Royal Caribbean International marked two important milestones in the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, where the company unveiled two important milestones in the development of the Quantum class of ships, according to a press release.
The new Quantum ships, Quantum of the Seas, are scheduled for delivery in the fall. The ships received their first block as the keel was officially lowered and put into place. The Quantum's sister ship, Anthem of the Seas, also had its first piece of steel cut, marking the first step in the ship's construction.
"Today is a very special day in the development of our new Quantum class, as we are now two steps closer to delighting guests around the world with Quantum cruising," Adam Goldstein, the president of Royal Caribbean International, said. "It's incredibly rewarding to see Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas coming together so well, and today we not only honor these two very important milestones, but also recognize the years of hard work and dedication from the team developing these ships."
The keel ceremony marked an important step for the development of the Quantum of the Seas as the ship undergoes the initial construction period. As part of the ceremony, a 430-ton block that measures 59-feet by 75-feet, was lifted into the building dock with an 800-ton crane.
Newly minted coins were placed under the keel, and remain in place until the end of construction, at which point, the coins are retrieved and presented to the ship's Captain and crew to be placed onboard the ship, where they are thought to bring luck.
The new ships will have updated features, including RipCord by iFLY, the first skydiving experience at sea, the North Star, an engineering marvel that can transport guests over 300 feet above the ocean, as well as the Sea-Plex, the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea that contains bumper cars, roller skating and more. The ship will also include the cruise lines largest and most advanced stateroom ever, including the cruise industry's first Virtual Balcony, which will offer real-time views of the ocean from interior staterooms.
The ship will debut in Fall 2014 followed by the sister ship, Anthem of the Seas, in 2015.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
