Royal Caribbean International’s newest and largest cruise ship in Asia, Spectrum of the Seas is finally sailing here in our region, making it a new must-experience for both pleasure and adventure seeking travelers.
Spectrum of the Seas was designed and built to deliver an unforgettable vacation experience for all guests. The first in the Quantum Ultra class of ships will boast Royal Caribbean International’s first private enclave for suite guests, new stateroom categories, innovative dining concepts, and stunning features and experiences – many of which have never before been seen at sea. Spectrum will be the largest and most expensive ship in Asia as she sails from Shanghai starting in June 2019.
Last month, I was blessed to join her inaugural cruise in Shanghai along with 2 other blogger friends and the team from Arpan Air to witness and experience how it’s like to ride this ravishing massive ship. I felt so excited since I’m already familiar with the Royal Caribbean brand. Whenever I think about Royal Caribbean, the 1st words that come to mind would be, fun, indulgence and luxury. I just love how they stay committed (50 years!) in making dream vacations come true.
Now with some technical stuff:
The Spectrum of the Seas is a humungous smart ship that can accommodate a maximum of 5,622 guests and 1,551 international crew. It’s sized at 135 feet wide and 1,139 feet long and runs on a cruising speed of 22 knots. It has a total of 16 decks with 17 guest elevators, 2,137 staterooms and 4 bow thrusters with 4,694 horsepower each.
… Ok, ok, enough with the technical info overload. Let’s move on to the fun part – The ship’s highlights!
First, allow me to show you my private abode during that week-long dream cruise. It’s a stateroom with a balcony that comfortably fits 2 people. Ideal for couples and solo travellers. The size was just right for me. I also loved spending quiet afternoons at my veranda. Finally some quality “me time” I deserve.
Ship Attractions
Like with all Royal Caribbean International ships, you’ll never run out of things to do. Never a dull moment. Seriously, 5 days ain’t enough to experience all rides and join all activities. Imagine being in a floating city brimming with all the amusing activities you can ever imagine. I honestly do not know which feature to show you first, since I find them all fascinating. Anyways, here are the attractions which make this ship lit AF! haha!
North Star – an observational pod that is attached to a giant arm on top of Quantum-class ships. The North Star is a one-of-a-kind and intimate experience that takes guests on an exhilarating journey high above the sea. This glass observation capsule gently rises more than 300 feet in the air and rotates upwards and over the sides of the ship to provide the most breathtaking, 360-degree views imaginable. These views helped the North Star break the record for “Highest Viewing Deck on a Cruise Ship” in the Guinness Book of World Records.
RipCord by IFLY –
Experience the exhilaration of skydiving without ever leaving the deck, courtesy of RipCord® by iFLY®. Feel what it’s like to fly, as you float on air within the safe confines of this groundbreaking simulator. It’s a whole new thrill for thrill seekers of all kinds.
Special shout-out to our teacher for that awesome experience
Bionic Bar – A high-tech / futuristic bar where you can order custom juices and cocktails drinks crafted by robots!
Flow Rider Surf Simulator – The surf’s always up on the 40-foot-long FlowRider® surf simulator. Grab your board and get ready, 30,000 gallons of rushing awesome are headed your way. Carve like a pro — or just try to stay upright — while friends cheer you on from the stadium seating.
Sky Pad – a virtual reality, bungee trampoline experience located on the aft of the ship. Guests strap in and don their VR headset to transport them to another time and planet.
Battle for Planet Z – an epic glow-in-the-dark laser tag adventure brings two teams of eight head-to-head in an out-of-this-world adventure to determine who will claim the last planet in the galaxy.
Expedition Two70 – test your adventuring skills in four fully immersive augmented reality games. Raise temples, blast ruins and more on your quest to recover ancient masks and complete your quest.
SeaPlex – the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea provides sports experiences from various parts of the world, including China’s national game – table tennis; American style basketball; roller skating originated from Holland; fencing, a popular sport with the upper class of Europe; and modern archery, originated in the UK. SeaPlex also will host new augmented reality walls and floors, providing guests with thrilling, high-tech interactive experiences.
