Superlative Experience & A True Quantum Leap For The Cruise Industry

Vanessa Lee

The cruise industry changed recently when Royal Caribbean introduced a ship for the millennium – a ship that has forever raised the bar for all ships to come.

In my more than 30 year career of selling and marketing cruises in Canada I have probably seen more than 300 ships. I have liked most of them and found many to be quite lovely; naturally I have also been privy to and watched the changes in the industry during this time and seen firsthand how ships and cruise brands have evolved. And, I have had intimate knowledge of the Royal brand since they had 3 small ships, Song of Norway, Nordic Prince and Sun Viking.

Everything changed last week when I had the distinct privilege of being a guest on RCI’s newest ship. And frankly, I think it is one of the most fabulous, fantastic and beautiful ships I have ever seen or sailed upon. I do know that I have not seen anything quite as amazing as Quantum of the Seas in my 30+ years in the cruise biz.

I will try and sum up my thoughts on the innovative Quantum of the Seas, but quite honestly I am not sure I can put it all into words. I am still blown away by the ship and the exceptional and astounding array of experiences she offers for every aspect of a cruise vacation. The ship is a superlative in and of herself. Truly a consummate, magnificent, matchless and unparalleled vessel which has absolutely changed the face of cruising. It is hard to even describe how imaginative and stunning the ship is, never mind all of the incredible WOW’s at Sea she offers in dining, technology, entertainment and sheer beauty.

Royal Caribbean’s marketing description of this ship is, “This Changes Everything” and they are right – so amazingly right. They have truly achieved a Quantum Leap in Cruise Ship Design and as they say, they ‘Live the Wow’. This ship is the epitome of wow in so many ways.

Where to start? I thought I knew what to expect – great and smart technology and lots of bells and whistles with the North Star Gondola rising above the ship, the Sea Plex with bumper cars, roller skating and a full NCAA Basketball court and iFly, a skydiving simulator. And I knew about Dynamic Dining – with an overall choice of 18 restaurants and the change from 1 or 2 large main dining rooms to offering a choice of 4 smaller (5 if you include Coastal Kitchen for suite guests only) main restaurants of different styles and design with a variety of food offerings. And the entertainment – yes I knew all about Mamma Mia but I missed the Music Hall which is a great live entertainment venue too. And yes there is a Bionic Bar which I thought would be a bit gimmicky but is a huge hit. And I knew about Two70 – the lounge at the aft of the ship with wrap around windows but I had no idea how spectacular it would really be. I also knew there would be a few Royal Caribbean favourites along the way – a new style Schooner Bar, Vintages wine bar, Boleros and others. But, this ship is more than the sum of its parts in a new and different way and in a fashion that has not before been achieved at sea.

What I didn’t know is the effect it would have on me as it quickly became apparent how seamlessly it has all come together.

I underestimated RCI’s ability to engage me in the way they did; I had no concept of how physically beautiful the interior of the ship would be. How elegant it is; how exquisite in so many ways. I did not consider Quantum would have so much fabulous art and interesting installations – on the walls, in the middle of spaces and the whimsical art in every elevator. Every time I turned around or walked into a new space there was something to provide a delightful and engaging moment. I literally gasped in awe as I entered the Royal Esplanade on Deck 5 and realized how much light was pouring in and how this walkway through the heart of the ship was so perfectly proportioned.

And then they took me to yet another new level when I watched the Starwater show in the Two70 lounge. I have not been so taken with a show, so mesmerized by the talent, the style, the costumes and the sheer genius of it – robo screens and all. The technology accompanying the performance makes everything change – again. This is more than Vegas – this is a cruise ship offering a new entertainment experience and one that can only be seen at sea.

You MUST see this ship, you MUST most certainly sell this ship and I hope you engage and embrace the change that Royal Caribbean has given to us. We have a stunning new class of ships in Quantum class and we have both Anthem of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas coming soon.

The cruise industry has changed and for the better and we must both congratulate and thank Royal Caribbean for taking the lead, for being so daring, thoughtful and innovative and for making us understand that things will never be the same again.