As many of you already know, ENCHANTMENT OF THE SEAS will undergo a lengthening process in dry-dock from May until July to add a 73 foot midsection. This will enlarge the ship from 917 feet and 74,140 gt to 990 feet and 80,700 gt. Passenger capacity will increase from 1950 to 2252. The space ratio will decrease from 38.02 to 35.83 which is the only negative I see.

As usual, Royal Caribbean has demonstrated they are the most innovative cruise line sailing today with some of the amazing details recently released concerning this extensive refit.

1. Hinged Bow - 965 ft. is the max length to transit the Panama Canal, so ENCHANTMENT will receive a hinged bow that will raise up during transits.

2. Flying Arches - as part of the new midsection, ENCHANTMENT will receive weight bearing "flying arches" that will fly above the main pool area. They will house two new features... an Island Bar and a telescoping bandstand. Six meter tall glass structures will enclose the area and a splash pool with water jets will also be added. Passengers will be able to walk or jog on these "flying arches" high above the sea.

3. Bungee Trampolines - four of these will be positioned on Deck 10 forward.

4. Boleros - a new Latin themed bar which is becoming a signature on all Royal Caribbean ships.

5. A Concierge Club for suite passengers

6. An enlarged Spa/gym

7. Expanded shopping and photo galleries

8. A new Latte'tudes Coffee Bar

9. A new specialty restaurant (maybe Chops or Portofino?) seating 110 guests

10. An enlarged and upgraded main dining room

11. new "grab 'n' go" food stations near the pool

Other interesting tidbits include:

* cost is $49-$55 million .... the ship originally cost $300 million to build.
* first ship lengthening to be carried out in a dry-dock
* no additional fuel costs to propel the ship
* the Finnish built ENCHANTMENT and GRANDEUR are best suited of all the Vision class ships for a lengthening
* the most challenging aspect of the lengthening will be the weight bearing "flying arches" - they were developed by Atkins, a UK engineering firm responsible for the worlds tallest hotel in Dubai - the Burj al Arab
* this stretching was actually more complicated than a newbuild, taking more than a year and a half of planning.

So there you have it. I think ENCHANTMENT is going to be an absolutely stunning ship! Royal Caribbean can be applauded for being so proactive and keeping their relatively older ships in prime condition.

[ 09-29-2004: Message edited by: Commodore ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Keitaro:
Ok, so we know how the bungee trampolines will look. Any idea of the flying arches?

---

I can only imagine what ULTRA-VOYAGER will be like, especially if some of these designs will be incorporated.

Ernie - who is VERY impressed!

=======================
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (ticker: RCL, exchange: New York Stock Exchange) News Release - 28-Sep-2004

------------------------------------------------------------
Royal Caribbean International Goes to New Lengths to Offer Innovative, Unexpected Experiences for Guests

Enchantment of the Seas Lengthening to Include Suspension Bridges, Bungee Trampolines, Additional Dining Options
MIAMI, Sep 28, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Royal Caribbean International will go to new lengths in 2005 to offer guests unforgettable new ways to experience the sea -- and sky -- aboard its Vision-class ship, Enchantment of the Seas. The ship, which is slated to be stretched in spring 2005 with a new 73-foot midsection, will feature suspension bridges, an overhanging bar offering spectacular panoramic views, and bungee trampolines that send guests soaring into the air high above the ocean.

Built in 1997, Enchantment of the Seas will be the third ship in the company's history to be lengthened, the first in 25 years. The new midsection will add 151 staterooms, for a total of 1,126, and give the company space to introduce a wide range of new features for guests to enjoy.

"When we began talking about stretching a ship, we knew the goal had to be more than just adding staterooms," said Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "We wanted to create a new opportunity to offer innovative and unexpected activities and amenities to our guests. We also wanted to increase the dining options available on Enchantment by including a specialty restaurant and additional venues that will be announced in coming months."

One of the most striking additions to Enchantment of the Seas will be two suspension bridges on Deck 10, spanning more than 75 feet on either side of the Pool Deck below. Supported by dramatic arches, the bridges will cross over two new areas of the Pool Deck, which will jut out past lower decks to overhang the water. Each of these deck areas will be edged with 14-foot-high sheets of glass, offering outstanding views. They also will feature peek-a-boo windows in the floor that give glimpses down to the ocean. The overhanging space on the port side will feature a new island bar, while the starboard side will house a stage for poolside musical entertainment.

