Royal Caribbean International's Voyager of the Seas’ arrived in Singapore at the new Marina Bay Cruise Centre - Alvinology

Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas’ arrived in Singapore at the new Marina Bay Cruise Centre

Royal Caribbean International's Voyager of the Seas (image provided by Royal Caribbean International)
Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas (image provided by Royal Caribbean International)

Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas arrived in Singapore for the first time on 26 May 2012 (Sat) and was welcomed by more than 100 government officials, company executives, as well as local and regional travel agents and media. Arriving to start her maiden Asian season, the 137,276-gross registered ton Voyager of the Seas also became the first cruise ship to call at the new Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore, as well as the largest to homeport in Asia.

Just look at how large Voyager of the Seas is!
Just look at how large Voyager of the Seas is! (image provided by Royal Caribbean International)

I was one of the lucky few who got invited to a ship tour of Voyager of the Seas, being among the first few Singaporeans to step onboard the ship.

Voyager of the Seas arrived after an 11-night cruise from Dubai with close to 3,000 international guests onboard. An official plaque and key ceremony was conducted at the cruise terminal in honour of the ship’s first turn in Singapore, with exchanges between Captain Charles Teige of Voyager of the Seas and Mr Chew Choon Seng, Singapore Tourism Board Chairman, Mr Lam Yi Young, Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore Chief Executive as well as Mr Tan Chuan Lye, SATS-Creuers Cruise Services Chairman. This is Royal Caribbean’s third ship to be based in Asia, following Rhapsody of the Seas and Legend of the Seas.

Seeing is believing. Here are some pictures I took of the launch event and on the ship tour:

The spanking new Marina Bay Cruise Centre
The spanking new Marina Bay Cruise Centre
Cheerleading welcome
Cheerleading welcome
Voyager of the Seas welcome everyone
Voyager of the Seas welcome everyone
Balloon ship
Balloon ship
Balloon sculptors at work
Balloon sculptors at work
Buffet spread for everyone at the launch event
Buffet spread for everyone at the launch event
Puss in Boots spotted! On his way to board Voyager of the Seas
Puss in Boots spotted! On his way to board Voyager of the Seas
Princess Fiona from Shrek spotted
Princess Fiona from Shrek spotted
Hong Peng and I with Fiona and Puss from Dreamwork's Shrek
Hong Peng and I with Fiona and Puss from Dreamwork’s Shrek
Everybody wants a picture with Fiona and Puss
Everybody wants a picture with Fiona and Puss
Finger foams for all guests
Finger foams for all guests
Boarding Voyager of the Sea for a ship tour
Boarding Voyager of the Sea for a ship tour
This little boy and her parents are the first passengers to board the ship from Singapore
This little boy and her parents are the first passengers to board the ship from Singapore
The sprawling Promenade shopping area
The sprawling Promenade shopping area
More shops along the Royal Promenade
More shops along the Royal Promenade
Musicians livening up the atmosphere
Musicians livening up the atmosphere
Facilities for business passengers
Facilities for business passengers
Disco club
Disco club
Inside the disco club
Inside the disco club
Bubble lift
Bubble lift
Row of specialty restaurants
Row of specialty restaurants
La Scala Theatre
La Scala Theatre
Artisan puppets
Artisan puppets
There are handicap seats in the theatre
There are handicap seats in the theatre
Beautiful view of the ship interior
Beautiful view of the ship interior
Magnificent two-storey restaurant dining
Magnificent two-storey restaurant dining
Wine selection
Wine selection
Portofino Italian fine dining restaurant
Portofino Italian fine dining restaurant
Inside Portofino restaurant
Inside Portofino restaurant
Entering the ship casino
Entering the ship casino
Slot machines in the casino
Slot machines in the casino
Gambling tables
Gambling tables
Arcade room for kids
Arcade room for kids
Windjammer buffet restaurant
Windjammer buffet restaurant
Top deck
Top deck
More deck chairs
More deck chairs
Spa and massage
Spa and massage
View of Marina Bay Cruise Centre from the ship
View of Marina Bay Cruise Centre from the ship

Don’t these pictures make you want to book a cruise trip onboard Voyager of the Seas? Visit Royal Caribbean International’s official website to find out more. 

