Royal Caribbean Swaps Ships for 2027 Season in Southampton

Royal Caribbean Swaps Ships for 2027 Season in Southampton

Royal Caribbean International confirmed that the Freedom of the Seas will replace the Mariner of the Seas for the 2027 season out of Southampton.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the Freedom was expected to serve the British market after having its deployment for the timeframe cancelled.

Originally set to offer itineraries from Miami during the summer of 2027, the 3,960-passenger vessel is slightly larger than the Mariner and entered service in 2006.

According to statements sent to booked guests, the Freedom will offer cruises departing from Southampton on the same dates as the Mariner.

Some of the original itineraries were reportedly adjusted, with selected ports of call being changed or dropped.

Sailing from its new homeport, the ship will offer a series of cruises to Northern and Western Europe between May and October 2027.

“As part of our ongoing itinerary planning process, which sometimes requires flexibility due to scheduling, port agreements or operational needs, the Mariner of the Seas will be redeployed for our summer 2027 season,” Royal Caribbean said in its statement.

“We know how much effort goes into planning your vacation and apologise for the inconvenience,” the company added.

Passengers are being offered three options, which include moving their reservations to other cruises in the company’s portfolio.

In this case, the company will waive the non-refundable deposit change fee, but guests will be responsible for any price difference.

Royal Caribbean will also allow passengers to cancel their reservations and receive a full refund of any portion of their cruise fare.

Guests who do not wish to cancel or reschedule will be automatically moved to a like-for-like stateroom onboard the Freedom of the Seas.

While Royal Caribbean did not confirm a new deployment for the Mariner of the Seas, the ship is now set to offer a trans-Atlantic crossing to the Mediterranean ahead of the summer of 2027.

The 17-night repositioning voyage sails from New Orleans on April 24, 2027, and features destinations in Morocco and Spain before ending in Barcelona. Ports of call set to be visited include Casablanca, Tangier and Málaga.

Royal Caribbean to bring another Freedom Class ship to UK instead of Mariner of the Seas next year

The 3,926-passenger Freedom of the Seas ship will replace the line's smaller Voyager Class vessel which has capacity for 3,114 passengers.

Royal said the change reflected "the continued strength of the UK and Ireland market".

"The move represents an upsizing of capacity and brings a Freedom Class ship – long regarded as a favourite among British and Irish guests – back to the region," the line added.

"Onboard vacationers of all ages can kick back and adventure at the resort-style Caribbean pool deck, enjoy The Perfect Storm duo of high-speed waterslides, a vibrant Caribbean poolscape, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, alongside reimagined spaces for kids and teens and more."

This year, Liberty of the Seas – a sister ship to Freedom of the Seas – will be based out of Southampton. Another Freedom Class vessel, Independence of the Seas, operated ex-UK cruises from Southampton last summer.

So Freedom of the Seas will be the third Freedom Class ship to be based in the UK in three years when it arrives here in 2027.

Aaron Langford, Royal Caribbean senior sales director UK & Ireland, said: “The UK and Ireland is an incredibly important market for Royal Caribbean, and as a result, we’re excited to announce that we'll be upsizing our Southampton deployment in 2027 with Freedom of the Seas following our long standing success here with this class of ship.

"Freedom Class has consistently resonated strongly with British and Irish guests, and following a recent amplification, Freedom of the Seas offers a fantastic mix of scale, innovation and guest-favourite features that deliver the ultimate family holiday."

Royal Caribbean Now Offering Crew Shore Leave in Caribbean Ports

Royal Caribbean Now Offering Crew Shore Leave in Caribbean Ports

Royal Caribbean International is now offering shore leave in select Caribbean ports to the crew, according to a letter sent to crew onboard ships selected to trial the program.

According to the letter, the program will run from April 8 through April 22 on six ships, believed to be the Odyssey, Freedom, Harmony, Navigator, Liberty and Grandeur of the Seas.

The company will allow 150 crew to disembark in the ports, which for the crew aboard the Odyssey, for example, include Curacao, Aruba, Costa Maya and Cozumel.

Advanced sign up is required through a crew member's manager.

Crew members must be up to date with vaccinations and a booster (if eligible), the company said. Masks are required while indoors or inside transportation and masks and crew members are recommended to follow social distancing guidelines.

The company said it will continue its bubble tours for the crew, which it is said to be offering globally.

A review of the crew shore leave trial program will be conducted later this month to "confirm continuity of the program in Caribbean Ports of Call."

