Royal Caribbean International Partners with American Express Travel to Introduce Youth Zone MIAMI, Oct. 22
MIAMI, Oct. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The final neighborhood to be
added into the deck plans of Royal Caribbean International's Oasis of the Seas
was announced last night during an online unveiling sponsored by American
Express Travel. The Youth Zone, a haven for children and teens, joins the
ranks of six other previously-announced, diverse neighborhoods that will be
aboard the world's largest and most revolutionary cruise ship due to launch in
November 2009. Oasis of the Seas features a unique concept that will provide
guests with the opportunity to seek out relevant experiences based on their
personal style, preference or mood in seven neighborhoods, including Central
Park, Boardwalk with the AquaTheater, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports
Zone, the Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place, and the
Youth Zone.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081022/CLWV066 )
"We thank American Express Travel, for partnering with us to unveil the
last neighborhood of Oasis of the Seas," said Adam Goldstein, president and
CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "Oasis of the Seas will offer more of
everything for every member of the family, including more for our younger
guests. The Youth Zone aboard Oasis of the Seas will continue to build on our
award-winning Adventure Ocean youth and teen programs, and expand to include
dedicated space and programming for our guests as young as six months."
The latest neighborhood unveiling introduced a wealth of kid- and
teen-friendly adventures that lie within the Youth Zone -- covering a total
expansive area of more than 28,700 sq. ft. (2,669 sq. meters) -- including,
Kids Avenue, a central boulevard connecting children with dedicated Adventure
Ocean spaces and various themed play areas; the cruise line's first nursery
for infants and toddlers (six months or older); and state-of-the-art teen
areas. A video preview of these areas, including interviews with Royal
Caribbean executives, is now available online at www.OasisoftheSeas.com .
"American Express Travel is thrilled with the opportunity to help reveal
Royal Caribbean's final neighborhood aboard Oasis of the Seas," said Lynne
Biggar, senior vice president and general manager, American Express Travel.
"As a huge proponent of family travel, we are especially delighted to be a
partner in the unveiling of the Youth Zone. In recent years, we've seen
family travel increase and evolve, particularly in the area of
multi-generational travel. This has prompted us to provide dedicated family
travel specialists, as well as offer family vacation options that come with
great value and memorable experiences for all. As such, Oasis of the Seas is
a welcomed and wonderful addition to our cruise offerings."
The Adventure Ocean youth program aboard Oasis of the Seas will feature
the cruise line's award-winning curriculum currently offered to young guests
fleetwide, but with an exciting new and enhanced approach, including
impressive spaces created and equipped specifically for designated activities
allowing for a more robust program. All Royal Caribbean Adventure Ocean and
teen programs are led by exceptional, energetic and college-educated
counselors, whose goal is to create memorable experiences for the cruise
line's younger guests.
Undoubtedly one of the most anticipated advancements is the addition of
the Royal Babies and Tots nursery, a first for Royal Caribbean. This colorful
space will serve as a fully-staffed nursery where children can be left in the
care of Royal Caribbean's trained professionals, as well as host various
playgroups created by Fisher-Price and Crayola for babies and tots.
Open daily, the nursery will offer parents childcare drop-off options in
the daytime and evening, carefully maintaining an optimum staff to child
ratio. Free-time play also will be offered daily, creating an interactive
environment where parents and children can bond while playing with a variety
of Fisher Price developmental toys in specially-designed programs offered
exclusively for guests sailing with Royal Caribbean. The Crayola Beginnings
line of toddler art tools will be featured in unique
developmentally-appropriate art activities designed for parents and children
to enjoy precious creative moments together.
Within the Youth Zone, Kids Avenue will serve as the main promenade for
young cruisers to access the various Adventure Ocean areas. Crayola Arts and
crafts activities, scavenger hunts, talent shows and other scheduled and
guided age-specific activities will be offered to three Adventure Ocean
program age groups, each with its own space: Aquanauts, ages 3 to 5;
Explorers, ages 6 to 8; and Voyagers, ages 9 to 11.
