Royal Caribbean Fans

Portland, Maine officials have announced that the city will welcome Quantum of the Seas, in 2015.

Quantum of the Seas will visit Portland four times during 2015.

Quantum will be the largest cruise ship to ever dock in Portland.

Enchantment of the Seas has made Port Canaveral its home for the first time.

The Vision class ship which was extended in size during its 2005 refit, today set sail from the port on its first 4-night Bahamas cruise calling at Coco Cay and Nassau.

Enchantment of the Seas replaced the now ex-fleet member Monarch of the Seas, which is now owned by Royal Caribbean's subsidiary Spanish cruise line, Pullmantur. 

Enchantment will offer 3 and 4-night cruises year round.

4-night cruises depart Monday through to Friday and 3-night cruises sailing Friday to Monday.

Enchantment of the Seas will be joined by Freedom of the Seas in the port.

A suspicious package has been found at the Port of Tampa, Florida near to where Jewel of the Seas was berthed.

Local police officers said that the suspicious package was found on a pallet that was destined to be loaded on the cruise ship.

Two bomb-sniffing dogs found the package during a routine inspection of the port. Explosives experts are currently investigating the package.

As a precaution, passengers were evacuated from the terminal building as well as the cruise ship.

Cruise ship passengers are said to be waiting in the area and are still hoping to board the ship today for their trip to the Caribbean. Passengers have been told that they will be allowed back on board when the ship's horn blasts.

Royal Caribbean has released the 2014-2015 schedule for the summer Caribbean and northeast itineraries for Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas.

In summer 2014, Allure of the Seas will offer 7-night eastern Caribbean itineraries on June 8, 22; July 6, 20; August 3, 17, 2014. Allure will also sail 7-night western Caribbean itineraries on June 1, 15, 29; July 13, 27; August 10, 24, 2014.

Oasis of the Seas will also offer 7-night eastern Caribbean itineraries on June 14, 28; July 12, 26; August 9, 23, 2014. The 7-night western Caribbean sailings aboard Oasis will occur on June 7, 21; July 5, 19; August 2, 16, 2014.

Explorer of the Seas will sail out of Bayonne, New Jersey in Summer 2014 and offer 5-night Bermuda cruises on May 3, 17, 31; June 14, 28; July 12, 26; August 9, 23, 2014. Explorer will also offer 9-night Bermuda and Caribbean itineraries on May 8, 22; June 5, 19; July 3, 17, 31; August 14, 2014.

Grandeur of the Seas will cruise out Baltimore, Maryland and offer 6-night Bermuda cruises on April 26, 2014. Grandeur will also offer 7-night Bahamas cruises on May 2, 16, 30; June 13, 27; July 11, 25; August 8, 22, 2014. Slightly different 7-night Bermuda itineraries will be available on Grandeur of the Seas on May 9, 23; June 6, 20; July 4, 18; August 1, 15, 2014.

Freedom of the Seas will continue to offer 7-night eastern Caribbean cruises out of Port Canaveral on May 4, 18; June 1, 15, 29; July 13, 27; August 10, 24, 2014. Freedom will also offer 7-night western Caribbean itineraries on May 11, 25; June 8, 22; July 6, 20; August 3, 17, 2014.

Royal Caribbean will roll out the rest of its 2014-2015 deployment schedule as follows

Fall Bermuda & Canada: March 6, 2013

Alaska: March 13, 2013

Europe & Transatlantics: March 14-28, 2013

Australia and Hawaii: April 10, 2013

Winter Caribbean and Northeast: April 18, 2013

Short Caribbean and Bahamas: April 23, 2013

Brazil, Asia and Panama: Coming soon

An injured pelican is recovering at a Tamva animal hospital after landing on the deck of Jewel of the Seas. 

According to Royal Caribbean, the pelican landed on deck 12 of the port side of Jewel of the Seas on Wednesday. The ship was returning from Mexico. Crew managed to safely capture the injured pelican and brought it to Hillsborough County Animal Services the next day. 

The bird is being treated for dehydration and a minor wing injury that will require rehabilitation.

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said more than half of travel agents they polled are claiming to be selling more cruises this year, compared to last year. Moreover, 25% said by midyear the numbers were similar to 2011.

This is good news for the cruise industry after the Costa Concordia shipwreck hurt bookings, but the industry sees that as an "isolated event".

Travel agents report that 15 percent expected growth of more than 25% this year compared to last year and another 25% predict a rise of 11-15 percent.

CLIA president, Christine Duffy, commented on the news, ""Particularly for the U.S. consumer market, people certainly saw the Costa Concordia as a terrible tragedy that was a very isolated event and not indicative of how the broader cruise industry operates. And I think that bears out in the fact that we are seeing cruise bookings up over the same time last year. There is still a lot of consumer confidence in the cruise product."

A new peice of art work is now on display at Port Everglades cruise terminal.

Terminal 18, home to Royal Caribbean's Oasis and Allure of the Seas gained a new peice of art work called 'Cruising School' It was created by Washington D.C. sculptor Larry Kirkland and is made up of 300 painted aluminium fish suspended from a rotating oval bracket attached to the ceiling. The art work cost $605,000 and casts shadows on the terminal walls as they rotate. 

The art work will be seen by the 12,000 guests that pass through the terminal every week. 

Royal Caribbean is planning on bringing Grandeur of the Seas back to Baltimore to offer year-round cruises in the spring of 2013 after she receives a $48 million renovation.

Grandeur of the Seas previously sailed out of Baltimore from 2004 to 2009 before being replaced by Enchantment of the Seas. Once Grandeur arrives, it will replace Enchantment of the Seas and offer cruises to the Bahamas, Bermuda and New England and Canada.

Royal Caribbean plans to have the first cruise out of Baltimore on May 3, 2013 to Bermuda. After, Grandeur will offer six, seven, eight and ten-night cruises.