Nightly musical and theatrical performances
The signature productions, developed in house by Royal Caribbean, the largest entertainment producer in the world, will feature unrivalled talent, immersive technology and unparalleled special effects to create spectacular entertainment experiences that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
Here are some of the shows we watched:
The Silk Road, an original production created by Royal Caribbean International exclusively for Two70, will take center stage on Spectrum. The incredibly rich and diverse cultures, colors, music and visuals of this famous trade route will come to life as guests are taken on a mystical journey. Combined with world-class, state-of-the-art entertainment technology with the Vistarama and Roboscreens, the audience will be transported into this stunning chapter of human history.
The Royal Theater
Seating 1,300 guests, the magnificent Royal Theater is home to Spectrum of the Seas’ two new production shows:
- The Effectors introduces guests to four new superheroes with the power to change the world: Captain Coreo, the leader of the pack, has the power to control all forms of movement and motion; Lume, a sassy and dynamic super girl, has the ability to control light, laser and all things visual; Pixel is beautiful, sexy, enigmatic and the most mysterious one of the group who has the total control over video imagery and projection power; Reverb is the most unpredictable and hardest to control, whose power is enormous, as he can control sound and all things audio! The four superheroes unite their powers to fight the evil enemy, Crash, as he tries to stop the show and the world.
- Showgirl! Past. Present. Future. takes guests on the iconic journey of the ultimate entertainer – the Showgirl. Presented in the Royal Theater, the show combines next-generation choreography, incredible vocal performances, lavish costumes, and cutting-edge lighting and video effects to deliver an entertainment experience that will stimulate all senses.
Ultimate Family Suite – Discover two stories of expansive accommodations and innovative thrills in the largest Ultimate Family Suite yet. Your kids can plunge into the day’s adventures on their very own in-suite slide. Or scale a rock climbing wall above the waves on your balcony while you soak up endless sea views from a luxurious spa-like Master Bathroom. And making family memories is easy in a private cinema that doubles as the perfect karaoke spot.
Retail Therapy on Deck 5
Aside from the ship highlights mentioned above, Duty-Free Shopping at Deck 5 was also equally epic. Truly a Shopaholic’s Paradise. All my favourite luxury brands were all in 1 place, so I just had to give-in as the prices here are also lower compared their stores back on land. Here I was able to buy a set of my favourite skin care items, some cutesy stuffed kitties as well as jewellery. Super happy with my stuff!
Deliriously Delicious Dining
Last but ain’t least, I really would like to praise their Food & Beverage team for all the awesome food we devoured during the trip! From cookies, cakes, hotdogs at SEAPLEX, buffet favorites at Wind Jammer, plated ala carte dishes to late night pizza slices at Sorrento…. OMG, they were all spot on! Unforgettable!
Cruising is definitely addicting, especially when you realize that it’s 100 x more fun than the usual tour because here, everything is right at your fingertips. Not to mention that feeling of literally detaching yourself from the world even for just a few days. Priceless! Right now, I’m already saving up to join at least a 5-day cruise from HK as a treat to myself.
To learn more about The Spectrum of the Seas, visit https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/spectrum-of-the-seas/
for bookings, contact
ARPAN AIR, INC.
International Representative – Philippines
Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises & Azamara Club Cruises
Contact: (632) 8922701 to 03
Mobile: (+63955) 213 3579
Email: rylcaribbean@arpanair.com.ph
Facebook: Royal Caribbean Philippines
Website: cruising.com.ph
* Royal Caribbean International is the world’s largest global cruise line, delivering innovation at sea for more than 50 years. Each successive class of ships is an architectural marvel featuring the latest technology and guest experiences for today’s adventurous traveler. The cruise line continues to revolutionize vacations with itineraries to the more than 260 destinations in 72 countries on six continents, including Royal Caribbean’s highly anticipated Perfect Day Island Collection with the first private island in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay. The cruise line has also been voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 16 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards.
For additional information or to make reservations, vacationers should call their travel advisor; visit RoyalCaribbean.com; or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN.
