Inteview with Michelle Van Deusen of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Tim recently chatted with Michelle Van Deusen from Royal Caribbean about the latest news with that cruise line.

Tim: When I sailed on the Oasis of the Seas in January I was very impressed with the entertainment options presented (especially “Hairspray the Musical”).  Tell us about some of the entertainment available on Royal Caribbean ships.  What has been most popular?  Do you need to reserve space ahead of time for some of these shows?

Michelle:  Thanks! Yes, we at Royal Caribbean pride ourselves in delivering top notch entertainment, like the Broadway musical, “Hairspray”.  I’ve seen “Chicago” on the Allure of the Seas and “Saturday Night Fever, the Musical” on the Liberty of the Seas and they are as professional and entertaining as the shows on  Broadway in NYC (but without the cost!).  I love our ice shows in Studio B; these are productions with international Olympic ice skating stars that include great music, set decorations and costumes.  Studio B is found on all of our Voyager , Freedom and Oasis class ships. Our newest entertainment concept is the “Aqua Theater” on the Oasis and Allure – thrilling water show with divers, aerialists, combined with a spectacular sound & light show.  And I can’t forget our newest shows in the revitalized Rhapsody of the Seas,  Splendour of the Seas and Grandeur of the Sea – Centrum aerial entertainment.   For the Broadway shows like Hairspray & Chicago, I recommend booking these before you cruise if you have a specific night you want to go. These can be reserved by going to the RCCL website & clicking the “Pre-Cruise Planner”.

Tim: Our clients seem to like sailing out of Port Canaveral, Florida more than any other port.  Tell us about your cruises out of Port Canaveral and how they are a good choice for families.

Michelle: Port Canveral is a wonderful home port for Royal Caribbean!  It’s a easy drive from Orlando and the embarkation and disembarkation is  super quick.  Currently we have the Freedom of the Seas (7 night cruises) sailing from there with alternating Eastern and Western itineraries. We have the Monarch of the Seas  3 & 4 night Bahamas cruises until March 2013.  Then the Enchantment of the Seas will take over for these shorter cruises.  Both cruises can be combined with our Universal Theme Park package which makes these the perfect choice for families. The Freedom of the Seas has the “Dreamworks” experience which includes complimentary breakfast with the characters ( Shrek & Princess Fiona, to name a few…), 1st run 3-D movies such as “The Guardian” (coming in November) and fun street parades. Great cruise for multi-generational families!

Tim: I just returned from a wonderful trip to Alaska.  What does Royal Caribbean have planned for the 2013 Alaska cruise season? I often tell clients when taking an Alaskan cruise to add a few days on land exploring Denali National Park and other areas.  What “cruise tours” will Royal Caribbean be offering for Alaska in 2013?

Michelle:  We are excited to have two cruise ships, the Rhapsody of the Seas and the Radiance of the Seas sailing during the 2013 season.  Both ships were “revitalized” this past year so in essence , we have two new ships sailing in Alaska. I agree with you that if you’re going on a cruise to Alaska, you might as well spend a few extra days to see more.  We have both pre and post Cruisetours.  We have MANY tour options and most include Denali National Park .  I’ve done a Cruisetour that included Talkeetna, very idyllic spot where we stayed at the Talkeetna Alaska Lodge , I visited the Husky Homestead which is where Ididerod winner, Jeff King, has his training center – and got to hold one of the husky puppies! In Talkeetna , we boarded  The Wilderness Express, our glass-domes traincars and had a scenic ride to Anchorage. There are so many tour options!

Tim: We have more clients sail on Royal Caribbean in Europe than any other cruise line.  What makes Royal Caribbean a good option for people wanting to visit Europe?

Michelle: Royal Caribbean is a great value for people who want to visit Europe.  We have a variety of ships & itineraries cruising in Europe to fit everyone’s need.  For example, the Liberty of the Seas does a great “sampler” cruise for travelers who may have never been to Europe.  Ports of call include Barcelona, Provence, Villefranche, Livorno/Pisa, Naples and Rome.  So in 7 days you can visit Spain, France and Italy.   For those “seasoned” travelers we have a 10-night Britsh Isles cruise on the Vision of the Seas.  You leave from Copehagen, Denmark and visit Inverness, Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland, Dublin, Ireland, Cork Ireland, Dover, England and return to Copenhagen. Your ship becomes your floating hotel, you pack/unpack once, all your meals are included so this is a stress-free way to visit Europe and the most economical.

Tim: What does Royal Caribbean do to keep its older ships in top shape?

Michelle: So glad you asked this question!  We are currently in the process of revitalizing our entire fleet of 22 ships with Oasis-class upgrades .  We started this process mid year of 2011 and to date we have revitalized 9 of our ships and and by end of 2014 ,all 22 ships will be complete.  We do change out carpeting, bedding and other soft goods every few years but what we are doing now includes adding specialty restaurants like Giovanni’s Table and Park Cafe, outdoor movie screens by the pools, new digital signage ( the Wayfinder – a GPS-like system so you will never get lost on board), new nurseries, Diamond and Concierge Clubs, just to name a few of the wonderful additions.

Tim: Are there any new Royal Caribbean itineraries in 2013 that you are excited about?

Not necessarily new, but not very well known to the general consumer are our cruises in the South Pacific that include Australia, Fiji Islands, Tahiti, Somoa, and New Zealand.  These destinations are on most people’s “bucket lists” and what better way to see these destinations then via our wonderful cruise ships?

Tim: What has been your personal favorite Royal Caribbean cruise?

Michelle: That’s a tough question!  I think I haven’t been on my favorite one yet; I’m always planning for the next cruise.  Two that stick out in my mind were the Panama Canal Cruise that my husband and I took last spring from Tampa to San Diego.  Another memorable one was our Med cruise a few years ago round trip Barcelona.  It was our first time to visit Spain, Italy and France.  Pompei was a highlight of that cruise. But there were many highlights…Rome , the Vatican, Sorrento, Nice, and Barcelona!

Tim: Thanks Michelle.  Royal Caribbean continues to be a great cruise option for many different destinations.  For a no obligation price quote on your next Royal Caribbean cruise click here.