Royal Caribbean International have announced their 2014 Alaska cruise and cruisetour season, so one can mark 25 years of delivering the Alaskan frontier on land and sea.
The recently revitalised Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas will return to Alaskan waters and offer 34 sailings on seven-night itineraries from Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seattle, Washington. On board, guests can enjoy as much as 11 dining options, new and breathtaking entertainment, in addition family activities similar to the award-winning Adventure Ocean kids and teenage programme, and the brand new Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, catering to Royal Caribbean’s youngest guests, age six to 36 months old.
In ports of call, guests can make a choice from an in depth range of shore excursions to further explore the untamed Alaskan frontier. At Icy Strait Point examples include riding the world’s longest ZipRider zip line – 5,300 ft. long – that accelerates as much as 60 miles an hour over a lush forest to the beach 1,300 ft. below. Or enjoy a dogsled team on Dog Sledding at the Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter from Juneau. For your entire family, the Gold Rush Sled Dogs and White Pass Train Adventure in Skagway offers a thrilling ride at the world-famous, narrow-gauge White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad, followed by meeting a veteran Iditarod musher and his dogsled team with a possibility to pet some pups, or the chance to move off-roading through Tongas National Park and canoeing in Lake Harriet Hunt on Backcountry Jeep & Canoe Safari from Ketchikan.
“Royal Caribbean International was unfolding the wonders of the Alaskan frontier for 1 / 4 of a century and we continue to deliver this amazing destination like no other cruise line,” said Lisa Bauer, executive vp of worldwide Marketing and Sales, Royal Caribbean International. “Guests can explore this awe-inspiring destination while sailing aboard our recently revitalised ships which are truly ‘Designed for WOW’. To further immerse themselves, travellers may choose an unforgettable Royal Caribbean Alaska cruisetour combining the precise of land and sea inside the region and while not having to fret about any of the planning.”
In addition to witnessing the majesty of Alaska by ship, guests can even explore Alaska’s interior on quite a few exciting Royal Caribbean Cruisetours, which combine a sailing aboard Radiance of the Seas with a 3- to 6-night land tour adventure. Royal Caribbean International looks after all of the planning, transportation and accommodation on fully escorted tours that spend in any case one night in Denali National Park and one leg at the Wilderness Express, a luxurious, glass-domed train cars that supply panoramic views of the grand Alaskan frontier.
A 10-night, family-friendly cruisetour will feature a 3-night land tour that features a behind-the-scenes visit to the Alaska Sea Life Center to be informed concerning the region’s natural habitat and the centre’s wildlife rehabilitation and conservation efforts, and wildlife spotting in Denali National Park on the Murie Science and Learning Center.
Holidaymakers can even combine a Radiance of the Seas or Rhapsody of the Seas’ Alaska cruise with one among four pre- or post-cruise land tours inside the Canadian Rockies and – new for 2014 – the Okanagan Wine Valley. For a comprehensive Alaska and the Canadian Rockies adventure, the final word Cruisetour combines both region’s land tour programmes with a seven-night cruise aboard Radiance of the Seas for a 19-night grand adventure on land and sea.
Recently revitalised in 2011 and 2012, respectively, Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas now offer guests various new dining options, breathtaking entertainment, and contemporary features that live as much as the cruise line’s Designed for WOW marketing platform. Each ship now features the various optimum dining options and activities that were first introduced aboard the world’s largest and most revolutionary ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.
New signature concepts aboard these ships include a brand new dance club experience within the modernised Viking Crown Lounge. On Rhapsody of the Seas guests are surprised and delighted within the day by a sequence of heart-pounding, aerial-acrobatic entertainment experiences within the four deck-high Centrum which also features the brand new retro R Bar. Guests enjoy choices from 11 different dining options on Radiance of the Seas and nine on Rhapsody of the Seas, including the Park Café gourmet deli, Izumi Asian Cuisine, Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant, and the exclusive Chef’s Table, some for an extra cover charge.
Both ships offer bow-to-stern WiFi service, a refresh of all public spaces and updated staterooms with flat-panel televisions. A large LED movie screen overlooking the principle pool provides entertainment to guests, and new Concierge and Diamond lounges on-board each ship further recognise Royal Caribbean International’s loyal Crown and Anchor Society members and suite guests.
Radiance of the Seas will alternate between North- and Southbound seven-night itineraries from Vancouver and Seward, respectively. Guests will cruise the within Passage and the monumental Hubbard Glacier, in addition to call at Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau and Skagway, Alaska.
Radiance of the Seas’ Alaska season will start and end with a seven-night itinerary, sailing from Vancouver on 9 May 2014 and 5 September 2014, calling at Icy Strait Point, Juneau, and Ketchikan, and cruising up Tracy Arm Fjord to determine Sawyer Glacier.
Rhapsody of the seas will sail seven-night cruises to Sawyer Glacier from Seattle, Washingston. Guests will cruise the within Passage and get in touch with at Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria, British Columbia. Two similar seven-night itineraries that decision at Ketchikan rather than Victoria will sail from Vancouver to Seattle on 16 May and vice versa on 29 August 2014.