Royal Caribbean Group Restart: Eight Additional Ships Resuming Service Soon

Royal Caribbeans Anthem of the Seas photo credit Spacejunkie2

As the winter approaches, the Royal Caribbean Group brands are expanding their restart plans, adding destinations and new homeports.

In November, eight more ships are resuming service for the corporation, bringing its brands back to Los Angeles, Puerto Rico, Antarctica, the Middle East and more.

Here are the latest plans, brand by brand:

Royal Caribbean International
Status: 14 ships currently in service; three more set to follow by Dec. 1
Ships: Allure of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas currently in service; Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas set to follow in November
Regions: Asia, Caribbean, Bahamas, Mediterranean, United Kingdom and West Coast

With 14 cruise ships in service, Royal Caribbean International currently has the most capacity back in the market.

Sailing in North America, Europe and Asia, the brand is set to reactivate three additional vessels by Dec. 1, relaunching service in additional destinations.

Debuting on the West Coast, the Navigator of the Seas is welcoming guests back in Los Angeles on Nov. 19.

A few weeks earlier, on Nov. 7, the Explorer of the Seas is resuming service in San Juan, bringing the brand back to its Puerto Rico homeport.

Currently, in a European shipyard, the Adventure of the Seas is also returning to revenue operation soon. On Nov. 29, the ship is set to return to Galveston for a series of four- and five-night Western Caribbean cruises.

While the balance of the Royal Caribbean fleet is poised to return to guest operations until May 2022, the brand has also resumed service from Hong Kong recently, launching a program of short cruises to nowhere from the Asian port.

Celebrity Cruises
Status: Eight ships currently in service; two more set to follow by Dec. 1
Ships: Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Xpedition currently in service; Celebrity Constellation and Celebrity Reflection set to follow in November
Regions: Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bahamas, United Kingdom, Galapagos, West Coast and Panama Canal

In November, Celebrity Cruises is launching a new phase of its restart program. After several months with eight vessels sailing revenue cruises, the brand is adding two more ships into active service by Dec. 1.

Marking Celebrity’s return to Tampa, the Celebrity Constellation is set to welcome guests back on Nov. 7.

A day earlier, the Celebrity Reflection is resuming service after a 20-month operational pause, offering a series of Caribbean cruises from Port Everglades.

In October, Celebrity also returned to the West Coast and the Panama Canal with the Celebrity Millennium. After a season in Alaska, the vessel is offering a couple of California cruises from San Diego before crossing the Panama Canal on its way to the Caribbean.

TUI Cruises
Status: Six ships currently in service
Ships: Mein Schiff 1, Mein Schiff 2, Mein Schiff 3, Mein Schiff 4, Mein Schiff 5 and Mein Schiff 6
Regions: Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Emirates

Based in Germany, TUI Cruises currently has six cruise ships sailing with guests in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Preparing for the winter season, the brand is planning to expand its restart to new destinations over the next months.

While a season in Southeast Asia was recently cancelled, cruises to the Caribbean, the Canary Islands and the Emirates are on the plans through the end of the year.  

Silversea Cruises
Status: Four ships currently in service; three more sets to follow by Dec. 1
Ships: Silver Moon, Silver Origin, Silver Shadow and Silver Spirit currently in service; Silver Cloud, Silver Explorer and Silver Whisper set to follow in November
Region: Galapagos, Mediterranean, Western Europe, Atlantic, Caribbean and Antarctica  

After months of negotiation, Silversea Cruises is ready to relaunch its expedition sailings in Antarctica. With the Silver Cloud and the Silver Explorer, the brand is returning to the seventh continent in November, offering departures from Chile.

On Nov. 17, the Silver Whisper is also returning to revenue operations, offering Caribbean cruises from San Juan and Fort Lauderdale.

Currently, four Silversea ships are sailing with passengers, cruising in the Mediterranean, the Galapagos, Western Europe and more.

The luxury brand welcomed its passengers back in June with the inaugural cruises of two newbuilds, the Silver Moon and the Silver Origin.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
First sailing: Five ships in service
Ships: Europa 2, Europa, Hanseatic Nature, Hanseatic Inspiration and Hanseatic Spirit
Region: Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Atlantic

In November Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is completing yet another month with the entire five-ship fleet in service.

While, during the summer, the German brand sailed in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, new cruises are now being offered, including itineraries to the Atlantic Archipelagos and the Emirates.

Nearly 60% of the Royal Caribbean Group Cruise Fleet is Now Back in Service

With its cruise restart plan picking up pace, the Royal Caribbean Group will achieve a major milestone in August.

