During early March 2018 Royal Caribbean announced its Ex-UK sailings for 2019. Independence of the Seas, will continue to call Southampton her home for the 2019 season following her return to the UK this May after an incredible multi-million pound makeover.
UK holidaymakers can benefit from Independence’s new family features with the added convenience of sailing from Southampton. The new features include: Sky Pad – a brand new virtual reality, bungee trampoline experience that transports guests to another time and planet via a virtual reality headset; interactive waterpark, Splashaway Bay, which will be bigger and better than ever before; Puzzle Break, an all-new Escape Room; and an incredible glow-in-the-dark Laser Tag arena.
Explorer of the Seas will also return to the UK in 2019, replacing Navigator of the Seas. One of Royal Caribbean’s Voyager class ships, Explorer will give guests that chance to visit breathtaking destinations around Europe and, for the very first time, will call at the picturesque ports of Florence, Naples and Stockholm.
Other highlights in Royal Caribbean’s Ex-UK sailings for 2019 include:
Mediterranean Cruises
- Independence of the Seas will be sailing to Ibiza in August and September for the first time in four years. As well as the medieval walls of Ibiza Town, the White Island is home to lively beaches, traditional villages and natural beauty found in quiet coves, coastal trails and tranquil woodlands.
- Next year’s Western Mediterranean itineraries for both Independence of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas will see the ships call at Florence, Italy and Naples, Italy, during select summer months. In Naples, guests will fall in love with the Royal Palace, San Carlo Opera House and Duomo, the city’s Cathedral, while Florence is packed with breathtaking Renaissance artistic treasures for guests to discover.
Scandinavian Cruises
- New for 2018, Explorer of the Seas will be travelling to Stockholm, Sweden, for the first time with three sailings across July and August. Stockholm’s highlights include its hip SoFo district, with its artisan bakeries, cafes and vintage shops, and its breathtaking archipelago which guests can explore via foot, ferry or yacht.
- Explorer of the Seas will also be visiting Olden, Norway, for the first time in three years. This sleepy little village is the key to some of Norway’s most stunning natural wonders, including a glittering fjord and a vast sea, towering mountains, and blue glaciers sandwiched between green valleys.
