The most innovative and technologically advanced cruise ship ever to be based from the UK, Anthem of the Seas, will call Southampton home in 2015. Cruise line Royal Caribbean International is continuing its tradition of stimulating and growing the UK cruise industry with new build investments.

Renowned for redefining the cruise sector, Royal Caribbean International will bring sky diving, dodgems and much more when the 4,180-guest (double occupancy) Anthem of the Seas arrives. Technological highlights on-board include North Star, an engineering marvel featuring a glass pod that extends 300 feet above the ocean and over the sides of the ship to deliver 360-degree views for guests.

Royal Caribbean International is the cruise line that has delivered rock-climbing, surfing and zip-wiring to sea-going holiday makers on previous ships as they seek to grow and attract more family and first-time cruise travellers.

The 167,800 GRT Anthem of the Seas – currently being built in the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenberg, Germany – will arrive in Southampton in spring 2015 before relocating to Ft Lauderdale for the winter season. Over 80,000 people will holiday on the ship, embarking in Southampton, in 2015 alone and this is expected to deliver around £50 million in knock-on economic impacts to the surrounding area.

Adam Goldstein, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International, explains:

“Our business has a long history with the port of Southampton, and over the last ten years we have annually increased the number of cruise opportunities from the port. We are eyeing more growth with the introduction of the new ship Anthem of the Seas in 2015. Our commitment to providing unrivalled holiday experiences on-board the world’s most advanced and activity-packed ships is unwavering.”

At a cost of €170,000 per berth, Anthem of the Seas is also one of the most architecturally and technologically advanced ships ever built. It will replace Royal Caribbean International’s 3,634-guest Independence of the Seas which has sailed from Southampton since its launch in 2008. At the time, Independence of the Seas was the largest cruise ship in the world.

At 167,800 GRT Anthem of the Seas is 348 meters long, 41 meters wide and has 16 guest decks. This is almost the equivalent in length of 32 London buses, 3½ football pitches, or nearly five of the world’s largest passenger aeroplane, the A380. The space allows Anthem of the Seas to offer more activities than any other cruise ship that has ever sailed from the UK.

For Royal Caribbean International the new Anthem of the Seas is one of four new ships currently on its order books as the business continues its on-going expansion. A further ship built to the same specifications as Anthem of the Seas– called Quantum of the Seas – will enter service in autumn 2014 offering its first sailing from Southampton and then sailing from New York. In mid-2016, a third Oasis class ship will join existing ships Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

Info courtesy of Royal Caribbean International