By the end of the month, more than half of the group’s 61-ship fleet have will be back in commercial service.

The 34 vessels sailing around the world mean 56% per cent of the company’s fleet is now operating with passengers in several destinations.

This fall, more ships, homeports and itineraries are set to return.  Here are the latest plans, brand by brand:

Royal Caribbean International
Status: 13 ships in service; three more to follow through October
Ships: Quantum of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas in service; Oasis of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Spectrum of the Seas set to follow
Regions: Asia, Caribbean, Bahamas, Mediterranean, United Kingdom and Alaska

More than half of the Royal Caribbean International 25-ship fleet has now returned to commercial service.

With 13 active vessels, the brand is currently sailing to several destinations around the world, including the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Asia and Alaska.

In September and October three additional ships are set to resume service, including the Oasis of the Seas.

On September 5, the vessel to the Oasis become the first to welcome passengers back in the New York region, offering weeklong cruises to the Bahamas from Bayonne

The balance of the Royal Caribbean fleet is poised to return to guest operations by May 2022.

Celebrity Cruises
Status: Seven ships in service; two more to follow in September and October
Ships: Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Equinox in service; Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Xploration set to follow
Regions: Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bahamas, United Kingdom and the Galapagos

With a bold restart plan, Celebrity Cruises added seven ships back into service since first resuming guest operations on June 5, 2021.

In North America, the Celebrity Summit recently completed a series of Caribbean sailings from St. Maarten.

The vessel is now poised to return to the United States, offering short cruises to Mexico and the Bahamas.

The Celebrity Edge, the Celebrity Equinox and the Celebrity Millennium are also in service in Europe, while other ships are in operation in Europe and the Galapagos.

TUI Cruises
Status: Six ships in service
Ships: Mein Schiff 1, Mein Schiff 2, Mein Schiff 3, Mein Schiff 4, Mein Schiff 5 and Mein Schiff 6
Regions: Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Greece and Italy

After announcing plans to have its entire seven-ship fleet in service this summer, TUI Cruises welcomed guests back on six vessels.

Based in Germany, the brand is currently sailing to several destinations in Europe.

After several months of sailing only in the Canaries archipelago, TUI expanded operations to Germany and Greece recently.

 A return to the Mediterranean was also carried out with cruises calling in Spain and Italy. 

Silversea Cruises
Status: Three ships in service; two more to follow  
Ships: Silver Origin, Silver Moon and Silver Muse in service; Silver Shadow and Silver Spirit set to follow
Region: Galapagos, Mediterranean, Alaska, Northern Europe and British Islands  

Silversea Cruises welcomed its passengers back in June, with the inaugural cruises of two newbuilds, the Silver Moon and the Silver Origin.

Continuing its restart plan, the luxury brand launched service in Iceland and Alaska, with two additional vessels.

After completing its first season in Iceland, the brand is now ready to add new itineraries in the Mediterranean, British Islands and Northern Europe. 

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Status: Five ships in service
Ships: Europa 2, Europa, Hanseatic Nature, Hanseatic Inspiration and Hanseatic Spirit
Region: the Mediterranean and Northern Europe

Germany-based Hapag-Lloyd Cruises currently has all of its five-ship fleet in commercial operations. The luxury brand is presently offering several different itineraries in the Baltic, the Norwegian Fjords and the Mediterranean.

The new Hanseatic Spirit was the most recent addition to the active fleet. Recently delivered, the expedition vessel departed Hamburg on its inaugural cruise on August 26.

Onboard Revenue Up for Royal Caribbean Group

Onboard revenue is considerably up across the Royal Caribbean Group ships back in service, with guests ready to spend.

“We are also seeing pent-up demand for our onboard revenue experiences,” said Jason Liberty, CFO and executive vice president, on the company’s second-quarter earnings call.

“Guests are really enjoying our shore excursions, casinos, spas and restaurants after spending a year in isolation,” he said.

“We are also seeing an increased demand for our WiFi services as more and more consumers have the flexibility to take vacations and work remotely.”

Michael Bayley, president and CEO of the Royal Caribbean International brand, added he was incredible encourage by the spend onboard the ships that are back into operation.

“In fact, the numbers have been very impressive,” Bayley added.

Disney and MSC Ships Leave on CDC Test Cruises

MSC Meraviglia on her CDC test.

Two more cruise ships are hoping to score a CDC Conditional Sailing Certificate upon the successful completion of simulated voyages, better known as test cruises, with volunteer passengers aboard.

