Summer is just around the corner, and with that comes the busy season for cruise liners. This year it seems that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) will be boasting the biggest boat of the group, as it now owns the largest cruise ship on the planet.
This titanic undertaking took 36 months and 4,700 shipbuilders and crew to construct the ship, the Symphony of the Seas.
This is the 25th ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Symphony of the Seas is 228,081 gross registered tons, measures 238 feet tall and spans 1,188 feet long. She will welcome 5,518 guests at double occupancy in 2,759 staterooms, including 28 additional balcony rooms that overlook the ocean or signature Boardwalk neighborhood.
This Oasis Class ship has seven distinctive neighborhoods, boasts the tallest slide at sea with the Ultimate Abyss and countless adventures for guests of all ages. Royal Caribbean believes that this will be the family adventure of a lifetime that has surprises at every turn.
The ship’s maiden seven-night Mediterranean voyage departs Saturday, April 7 from Barcelona, Spain. The boat is operated by the 2,200 international crew members who proudly represent 77 countries around the world.
Richard D. Fain, Royal Caribbean Cruises board chair and chief executive officer, commented:
Symphony of the Seas is the latest example of how our people work to push the envelope of innovation with each new ship. The Oasis Class has been a trend-setting design, but the team has evolved the design to build on that success to provide even more incredible family adventures. We’re thankful to have a partner in STX France that is every bit as ambitious as we are about building technologically advanced ships.
Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International, added:
It is a proud and exhilarating moment to welcome a new member to the family. Thanks to our stellar crew and partners at STX France, we now are ready to embark on this new boundless adventure that comes to life on Symphony of the Seas. Symphony will take family vacationing to an all new level with energy and options never before found in one place. This ship is the perfect blend of our greatest hits we know guests love and a lineup of vibrant, new restaurants, activities and unparalleled entertainment – all purposefully designed around vacationers’ preferences.
Shares of Royal Caribbean closed out the week at $117.04 apiece, with a consensus analyst price target of $146.53 and a 52-week trading range of $93.86 to $135.65.
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