In total, the main pool area will expand by nearly 50 percent, with two pools, four whirlpools and a new interactive Splash Deck for kids. The circular Splash Deck will feature 64 water jets on the floor, along the perimeter and on a central dome.

Forty of the jets are connected to an interactive touchpad system, letting kids spray each other or create their own fountain effects. At night, the area closes to become a decorative fountain with a fiber-optic light show.

Guests looking for an active vacation and a little adventure will appreciate Enchantment's new Sports Deck. The company is offering guests another way to reach new heights: In addition to the line's signature rock- climbing wall, Enchantment of the Seas will feature four bungee trampolines. Guests strap into a harness connected to two bungee cords that will help them head skyward, while keeping them safely centered when they come in for a landing on the trampolines. Located at the front of Deck 10, the bungee trampolines will reward the adventurous with unparalleled views of the sea, ship and sky.

The jogging track will offer a new challenge as well, with a new vitality course, including four fitness stops. In between laps on the quarter-mile track, runners can pause to jump rope; work their arms, back and stomach at the sit-up/press-up bars; strengthen their legs at a step-up station; and cool down with a series of suggested stretches.

Toward the aft of the ship, sports fans will find two "ball zones," each with three basketball hoops of different heights to accommodate youth, teen and adult shooters. Shooting lanes will be marked before each hoop. At the far back of the ship, guests can test their skills on Enchantment's rock wall, or visit the ship's fitness center, which will be expanded during the renovations. The Enchantment Day Spa, one deck below, also will be expanded with five additional treatment rooms, including a couples massage room.

Renovations Extend Throughout the Ship

Belowdecks, guests on the renovated Enchantment will find additional entertainment and shopping options. The line's popular Boleros bar concept will appear on Deck 5, with a Latin American flair, including a glass dome ceiling reminiscent of a Mayan sunburst. Guests will enjoy live Latin jazz in the evenings along with regional drinks such as mojitos and caipirinhas.

Next door, Enchantment's Casino Royale will be expanded with additional slot machines, while up on Deck 6, the shopping area will be enhanced with new boutiques, including a Fossil(R) watch store, a fine jewelry store and a photo electronics retail shop. Also on Deck 6, guests will be invited to browse through the extended art auction gallery and photo gallery, complete with new digital photo kiosks from which they can choose their souvenir cruise photos.

Guests looking for a pick-me-up will be able to swing by the new Latte'tudes coffee and ice cream shop. In addition to offering specialty espresso drinks from Seattle's Best Coffee(R) and Ben & Jerry's(R) ice cream, this new area will feature computer terminals for Internet access.

Additional renovations will include a new Loyalty Ambassador lounge for guests who wish to book future cruises while onboard, as well as a refurbished, 100-seat conference center. New accessibility features will be added throughout the ship, including improved thresholds and ramps, as well as pool and Jacuzzi lifts, access to the Splash Deck and a lift to the bungee trampoline area. In addition, the new staterooms will include two family staterooms that will sleep six.

Enchantment's main dining room and Windjammer Cafe will be expanded to accommodate the new ship capacity. Additional dining options, including a specialty restaurant, are in development and will be announced in future months.

Special Sailings from the Northeast

The new midsection for Enchantment of the Seas currently is under construction at the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Turku, Finland, while the actual lengthening and overall refurbishment will take place at the Keppel Verolme Shipyards in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in spring 2005.

Enchantment will return to service in July 2005 with a series of sailings from the Northeast before returning to Fort Lauderdale in October to resume her regular short Caribbean itineraries. On July 7, she will offer a four- night cruise from Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, N.J., to Halifax, Nova Scotia, followed by a six-night cruise on July 11 to Boston, Bar Harbor and Halifax.

From July 19 to Aug. 21, she will sail from Philadelphia, offering one five-night cruise to Bar Harbor and Halifax, followed by five seven-night sailings to Martha's Vineyard, Bar Harbor, Portland and Halifax. On Sept. 4, Enchantment begins a series of three seven-night cruises from Boston to Martha's Vineyard, Bar Harbor, Portland, Halifax and Saint John, New Brunswick.

Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise vacation company with 19 ships in service and two more under construction. The company also offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Canada and Europe. Additional information can be found on the company's web site at www.royalcaribbean.com or by calling 800-327-6700.

