Freedom of the Seas

Cruise passenger traffic is up for Royal Caribbean at Port Canaveral, Florida.  The amount of passengers for Royal Caribbean's ships based out of Port Canaveral is up 1 percent for the year at nearly 360,000.

This figure is slightly skewed when you consider the fact that Royal Caribbean ships have made nine more voyages out of the port so far this year.  Royal Caribbean has matched competitor Carnival Cruise Lines in replacing smaller ships with larger ones at Port Canaveral during the past two years.

Royal Caribbean currently home ports Freedom of the Seas and Monarch of the Seas out of Port Canaveral for year round trips. 

Port officials also report total cruise revenue is up year to date about 19 percent.

Royal Caribbean has teamed up with Orlando, Florida based Mustard Seed to help donate its mattresses, pillows and other cruise ship to charity.

Mustard Seed is an organization that specializes in giving furniture and clothing to victims of natural disasters and personal tragedies.

Royal Caribbean has been in negotiations with Mustard Seed since January, according to Mustard Seed Executive Director Michelle Lyles.  With the deal signed, Royal Caribbean delivered 1200 mattresses at Port Canaveral to the non-profit agency.

Lyles is excited about the new partnership, “Royal Caribbean has done so much in the community and with the environment,  We appreciate our partnership with Monarch of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas to divert mattresses and furniture items that were heading to the landfill towards families who need help. It’s just one more way how both Royal Caribbean and The
Mustard Seed are helping to improve the lives of people in our community".

Rodolfo Villasmil, Corporate Environmental Commodity Manager for Royal Caribbean adds: “We know that clean oceans are good for the environment and good for our guests, so we strive to achieve the highest possible standards of environmental and community stewardship; and we are happy to work with The Mustard Seed to be a responsible partner in keeping our earth safe and clean.”

If you're a fan of the hit reality TV show "Dancing with the Stars", then there's the perfect Royal Caribbean cruise for you.  Dancing With the Stars pros Chelsie Hightower, Tony Dovolani, and Elena Grinenko are inviting their fans to join them on a cruise aboard Freedom of the Seas.

The cruise takes place January 15-22, 2012 and departs Port Canaveral, Florida on an Eastern Caribbean itinerary.  

The cruise will feature

• Exclusive master dance classes for all ability levels
• Dance parties
• Photo and autograph sessions
• Private theme parties
• Q&A sessions
• Dining and socializing with fellow Dancing fans

In addition, one lucky cruise passenger will win a private one hour dance lesson with Tony and Chelsie.

If you're interested, you can learn more at dancestarscruise.com.

Photo by Daria Rebbecchi

Network: Planet Green

9:00pm: Ultimate Cruise Ship: Building of Freedom of the Seas (60 minutes)
The creation of the world's largest ocean liner.

10:00pm: Extreme Cruise Ship (60 minutes)
The largest passenger ship in the world; Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean will offer showings of Dreamwork Animations newest film "Kung Fu Panda 2" on some of their newest ships.

Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas will have the new film playing onboard from June through August 2011. In addition, there will be  a series of red-carpet premieres aboard each ship, which will be celebrated onboard Oasis of the Seas on June 4, Freedom of the Seas and Allure of the Seas on June 5, and Liberty of the Seas on June 18.

In coordination with the new film, Royal Caribbean is rolling out a new promotion called “Pandamonium,” which is a cruise promotion aimed at families who are looking to cruise this summer.  The package is available onboard the four Royal Caribbean ships that feature the DreamWorks Experience, and includes VIP seating at one of the onboard “Kung Fu Panda 2” premieres, exclusive meet and greets with DreamWorks Animation characters, two soft drink packages, two cupcakes from the Cupcake Cupboard, a complimentary family photo and a chance for guests to build their own Pets at Sea plush animal. The Pandamonium package can be booked using the promotional code YNOTxxPO.

Fans of NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace can join him on an upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise aboard Freedom of the Seas.

This special cruise will feature a series of invitation-only events, including

• a private cocktail reception
• exclusive question-and-answer event
• photo and autograph session
• racing-themed contests
• other great activities

A variety of prizes and memorabilia, including complimentary race passes and authentic racing gear- autographed by Rusty Wallace-will be available.

Vicki Freed, senior vice president of Sales, Trade Support and Services, Royal Caribbean is excited for the cruise idea, "We are delighted to host the Rusty Wallace Cruise aboard Freedom of the Seas.  This is a great opportunity for race fans to meet and sail with one of the best-known personalities in NASCAR, while enjoying an outstanding vacation experience with like-minded race fans."

For more information visit http://www.rustywallacecruise.com or call 888-RUSTY-11

Royal Caribbean announced John Targaglia's Off-Broadway family musical "ImaginOcean" will debut on Freedom of the Seas starting in May 2011.

ImaginOcean will be the fourth Royal Caribbean ship to perform the show, joining Oasis, Allure and Liberty of the Seas.

Tartaglia was excited to bring his show to another Royal Caribbean ship, "ImaginOcean made its debut on Oasis of the Seas where it ran for several months prior to opening at New World Stages in New York in the spring of 2010. Our goal as the producers of this show continues to focus on making this universal family musical accessible to as many people as possible -- on land and at sea -- and we are thrilled to continue our relationship with Royal Caribbean and install our fourth production on Freedom of the Seas next month."

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas has completed a series of upgrades it received at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.  Freedom will return to service this week with a slew of new changes to the ship.

Freedom of the Seas received these upgrades while in drydock

• Royal Babies and Tots Nursery
• Large 18.5-foot video screen overlooking family pool area
• LCD wayfinder system
• Cupcake Cupboard restaurant
• Vintages lounge will be redone
• DreamWorks Experience
• 3D movie screen
• Imaginocean! puppet show
• outdoor LED video walls

The upgrades, part of Royal Caribbean's Royal Advantage program, invested $70 million in ship upgrades to help keep Freedom and other Royal Caribbean ships more appealing to consumers with newer and bigger ships coming online.

Royal Caribbean vice president of hotel operations Lisa Bauer thinks the upgrades to Freedom of the Seas will make a difference based on what they've seen for Liberty of the Seas, “The outdoor video screen installed aboard Liberty of the Seas in January has already been so well received that we have decided to deploy it aboard all the ships scheduled to undergo the Royal Advantage revitalization in 2011."

As of today, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas have finished their upgrades with Radiance of the Seas set to be changed in May and Splendour of the Seas in October.