Royal Caribbean International (RCI) has taken delivery of Odyssey of the Seas, officially becoming the 25th ship in the cruise line’s fleet.
Odyssey will debut from first-time homeport Haifa in MAY 2021 for fully-vaccinated Israeli adults and Fort Lauderdale, FL in NOV.
Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain, RCI President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Odyssey of the Seas Captain Per Kristoffersen received the new ship from Meyer Werft Yard in a virtual handover ceremony.
"Receiving Odyssey of the Seas into the Royal Caribbean family is a welcomed breath of fresh air. The ingenuity, passion and hard work our dedicated crew, teams on land and partners at Meyer Werft put into building a new ship always deliver, and to pull it off so well during a time unlike any other is incredible,” said Bayley.
Weighing 169,000 gross tons, Odyssey is the second ship in the Quantum Ultra Class. Onboard highlights include:
- A Caribbean-inspired pool deck – Odyssey has two open-air pools, four whirlpools and Splashaway Bay, as well as a Quantum Ultra Class first, The Lime & Coconut bar.
- SeaPlex – The next-generation SeaPlex is the largest indoor and outdoor activity centre at sea, according to RCI, and debuts this venue’s first Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade.
- Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar and Teppanyaki – Two restaurants new to North America join the lineup of dining options on board. Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen is the cruise line’s signature trattoria and wine bar, while Teppanyaki serves up East Asian flavours.
- Action-packed top deck – Returning attractions include the gravity-defying SkyPad virtual reality bungee trampoline adventure, FlowRidersurf simulator, skydiving with RipCord by iFly, and the iconic North Star all-glass observation capsule that boasts 360-degree views from 300 feet above sea level.
- Full-scale entertainment productions – Immersive technology, special effects and talented performers take the stage alongside six agile Roboscreens for a multi-dimensional live show.
Later Wednesday, fans will have front-row seats to the ceremony celebration during an untraditional Facebook premiere event, a first in the cruise line’s 52-year history. In store is a lineup that includes the ship’s blessing led by Seafarers’ House at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, a show-stopping performance from signature venue Two70 on board Quantum of the Seas sailing in Singapore, and executives of Royal Caribbean in Florida and Meyer Werft Yard in Papenburg, Germany. The celebration takes place on Royal Caribbean International’s Facebook page at 5 p.m. EDT.