The Disney Dream sailed from Port Canaveral on Friday, while the MSC Meraviglia sailed from Miami on Friday.

Officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sailed with Royal Caribbean International on the Freedom of the Seas test cruise in June, and are expected to be aboard with both Disney and MSC to observe COVID-19 related health and safety measures. 

If approved, the Conditional Sailing Certificate allows a cruise ship to operate with less than 95 per cent vaccinated guests aboard, which many cruise operators believe is needed to continue to appeal to families with children. 

The Latest Royal Caribbean Group Restart Plans

With all of its five brands now back in service, the Royal Caribbean Group is building up its restart plans. Over the next few months, 16 additional ships are set to welcome passengers back, sailing in different parts of the world.  

Here’s the latest, brand by brand:

Royal Caribbean International
First sailing: Five ships in service; nine more to follow starting on July 19
Ships: Quantum of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas in service; Serenade of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas set to follow
Regions: Presently sailing in Asia, Caribbean, Mediterranean and the United Kingdom with cruises to Alaska planned

Royal Caribbean International is quickly adding ships back into service. With five vessels currently in action, the operator plans to activate nine more before August.

Most of the restart fleet is poised to sail from the U.S. ports to the Caribbean and Bahamas but plans also call for service resumptions in the Mediterranean, United Kingdom and Alaska.

In Asia, Quantum’s Singapore program was recently extended, adding departures through February 2022.

Celebrity Cruises
First sailing: Five ships in service; four more to follow starting on July 24
Ships: Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Flora and Celebrity Summit in service; Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Xpedition, Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Xploration set to follow
Regions: Presently sailing in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, United Kingdom and the Galapagos with cruises to Alaska planned

After marking the return of the large cruise ships to the United States, Celebrity Cruises is now sailing in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Galapagos and United Kingdom.

Continuing its phased restart plan, the premium brand will also resume operations in Alaska while adding more ships in the Caribbean and Galapagos.

TUI Cruises
First sailing: Five ships in service
Ships: Mein Schiff 1, Mein Schiff 2, Mein Schiff 4, Mein Schiff 5 and Mein Schiff 6
Regions: Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Greece and Italy

TUI intends to have its entire seven-ship fleet in service this summer. The German brand is currently operating five vessels in different parts of Europe.

After several months of sailing only in the Canaries archipelago, TUI recently expanded operations to Germany and Greece. A return to the Mediterranean was also carried out recently, with cruises in Spain and Italy. 

Silversea Cruises
First sailing: Two ships in service; two more to follow starting on July 29
Ships: Silver Origin and Silver Moon in service; Silver Muse and Silver Shadow set to follow
Region: Presently sailing in Galapagos and Mediterranean, with cruises to Alaska and Iceland planned

Silversea Cruises welcomed its passengers back in June, with the inaugural cruises of two newbuilds, the Silver Moon and the Silver Origin.

Continuing its restart plan, the luxury brand is planning to relaunch service in Alaska and in Iceland, with two additional vessels.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
First sailing: Four ships in service; one more to follow starting on August 26
Ships: Europa 2, Europa, Hanseatic Nature and Hanseatic Inspiration in service; Hanseatic Spirit set to follow
Region: Eastern Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Norwegian Fjords

With four ships in service, Hapag-Lloyd is currently offering several itineraries in Northern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.

The recently delivered Hanseatic Spirit, meanwhile, is set to start service in August with a series of cruises in Northern Europe.

Cruise Load Factors On U.S. Sailings So Far

How many passengers are on the start-up cruises from U.S. homeports?

So far, data collected from Cruise Industry News suggests a widely varying return to service load factors with Carnival Cruise Line leading the way.

With the Vista sailing on Saturday from Galveston, the ship was said to have 2,940 guests aboard, and operating at about 70 per cent occupancy.

Similar numbers were said to be the case for the Sunday sailing of the Carnival Horizon from PortMiami.

Royal Caribbean International's Freedom of the Seas sailed on Friday, July 2, from Miami, with just over 1,000 guests aboard, for an estimated 30 per cent occupancy rate. 

The Celebrity Edge's first cruise, and the first U.S. sailing for a large modern cruise ship, operated at just over 40 per cent occupancy from Port Everglades, sailing on June 26.

Load factors are expected to increase quickly, as ships get back into a regular rhythm of sailings with new policies and procedures.