In addition, Oasis of the Seas will introduce exciting new common play
areas, including the Kid's Arcade for video games; the Workshop, where
families can learn scrapbooking skills or create personalized jewelry;
Imagination Studio where children can explore the world of color and
imagination through Adventure Art by Crayola; a fully-equipped lab for
Adventure Science Lab, where Einsteins-in-the-making can expand their
knowledge; Play, a circular area where children can rollick and participate in
a variety of sports and games; and Adventure Ocean Theater, the first-ever
children's theater at sea -- complete with a stage and curtains, audience
seating and state-of-the-art production equipment -- where children of all
ages can learn about theatrical productions, take part in talent shows, or
sign up for hip hop dance classes.
The teen-only spaces will be located one deck above the Adventure Ocean
areas and adjacent to the ship's Sports Deck, where kids can test their skills
on one of the ship's two FlowRider surf simulators; the miniature golf-course,
Oasis Dunes; or the Sports Court for volleyball and basketball games. The
physical separation of the teen-only spaces from younger Adventure Ocean
guests will be one of the many striking enhancements implemented as a
recommendation of Royal Caribbean's Teen Advisory Board -- a group of teens
recruited last year to identify what youths between the ages of 12- and
17-years would want to see aboard future Royal Caribbean ships.
Longtime favorite Royal Caribbean teen-only spaces, Fuel disco and The
Living Room, will return aboard Oasis of the Seas, only larger and more
state-of-the-art. The Living Room will be the ultimate go-to hangout for teens
to kick back and socialize at the "mock-tail" bar, which serves non-alcoholic
sodas and juice concoctions; learn to spin and mix music in Scratch DJ 101
classes, a part of Royal Caribbean's Scratch DJ Academy; or surf the Internet
and keep in touch with friends via the bank of computer stations dedicated to
the space. Teens also will be able to kick it up a notch at Fuel, a disco
which will feature a hip environment, where they can hang out with friends,
and a dance floor, where they can show off their moves. A spacious outdoor
deck adjacent to these venues will give teens more opportunities to make new
friends while on their cruise vacation.
In addition to the areas within the Youth Zone and teen-only spots aboard
Oasis of the Seas, special attractions for children of all ages also will be
located throughout the ship's other neighborhoods. Along the Boardwalk, kids
and teens will be able to shop at retail stores tailored to their interests,
and infants and toddlers can ride the Carousel with their parents or enjoy the
climbing and play space modeled after a 50's-style gas station next to the
popular Johnny Rockets restaurant. The lively Challengers Arcade also will
return aboard Oasis of the Seas, and will be decked out with the latest video
games sure to entertain kids and teens. In the Vitality Spa and Fitness Zone,
teens and tweens can enjoy a menu of spa options specially tailored for them
in a dedicated space at the Vitality at Sea Spa.
A diverse selection of activities for families and guests of all ages will
be found in all of the neighborhoods throughout Oasis of the Seas.
Family-friendly innovations range from the industry's first amphitheater, the
AquaTheater, featuring theatrical diving performances and spectacular water
and light shows; the first zip line at sea stretching 82 feet in length and
suspended nine decks above the exciting Boardwalk area; and in the Pool &
Sports Zone, the H2O Zone aquapark with its toddler pool and the first beach
pool at sea, featuring a true-to-form sloped entry and colorful beach chairs
and umbrellas to give guests the ultimate beach experience.
When she launches in November 2009, Oasis of the Seas will be the largest
and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world. An architectural marvel at
sea, she will span 16 decks, encompass 220,000 gross registered tons (GRT),
carry 5,400 guests at double occupancy, and feature 2,700 staterooms. Oasis
of the Seas will be the first ship to tout the cruise line's new neighborhood
concept of seven distinct themed areas, which include Central Park, Boardwalk,
the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness
Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone. The ship will sail from her home
port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Additional information is
available at www.oasisoftheseas.com .
Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 21 ships
currently in service and two under construction. The line also offers unique
cruisetour vacations in Alaska and Canada, Asia, Australia and New Zealand,
Europe, and South America. For additional information or to make
reservations, call your travel agent, visit www.royalcaribbean.com or call
(800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN. For travel professionals, go to www.cruisingpower.com
or call (800) 327-2056.
SOURCE Royal Caribbean International
