Royal Caribbean is celebrating their 50th anniversary of offering cruises this year. The cruise line has a special 50 Years Old Birthday Cruise scheduled for this November.
In Royal Caribbean’s 50 year history, they changed cruising with innovative features that set them apart from other cruise lines. Here is a look at what Royal Caribbean has brought to the cruise industry in their 50 year history.
1970: Royal Caribbean launches Song of Norway, the industry’s first cruise ship built for warm weather cruises. The cruise ship had a capacity of 1,004 passengers.
1988: Sovereign of the Seas, the world’s first “mega-ship” debuted. Boasting a five deck atrium, the cruise ship featured glass elevators, fountains in marble pools, and sweeping staircases.
1999: Voyager of the Seas debuted with the world’s first ice-skating rink and rock climbing wall on a cruise ship.
2006: Freedom of the Seas brought the first boxing ring and FlowRider surf simulator on a cruise ship. The FlowRider pumps 30,000 gallons of water per minute.
2009: Cruising forever changed with the debut of the first cruise ship ever built over 200,000 gross tons. Oasis of the Seas not only had the first AquaTheater and zip line at sea, but the ship featured seven distinct neighborhoods including Central Park with over 12,000 plants.
2014: Quantum of the Seas, the world’s first smartship debuted in 2014. The ship features robot bartenders, a skydiving simulator, Seaplex, and the North Star. The North Star offers one of a kind views up to 300 feet over sea level.
2016: When Royal Caribbean’s 3rd Oasis class ship (Harmony of the Seas) debuted, the ship set the record for the tallest slide at sea. Ultimate Abyss features a 10 story plunge 150 feet above sea level.
2018: Symphony of the Seas debuted as the largest passenger cruise ship ever built. The vessel is 300 feet longer than Sovereign of the Seas and is three times larger than the cruise line’s first “mega ship” back in 1988.
2019: When Navigator of the Seas emerged was in dry dock in March, the world’s largest waterslide on a cruise ship was added to the vessel.
2019: In May, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas (CocoCay) will debut the tallest waterslide in North America. The island will also have the first over the water cabanas in the Bahamas, the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, and the largest wave pool in the Caribbean.
