Falmouth cruise port opens

By Gay Nagle Myers The Falmouth cruise port on Jamaica’s north coast welcomed its first ship on Thursday, when Royal Caribbean’s 3,400-passenger Voyager of the Seas docked there. The port’s opening had been delayed several times due to construction problems. Although the restoration of the town of Falmouth still is a work in progress, the cruise ship pier stood ready … Read more

From Turku: Previewing Allure of the Seas

By Theresa Norton Masek One of the most exciting times in the cruise industry is just before a new ship is introduced and journalists who cover the industry are given a sneak peek of its features. Last week Royal Caribbean International gave members of the press a tour of the almost-completed Allure of the Seas at the STX Europe shipyard … Read more

After the Allure, Royal Caribbean has no new ships on order

By: Johanna Jainchill TURKU, Finland — With the introduction of the 5,400-passenger Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International will enter unfamiliar territory. On Oct. 28, the day that STX Finland hands over the Allure to Royal Caribbean, the 22-ship brand will have no new vessels on order or under construction. It’s an unusual situation, but company executives said it’s … Read more

A sneak peek at Royal Caribbean’s next ship, Allure of the Seas

By Gene Sloan, USA TODAY TURKU, Finland — Could the 5,400-passenger Allure of the Seas be the new “world’s biggest cruise ship?” That’s the question that was hanging in the air this week as Royal Caribbean offered cruise writers a sneak peek at the soon-to-debut sister to the much-ballyhooed, ten-month-old Oasis of the Seas (the current record holder for size). … Read more