Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean International
Cruise Industry News is reporting that the Empress of the Seas will be delayed again before returning to the Royal Caribbean International fleet. An additional six departures have been canceled through May 23.
The ship was originally built for Royal Caribbean, but has spent its last years sailing for Spain's Pullmantur Cruises. It was set to return to the American brand after a refit, but setbacks have delayed it from its originally scheduled March 2016 relaunch. The ship was originally dry-docked in Cadiz, Spain and is currently being worked on at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.
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The cause of the delay is said to be a complete teardown and rebuild of the ship's galley's, at a cost of $10 million.
Once the ship does eventually sail again, it will embark on 4- and 5-night cruises from Miami, Florida to Nassau, The Bahamas; Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Grand Cayman and Key West, Florida.
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Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean's new ship expansion continues with the recent Ovation of the Seas and upcoming Harmony of the Seas - the largest cruise ship in the world - in May 2016. Also similar to the Empress, the Majesty of the Seas was once anticipated to move to Pullmantur but was held onto by Royal Caribbean instead.
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