Royal Caribbean to Offer Year-Round Cruising in Asia

Royal Caribbean will dedicate a ship to the Asia market year-round, starting in fall 2009.

The line will use the 2,076-passenger Legend of the Seas, which is starting a seasonal deployment in Asia this fall, cruising from Singapore and Shanghai. The Legend will return to Asia in November 2009 for year-round cruising.

From Nov. 17, 2009, to Jan. 28, 2010, the Legend will offer 17 departures from Singapore. In 2010, the Legend will sail from Singapore; Hong Kong; Shanghai; Yokohama, Japan; and Busan, Korea.

The 2,435-passenger Rhapsody of the Seas, which had previously sailed in Asia, is repositioning to Australia this fall as planned and will also cruise in Australia in the 2009-2010 fall-winter season.

Royal Caribbean International CEO Adam Goldstein, speaking at an event in Singapore, said that the line’s program in Asia on the Rhapsody had been “extremely positive.”