experiences, including:

• A 100-foot drop with Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea, plunging 10 storeys down from Pool Deck to the Boardwalk on deck 6
• 4,700,000 lbs. (2,150 tons) of water across 23 swimming pools, whirlpools, two FlowRider surf simulators and waterslides, including the Perfect Storm, a thrilling trio of waterslides, and the Splashaway Bay waterpark for young guests
• The first double-storey Wonderland, the speciality restaurant concept first introduced onboard the global cruise line’s Quantum class of ships, delivering an imaginative feast for all the senses
• The debut of Broadway’s hit musical Grease in the Royal Theatre and spectacular diving shows in the AquaTheatre
• 11,252 works of art showcased throughout the ship and Central Park, a living park in the centre of the ship which features a total of 10,587 plants, 48 vines and 52 trees, some over 20 feet (6.1 metres) high
• VOOM, the fastest internet at sea, available exclusively to Royal Caribbean guests, which allows travellers to seamlessly stay connected, stream their favourite entertainment, video chat and share their adventures with friends and family at home

Harmony of the Seas will homeport in Barcelona, Spain and embark on the first of 34 seven-night sailings in the western Mediterranean on June 7.

In November this year, Harmony will arrive at her homeport of Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, FL., from where she will offer seven-night eastern and western Caribbean sailings. The newest member of the fleet will join sister-ships Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, sailing from Port Canaveral and Port Everglades respectively, on the east coast of Florida.
The ship combines the seven neighbourhood concept that Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class of ships are known for.

Innovative features include The Ultimate Abyss, a thrilling slide 10 storeys high – the tallest at sea, robot bartenders, virtual balconies with real-time views of the destination for interior rooms, and VOOM – the fastest internet at sea.