Here Are The First Cruises Set to Sail In November

The cruise industry's voluntary pause in the United States combined with the CDC's "No Sail" order both now come to end on Oct. 31, meaning the possibility of ships sailing cruises from U.S. ports on Nov. 1 could happen under strict new health and safety protocols.

A number of cruise lines continue to sell early Nov. departures on their websites, as listed below, meaning they could be the first back in service with these ships currently scheduled to sail on Nov. 1.

These cruises continue to have published itineraries calling in various countries, some of which have banned cruise calls until 2021.

Potential Nov. 1 Cruise Departures:

Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
Ship: Norwegian Bliss
Capacity at 100%: 4,200
Homeport: Los Angeles
Length: 5 nights
Itinerary: Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada

Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
Ship: Norwegian Encore
Capacity at 100%: 4,200
Homeport: New York City
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: King’s Wharf

Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
Ship: Norwegian Sun
Capacity at 100%: 2,002
Homeport: Port Canaveral
Length: 10 nights
Itinerary: Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Puerto Plata and Great Stirrup Cay

Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean International
Ship: Freedom of the Seas
Capacity at 100%: 3,600
Homeport: San Juan
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire and St. Maarten

Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean International
Ship: Harmony of the Seas
Capacity at 100%: 5,400
Homeport: Port Canaveral
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: CocoCay, Roatán and Costa Maya

Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean International
Ship: Liberty of the Seas
Capacity at 100%: 3,600
Homeport: Galveston
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Falmouth

Potential Nov. 2 Cruise Departures:

Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line
Ship: Carnival Liberty
Capacity at 100%: 2,974
Homeport: Port Canaveral
Length: 4 nights
Itinerary: Freeport and Nassau

Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line
Ship: Carnival Conquest
Capacity at 100%: 2,974
Homeport: Miami
Length: 4 nights
Itinerary: Key West and Cozumel

Royal Caribbean to Amplify Freedom of the Seas

The reimagined poolscape of the Freedom of the Seas. (photo via Royal Caribbean International)

WHY IT RATES: The newly amplified Freedom of the Seas will feature guest-favorites amenities to change island-hopping in the Southern Caribbean. – Mackenzie Cullen, Editorial Associate

A bolder and reimagined Freedom of the Seas will redefine island hopping in the Southern Caribbean, following a $116 million amplification. Royal Caribbean International has announced the high-energy features and guest favorites that will come aboard, including The Perfect Storm duo of waterslides, a redesigned Caribbean poolscape, a new take on a signature venue with Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and completely transformed kids and teens spaces. Starting March 2020, the newly amplified Freedom will set sail from San Juan, Puerto Rico on 7-night Southern Caribbean cruises to idyllic destinations, from Saint Lucia and Antigua to the ABC islands – Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.

All-day Thrills on Deck

Vacationers can up the ante with more ways to play joining fan favorites like the FlowRider surf simulator, mini-golf, and the rock-climbing wall.

The Perfect Storm, the heart-pumping duo of racer waterslides, is three stories of adventure that will take excitement off the charts. On Cyclone and Typhoon, guests are in for the ultimate race as they go head to head through twists and turns for bragging rights

A reimagined poolscape comes to life with all-day Caribbean vibes, a larger variety of seating and shade with casitas, daybeds, and hammocks, and the Splashaway Bay aquapark for the youngest travelers. For downtime, guests can escape to the renewed, adults-only Solarium

The Lime & Coconut, Royal Caribbean’s new, poolside signature bar, is at the center of it all. The three-level spot serves up live music, a lineup of cocktails and a rooftop deck for a bird’s eye view of the action

Next-level Culinary Delights

Freedom’s amplification will also introduce more dining venues, spanning Italian, Asian and Mexican cuisine, tantalizing guests’ taste buds more than ever.

Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen is a fresh, new twist on a guest favorite. Vacationers can have their pick from authentic Italian dishes with a contemporary flair, including made-to-order pizzas hand-tossed front and center, and baked in the new, in-house pizza oven. With a wide selection of wines and limoncellos on the reimagined menu, it’s “Sunday supper” Royal Caribbean style

Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, the Asian-inspired restaurant with teppanyaki tables and a sushi bar, features a variety of hot and cold appetizers, entrees, desserts and more

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, where everybody wins. Guests can catch their home team on more than 80 TV screens, hit “play” on any one of the arcade games, and refuel with a menu of classic bar bites and ice-cold brews on tap

El Loco Fresh will sit poolside and offer fresh grab-and-go Mexican fare, from tacos and burritos to quesadillas, along with an array of salsas for an extra kick. For the first time, the venue will include a full-service bar with a selection of tequilas on offer

Playtime Reimagined

Adding to the roster of activities onboard, Royal Caribbean will offer glow-in-the-dark laser tag adventure Clash for the Crystal City, and the debut of a floor-to-ceiling redesign of Freedom’s dedicated teen's spaces and award-winning Adventure Ocean.

