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Mariner of the Seas Arrives at First Asian Port

Report by Santanu Ganguly: Royal Caribbean International’s Mariner of the Seas, the largest cruise ship home-porting in Asia, made her first Asian stop today at the port of Goa. The 138,279 gross registered ton ship which is the second Voyager Class ship coming to Asia, has arrived with close to 3,000 international guests onboard and is on an 11-night repositioning cruise from Dubai to Singapore to kick start her maiden Asian season. She will also call at Kochi on 26th May followed by Penang and Port Klang for the sailing.

Mariner of the Seas Arrives at First Asian Port
Mariner of the Seas 
Traditional plaque ceremony was conducted by Captain Flemming Nielsen of Mariner of the Seas with Francis D'souza, Deputy Chief Minister-Goa and Biplav Kumar, IRTS Deputy Chairman-Mormugao Port Trust, Goa to commemorate the ship’s maiden call in Goa. This official ceremony was attended by government officials and VIPs, media personnel, business partners as well as Royal Caribbean representatives in India.

The 15 passenger-deck, 3,807-guest Mariner of the Seas is the largest and most exciting ship to be based in Asia, after her sister ship Voyager of the Seas which is also now in the region. Mariner of the Seas recently underwent a $14 Million USD revitalization that not only upgraded the ship’s onboard amenities and service offering but also resulted in integration of new technology. This ship offers cruisers the renowned Voyager Class activities and entertainment like Voyager of the Seas, such as the ice-skating rink, Royal Promenade – a boulevard of shops and cafes, full-sized sports court, in-line skating track, rock-climbing wall and mini-golf course. In addition, there is a three-tier theatre, themed bars and lounges as well as a mezzanine split level nightclub.

Mariner of the Seas also features the unique DreamWorks Animation entertainment programme. Guests of all ages can interact with ‘celebrity’ characters like Shrek and Fiona of “Shrek”, Alex of “Madagascar” and Po of “Kung Fu Panda” during parades in the Royal Promenade, character breakfasts in the main dining room and photo opportunities. Also new in Asia with this ship is the Barbie Premium Experience for girls to set sail in true Barbie fashion with staterooms decorated in true Barbie fashion and exclusive, themed activities throughout the duration of the their cruise.

There are numerous dining options onboard including the grand three-tier main dining room and a buffet restaurant that serves a variety of international cuisine with a selection of Asian dishes including Indian food. There are also specialty restaurants onboard, namely Chops Grille Steakhouse, the rustic-style Italian restaurant Giovanni’s Table, Boardwalk Dog House for hot dogs and Johnny Rockets 50s’ style American diner. As for accommodation, the choice ranges from the luxurious Royal Suites to the unique Promenade staterooms with views overlooking the Royal Promenade.

Mrs. Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, TIRUN Travel Marketing – the exclusive India representative of Royal Caribbean International, said, “We are proud to mark this historic moment for Royal Caribbean International in Asia with the arrival of Mariner of the Seas in Goa today. Voyager Class ships like Mariner of the Seas are renowned in the industry for their size and groundbreaking features such as the Royal Promenade, adventure activities such as the rock climbing wall, ice-skating rink and more, world-class cuisines with varying dining options as well as their collaborations with renowned brands like Dreamworks® and Barbie[TM], all of which tend to change consumers’ perceptions and open up their minds to cruising, catapulting cruise experiences to the next level. We are confident that the arrival of a second ship of this Class will build up the momentum for more exciting and innovative cruise offerings in Asia and attract more Indian travellers to experience the Royal Caribbean brand.”

Mariner of the Seas’ maiden Asian season has lined up cruises from Singapore in early June of 3 and 4 nights to Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) and Langkawi, and 10 nights to Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Shanghai. She will sail North Asian cruises from Shanghai during the summer before returning to Singapore for more Southeast Asian cruises from November till next March. They include a variety of 3, 4 and 5-night cruises to Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Langkawi, Penang and Phuket, a 7-night cruise to Bangkok (Laem Chabang) (overnight) and Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), and an 8-night cruise to Shanghai with calls at Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My) and Xiamen and an overnight in Hong Kong. She is Royal Caribbean International’s fourth ship homeporting in Asia, following Rhapsody of the Seas,Legend of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean International is an award-winning global cruise brand with a 40-year legacy of innovation and introducing industry firsts never-before-seen at sea. The cruise line features an expansive and unmatched array of features and amenities only found on Royal Caribbean including, jaw-dropping, Broadway-style entertainment and industry-acclaimed programming that appeals to families and adventurous vacationers alike. Owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE/OSE: RCL), the cruise line sails 21 of the world’s most innovative cruise ships to the most popular destinations in the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, South America, Asia and Australia and New Zealand. World renowned for its friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service, delivered by every staff and crew member, Royal Caribbean has been voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 10 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Reader’s Choice Awards.

TIRUN Travel Marketing is the exclusive India Representative for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. with a portfolio of 3 of its cruise brands including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. A leading travel marketing company, TIRUN Travel Marketing has been representing Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in the country since 1993 and continues to successfully undertake exclusive marketing and sales for the various brands while also providing operational support pan-India. Headquartered in New Delhi, the company has proprietary offices in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Chennai as well as representative presence in Hyderabad and Kolkata.

Recognized as India's premier cruise counselors, in 2013, TIRUN Travel Marketing celebrates 20 years of its partnership with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in India.

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