New Cruise Ship Finally Sails, Royal Changes Traditional Dining

Editorial Summary

Doug Parker reports on several significant developments within the cruise industry. The Sun Princess has officially begun its maiden voyage in Europe, marking the debut of a new ship class for Princess Cruises. This vessel is currently performing a ten day Grand Mediterranean cruise starting from Rome and features various new venues such as the Sphere Atrium along with thirty unique dining and bar locations. In separate news, Royal Caribbean is expanding its dining offerings by introducing a third traditional dining option. This new service provides set dining times between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to accommodate passengers who prefer scheduled meals without constraints. The program is currently being piloted on Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas before a gradual fleetwide rollout. Additionally, Virgin Voyages founder Sir Richard Branson surprised over 160 Delta Airlines passengers on a flight to San Juan. He announced that each passenger would receive a free cruise to celebrate the upcoming launch of Resilient Lady in Puerto Rico. The report concludes with a photo of Liberty of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas docked together and an update on cruise line stock performance.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.