First in Asia Onboard Features

The 14 passenger-deck Voyager of the Seas, which carries 3,840 guests at total occupancy, will give cruise enthusiasts from Singapore the chance to experience Voyager Class’ activities and entertainment never seen before in Asia. This includes the Studio B ice-skating rink, Royal Promenade – a boulevard of shops and cafes – and a full-sized sports court. Other onboard innovations include the 3D movie theatre, in-line skating track, rock-climbing wall, mini-golf course and golf simulator. In addition, there is a three-tier theatre, themed bars and lounges as well as a mezzanine split level nightclub.

One of the rooms in Voyager of the Seas (image provided by Royal Caribbean International)
One of the rooms in Voyager of the Seas (image provided by Royal Caribbean International)
Studio B Ice Skating Rink
Studio B Ice Skating Rink (image provided by Royal Caribbean International)
Skating fun for everyone
Skating fun for everyone (image provided by Royal Caribbean International)
Lots of sporting facilities
Lots of sporting facilities (image provided by Royal Caribbean International)

Voyager of the Seas also offers guests the unique DreamWorks Animation entertainment programme. Guests of all ages can interact with ‘celebrity’ characters like Shrek and Fiona of “Shrek”, Alex of “Madagascar” and Po of “Kung Fu Panda” during parades in the Royal Promenade, character breakfasts in the main dining room and photo opportunities.

Puss in Boots
Puss in Boots (image provided by Royal Caribbean International)
Kung Fu Panda Po
Kung Fu Panda Po (image provided by Royal Caribbean International)

There are numerous dining options onboard, including the three-tier dining room and specialty restaurants including Italian-style Portofino’s and 50’s style diner Johnny Rockets. The choice of accommodation is also wide-ranging with more than 40% more staterooms and five more categories than today’s offerings in the region, ranging from luxurious Royal Suites to unique Promenade staterooms with views overlooking the Royal Promenade.

Maiden Asian Season

Voyager of the Seas is featuring short cruises of three to five nights from Singapore to Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Phuket, as well as an eight-night cruise to Shanghai that visits Ho Chi Minh, Xiamen and has an overnight in Hong Kong.

After sailing from Singapore, the ship will move to China and offer five- to seven-night North Asian cruises from Shanghai and Tianjin visiting a variety of Japanese and Korean destinations such as Fukuoka, Kobe, Okinawa and Jeju from June to October.

Coming in 2013: Mariner of the Seas

At the press conference, Royal Caribbean International also announced the deployment of a second Voyager Class ship, Mariner of the Seas, to Asia in 2013. The ship, which is the same size as Voyager of the Seas, recently underwent a multi-million revitalization. She will be starting her maiden Asian season in Singapore in June with three cruises of 3-10 nights to Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan and Shanghai. She will return to Singapore from mid-November to offer a series of Southeast Asian cruises.

When she sails into Singapore in 2013, Mariner of the Seas will offer guests the benefits of the multi-million dollar Royal Advantage strategy, including enhanced staterooms and other innovative features that Royal Caribbean International has created in recent years.

About Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 22 innovative ships, calling on more than 270 destinations in 72 countries across six continents. The line also offers unique cruise tour land packages in Alaska, Canada, Dubai, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand.

Royal Caribbean provides a world-class vacation experience with a wide range of signature onboard amenities, entertainment, and award-winning family programming. The cruise line has a 40-year history of giving guests the Royal Advantage – the most innovative cruise ships, exciting itineraries to popular destinations, and world-renowned friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service.

Royal Caribbean International is part of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE/OSX: RCL), a global cruise vacation company that also operates Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Pullmantur, CDF Croisieres de France, as well as TUI Cruises through a 50 percent joint venturewith TUI AG. The company has a combined total of 39 ships in service and three under construction.

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