Royal Caribbean has intensified competition in the ex-UK cruise market by opting to base one of the world’s three largest ships year-round in the UK for the first time.
The 4,000-berth Independence of the Seas, which in 2007 was the first new ship the line dedicated to the UK, will sail its first ex-UK winter season out of Southampton in 2010.
The line said the decision was based purely on its confidence in the UK market. But it also represents a further challenge to the dominance of P&O Cruises in its Southampton home port.
The repositioning of Independence will be more than made up for in the Caribbean winter season with Royal’s new bigger 5,400-passenger ships, in 2010 and 2011, according to Robin Shaw, Royal Caribbean’s managing director.
He said he was “confident” there was pent-up demand for an ex-UK winter programme.
“The shoulder periods in late April and November have proved very, very successful with Independence, so this is an extension of something we already do,” he said.
“This reflects our confidence in the underlying strength of the UK market, which I’m convinced could double or treble in the near future.”
Independence’s winter 2010-11 programme will add 15 cruises to the UK market and go on sale on June 1. It will offer two itineraries – 11-night Canaries cruises and 18-night trips to the Mediterranean – with prices leading in at £799.
