Royal Caribbean International announced the line’s summer and fall 2009 itineraries sailing from the Northeast, offering more convenient homeports from which to embark on a memorable cruise. Vacationers can choose from one of 17 distinct and exhilarating itineraries to Canada and New England, Bermuda, and the Caribbean on 66 Royal Caribbean sailings from the New York, Boston, Baltimore, and Norfolk metropolitan areas. Bookings for these summer and fall 2009 cruises are open.

“Royal Caribbean continues to offer close and convenient homeports for vacationers in the Northeast United States,” said Alice Norsworthy, senior vice president, Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. “Explorer of the Seas will begin its third consecutive year of year-round service from the New York metropolitan area, and Grandeur will be the only ship to offer Bermuda and Caribbean getaways for Mid-Atlantic vacationers from Norfolk’s new cruise port, Half Moone Center. With three ships sailing from four Northeast ports, including Boston and Baltimore, vacationers have a wide array of options for an invigorating Royal Caribbean cruise.”

Guests on Royal Caribbean’s cruises from the Northeast will sail aboard one of three of the world’s most innovative ships, Explorer of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas. As one of the largest cruise ships in the world, Voyager-class Explorer offers guests still-uncommon, industry-revolutionizing amenities, such as an onboard ice-skating rink, full-size basketball court, inline skating track, iconic rock-climbing wall, and the Royal Promenade, a boulevard of shops, restaurants, bars and lounges that runs nearly the length of the ship.

Jewel of the Seas’ highlights include a 10-story, glass-constructed Centrum, glass elevators facing the sea, and the highest percentage of outside cabins in the Royal Caribbean fleet, offering spectacular vistas of the autumn foliage. Grandeur of the Seas’ design offers a more intimate guest experience with all the amenities that come with a larger ship.

Onboard every Royal Caribbean ship, guests enjoy complimentary 24-hour room service, award-winning Broadway-style musical revues from Royal Caribbean Productions, top-rated Adventure Ocean kids programming with teen-only spaces fleetwide, and Royal Caribbean’s Gold Service Standard of friendly and engaging service from staff and crew.

Vibrant Kaleidoscope of Canada and New England Colors and Cultures

Guests can choose among 15 Canada and New England cruises from June through October 2009.

Explorer of the Seas will offer nine-night round-trip itineraries from Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, NJ, with calls at Sydney and Halifax, Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and Quebec City, Quebec, a guest favorite and the line’s highest rated port of call. Guests also cruise the Saguenay River, the line’s second-highest rated Canadian port.

Jewel of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas will make maiden calls at Rockland, ME, as the largest cruise ships to call at the port. In addition to the wide variety of restaurants, galleries and museums, Rockland will turn the city’s main street into a pedestrian mall to welcome guests.

From Boston, Jewel of the Seas will take guests on five- and seven-night round-trip itineraries, while Grandeur of the Seas will offer eight- and nine-night round-trip sailings from the port of Baltimore.

Jewel and Grandeur will call at Canadian ports of St. John, New Brunswick, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, as well as the Maine ports of Portland, Bar Harbor and Rockland.

Great Bermudian and Caribbean Escapes

Royal Caribbean will sail to Bermuda and the Caribbean in 2009 with two ships, Explorer of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas.

From Cape Liberty, Explorer of the Seas will continue to offer alternating five-night Bermuda and nine-night Bermuda and Caribbean itineraries. The nine-night voyage includes a day-visit at Kings Wharf, while the five-night itinerary overnights there, giving guests an opportunity to take in the island’s nightlife.

During April through mid-June, Grandeur of the Seas will offer alternating five-night Bermuda and nine-night Eastern Caribbean round-trip itineraries from Norfolk. The five-night itinerary also features an overnight call at Kings Wharf, and the nine-night sailing makes a call at Labadee, Haiti, Royal Caribbean’s private beach destination. In June, Grandeur repositions to Baltimore, also to offer similar and alternating itineraries through November.

New Deployment Resource for Travel Professionals

Royal Caribbean also has enhanced the CruisingPower.com website to give travel agents a central online repository for current and upcoming deployment openings. Travel professionals can visit the new deployment micro-site from any computer with an Internet connection, and view and download the latest deployment flyers and itineraries at www.cruisingpower.com/royalcaribbeandeployment. Agents can use drop-down menus based on product or ship, or click on a region on a world map for more information about Royal Caribbean’s cruises and itineraries.