Cruise News Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas sails year round 2010/2011 ex UK..!!!!

Wow! Wow! and Wow!

OK guys - this is where cruising gets really interesting, especially if you cruise ex UK, because believe it or not, Royal Caribbean just increased competition in the ex-UK cruise market by basing the Freedom Class Independence of the Seas, year-round in the UK for the first time. 2010 / 2011

Remember this, she is a 4,000-berth ship and is going to make a huge difference in the market place - no doubt about that.

Royal Caribbean said the decision was based purely on its confidence in the UK market.

I guess the thinking behind this is based on the fact Royal Caribbean are about to launch the largest ships in the world, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas and these will be based in the Caribbean, this therefore must bring into play the issue of over capacity, hence the decision to keep Independence of the Seas in the UK year-round for the first time.

Royal Caribbean's Managing Director Robin Shaw said he was “confident” there was pent-up demand for an ex-UK winter programme.

“The shoulder periods in late April and November have proved very, very successful with Independence, so this is an extension of something we already do,” he said.

“This reflects our confidence in the underlying strength of the UK market, which I’m convinced could double or treble in the near future.”

Independence’s winter 2010-11 programme will add 15 cruises to the UK market and go on sale on June 1. It will offer two itineraries – 11-night Canaries cruises and 18-night trips to the Mediterranean – with prices leading in at £799.

Phil's comment: I am not sure what to say really as this has even taken me by surprise, although it shouldn't have really because it is obvious there would have been over capacity in the Caribbean for 2010/11 and a ship that size, flight seats to the Mediterranean would have been an issue. So the UK is the largest cruise market outside of North America and therefore - for that reason - they're in..!! To coin a phrase...

No doubt there will be some comments and I welcome them - let's hear what you have to say..

This is a cruise blog by Phil