Royal Caribbean reveals 2019/20

ROYAL Caribbean International has released details of its 2019/20 local season, and announced a new “nonrefundable deposit program”.

The season will see RCI maintain three ships in local waters for the second year running, after announcing last year it had to scale back its deployment from the five ships in 2016/17 to three in 2018/19 due to capacity constraints ( CW 27 Apr).

Ovation of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas will all be based out of Sydney in 2019/20, confirming Explorer of the Seas will not return and instead be deployed in Europe and the Caribbean ( CW 13 Mar).

Explorer’s regular South Pacific routes will be replaced by Voyager of the Seas, which returns after a one-year hiatus of sailing in Asia.

When Voyager arrives, she will be fresh from a multi-million dollar revitalisation in late 2019 as part of the Royal Amplified program ( CW 20 Mar).

Voyager of the Seas will focus on South Pacific and sampler voyages, while Ovation will sail a collection of South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand itineraries and Radiance will cruise to NZ and the South Pacific.

RCI is also introducing a nonrefundable deposit program offering best available rates for pax who have confirmed travel dates when making a booking.

A refundable deposit scheme will still be offered.

The cruise line has also updated its groups policy, reducing the max cabins from 99 to 50 and advising that utilisation recalls will now be policed at 300, 200 and 170 days prior to departure.

Bookings for the 2019/20 season open on Tue 10 Apr.