SOURCE Royal Caribbean International

And here's a few more images, 12 in all:

http://community.webshots.com/album/169098482RgvqDV

Don't they post on Liner's List?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tim in 'Lauderdale:
looking to stroll the decks in a bowler with a walking stick or be served tea and cucumber sandwiches on doilies.
--Tim

---

You can debate if you like the design of the RCI ships or not (just a matter of taste) but one thing is sure and that is that RCI does think about the effect of how their ships look. Ship design is equality important to economics and the hardware making a profit.

Design is a powerful tool to use and even if it looks like it doesn’t make instant money at first but the consumers absorb it unconsciously and it stays with them. Investors are afraid of design and change simply because the effect can’t be calculated in numbers and in these days of slow economics they aren’t willing to gamble.

If you compare the RCI ships with competitor Carnivals fleet then the different approaches are easily noticeable and it is not a hard choice for me to pick the better looking ship (and thus on a subconscious level placing RCI above Carnival) Design is an excellent advertisement tool because in the end it all comes to being remembered by potential consumer.

--

That said I think the cosmetic surgery and enhancements on ENCHANTMENT are very exciting, can’t wait to see how the ship will turn out for real.

Whether you think its right or not or asthetically pleasing is another thing. Personally those suspension bridges ("flying arches") remind me of the old TWA terminal over at the JFK airport. But again its a departure from the standard deck above the pool found on almost all modern cruise ships. Do you think this design will make an encore on the ultra-voyager class of ships?

quote:

---

Originally posted by eroller:
[QB]I even like the new deck chairs. I hope all the RCI ships receive them.

---

Jewel of the Seas has that style of deck chairs and the design is much better, especially without the 'straps'.

BTW, where did these great renderings come from?

quote:

---

Originally posted by jsea:

Jewel of the Seas has that style of deck chairs and the design is much better, especially without the 'straps'.

BTW, where did these great renderings come from?

Thanks for posting them.

---

Good to hear about the deck chairs. Royal Caribbean is one of the few cruise lines that still use the old fashioned "plastic band" type chairs, where plastic bands are wrapped around a metal frame. Most other cruise lines have gone with an all plastic design (cheap).

Regarding the renderings ... Royal Caribbean has released these to the trade and media. They are now available on several websites.

quote:

---

Originally posted by NathanWLB:
RCI has taken old tonnage, and found a way to make them "cool" and interesting to a growing base of passengers, who have cut their teeth on Voyager, and want to know they'll like a smaller ship. With the design and features, RCI is able to get people to skip over the "its the biggest" or "newest" and gets them moving onto the main issue: booking on the older ship.

---

Exactly! I certainly fit your description. I had no desire to sail on ENCHANTMENT in the past. I always thought she was a fine ship, but I had no compelling reason to choose her over many other ships I've wanted to try. Now I can almost guarantee I will book her for a 5-day cruise next fall.

Don't knock these revoluntionary enhancements such as rock climbing walls or bungee trampolines until you try them. What it comes down to is that most passengers who cruise today aren't looking to stroll the decks in a bowler with a walking stick or be served tea and cucumber sandwiches on doilies. They're looking for a fun vacation and to do things they don't normally do during the course of their everyday lives on land. Kudos to RCI I say!

Amen to that. Cruising has evolved and I like the way it is going. I say more and more of this type of changes.

quote:

---

Don't knock these revoluntionary enhancements such as rock climbing walls or bungee trampolines until you try them.

---

I also agree with Nathan's comments. RCI is doing a stellar job keeping their 'old' tonnage like new with these added amenities, space, and buzz.

Are there any exterior renderings? I only ask because I feel like Enchantment, already a pretty svelte ship, might be a little too 'long and pointy' in terms of aesthetics after the new section is added.

quote:

---

Originally posted by jsea:

Are there any exterior renderings? I only ask because I feel like Enchantment, already a pretty svelte ship, might be a little too 'long and pointy' in terms of aesthetics after the new section is added.

---

Attached is a before and after profile. I really don't think the extra length makes much of a difference in her profile. I've always thought these were lean and long ships, and now only a little more so.

Notice there is also a third bow thruster, and if you look very closely (or enlarge the picture), you can see the line where the bow is hinged. It's really only the tip of the bow that will fold up. Not a very large portion.

Ernie

[ 09-30-2004: Message edited by: eroller ]