Adventure Ocean takes on a whole new look after a makeover that will touch every inch of the spaces specially designed for babies and kids. The imaginative layout encourages young vacationers to venture into a world of interactive experiences, from thought-provoking exploration at Play Place to art, science, and tech activities at Workshop, and friendly challenges at Arena. Kicking back is just as fun with gaming consoles and places to chill at Hangout. Babies and 3- to 5-year-olds will each have personalized areas with AO Babies and AO Junior

Teens will rejoice at their exclusive hangout, entirely transformed to feature the latest in movies, gaming, and music, plus a new, private outdoor deck

Beginning March 8, 2020, the reimagined Freedom will sail 7-night, roundtrip Southern Caribbean cruises from San Juan. The year-round itineraries are set to visit tropical locales in the region, including Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; Castries, Saint Lucia; Bridgetown, Barbados; Saint Johns, Antigua; and Kralendijk, Bonaire.

Freedom joins her sister, Independence of the Seas, as part of the Royal Amplified fleet modernization effort. An investment of more than $1 billion across 10 ships in four years, Royal Caribbean’s program touches every facet of the guest experience and introduces a wide range of new adventures spanning one-of-a-kind attractions and experiential dining and nightlife.

The 19-month-old girl plunged 150 feet from the vessel in San Juan on Sunday

The 19-month-old girl plunged 150 feet from the vessel in San Juan on Sunday

The toddler is believed to have fallen from a window on the 11th deck - shown above the balconies - on Sunday afternoon

A toddler has fallen to her death after slipping out of her grandfather's arms on a cruise ship which was docked in Puerto Rico. 

The 19-month-old girl from Indiana plunged 150 feet from the Royal Caribbean vessel in San Juan on Sunday afternoon. 

Her maternal grandfather, identified as Salvatore Anello, is believed to have slipped and fallen while holding the toddler by a window on the 11th deck of the Freedom of the Seas ship. 

Horrified passengers said they had heard a 'cry of pain' from the girl's mother.

'[We heard] the screams of the families because we were close,' a nearby passenger told Telemundo PR. 

'I looked because of the mother's cry. That tonality, a scream of pain of that nature, does not compare with any other scream.'

The girl had a hard landing on the concrete of the Pan American dock in San Juan and died in hospital shortly afterwards.  

The child and her extended family from Indiana were vacationing together aboard the Freedom of the Seas cruise ship, operated by the Royal Caribbean cruise line.

 Both her sets of grandparents, her parents and her younger brother were on board the ship at the time. 

The child's father has been identified by WSBT as South Bend police officer Alan Wiegand. 

The South Bend Police Department in Indiana said in a statement: 'The South Bend Police Department offers its sincerest condolences to Officer Alan Wiegand and his family during this difficult time following the tragic loss of their child while in Puerto Rico. The department asks the community to pray for the entire Wiegand family as they grieve and to respect their privacy.'  

 

The police chief Scott Ruszkowski disputed the statement issued by Puerto Rico police that the girl was being held out of an 11th-floor window.   

Police Sgt Nelson Sotelo told The Associated Press that the family of the child will remain in the US territory until the investigation is complete.

'They’re in shock,' he said. 

Department of Public Security official Elmer Román said the grandfather was playing a game with the child when she slipped from his arms. 

The homicide division was investigating the death, he said. 

'It has not been possible to interview the family,' he said, adding that they were being provided with medical and spiritual support. 

El Vocero reported the grandfather was holding the child when he slipped and fell into the window, and the child then fell from his arms to her death.   

People claiming to be familiar with the layout of the ship in an online forum said the 11th deck is a pool deck on the cruise ship, which would be the only place on the ship that would have open windows.    

The call to authorities came in reporting the child's fatal drop at 4.27pm Atlantic Standard Time, according to Primera Hora.  

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. told DailyMail.com: 'We are assisting local authorities in San Juan, PR as they make inquiries after an incident aboard Freedom of the Seas earlier today. 

'We do not have further information to share at this point.'    

Security camera footage from the ship has been requested by Prosecutor Ivette Nieves, who was conducting interviews with the passengers who observed the tragic fall.