Royal Caribbean Vice President Michael Bayley visited the new Royal Caribbean headquarters in Italy, the second largest in the world, that had opened in 2010 to announce that Royal Caribbean will handle 60% more passengers in 2011.  Next year will see 2.5 million passengers, airports will grow by 35% to a total of 671 calls at 17 ports.

With Royal Caribbean's addition of 3 Voyager class ships to Italy, about 3,300 passengers will now sail in and out of Italy. Navigator of the Seas docks at Civitavecchia, Voyager of the Seas for the first time in Venice and Mariner of the Seas for the first time will dock in Genoa.

Royal Caribbean is planning on its ships visiting a number of Italian ports, including Civitavecchia, Venice, Livorno, Naples, Messina, Ravenna, Bari, Cagliari, Palermo, La Spezia, Sorrento Salerno, Portofino, Genoa, Portoferraio, Santa Margherita and Trieste.

Robin Robinson of the Toronto Sun recently took a cruise aboard Voyager of the Seas and liked it as a great way to see Italy.  She took notes on her cruise and shared her tips from her cruise as well as why she enjoyed the entire vacation as well.

Distances between Italian ports are short, so on a seven-night itinerary -- like one I sailed recently aboard Royal Caribbean International's Voyageur of the Seas -- a ship can visit a different place each day. Add the numerous architectural masterpieces and ruins, must-see museums and art galleries, and more World Heritage sites than any other country on Earth and it's easy to see why exploring Italy from a cruise ship is attracting not only North American travellers but also an international crowd.

It's been well documented that Royal Caribbean has been adding more ships to Europe and Royal Caribbean public relations representative Celia de la Llama mentions that this year Royal Caribbean has seven ships sailing in Mediterranean waters but next year the total will jump to 11 ships sailing a broad range of different itineraries from European ports.

Some highlights of her cruise included

• A drive along the steep and winding Amalfi Coast road -- dubbed the "Mamma Mia Road" because Italians are known to exclaim "mamma mia" while taking in the breathtaking views along its hairpin turns
• A visit to Tuscany's Varramista wine estate
• Ogling multimillion-dollar yachts along the St. Tropez waterfront

Royal Caribbean has reached an agreement with local officials to allow cruisers to tour the Arechi Castle (Castello di Arechi) in Salerno, Italy. 

According to agreements reached with representatives of Royal Caribbean, the Castle will be visited by guided tours with stops, tastings of local products.  These tours will be included in the itineraries of 2011 that visit the city.

The Arechi Castle is a massive castle commanding the city from a 300 m  hill. It was enlarged by Arechi II over a pre-existing Roman-Byzantine construction. Today it houses rooms for exhibitions and congresses. The Castle offers a complete and spectacular view of the city and the Gulf of Salerno.