Monarch Of The Seas News

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. said that Royal Caribbean International's Sovereign of the Seas will be reassigned to the company's Pullmantur fleet, and the Los Angeles-based Monarch of the Seas will assume Sovereign of the Seas' sailings out of Port Canaveral. These changes will take place in October and November 2008. "We are fortunate that our mix of brands allows us the flexibility and opportunity to expand in key strategic markets and to diversify in existing ones," said Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Adam Goldstein. Sovereign of the Seas' last scheduled sailing for Royal Caribbean International will be on October 31, 2008.

Royal Caribbean International has named Swedish mariner, Karin Stahre-Janson, captain of Monarch of the Seas, making her the first female captain in the line’s 21-ship fleet and the first woman in the industry to command a major cruise ship. As the Captain of Monarch of the Seas, Captain Stahre-Janson is responsible for the safe navigation of a ship that is 880 feet long, 106 feet wide, has 14 guest decks and routinely carries 2,400 guests and 850 crew members. Captain Stahre-Janson recently completed her first tour of duty as captain of the Los Angeles-based ship, which sails three- and four-night cruises to San Diego, Catalina and Ensenada, Mexico. She resumes her command in August.

Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas spent three months in drydock Alabama, at Atlantic Marine's Mobile, Ala. facility, earlier this year. The vessel required approximately 460 tons of bottom shell plating and internals to be replaced as a result of a grounding. Atlantic's hull and production departments were able to average more than 7.3 tons of steel renewals per day, in spite of the requirement to clean and gas-free some 114 compartments and tanks. Initially, Atlantic Marine had guaranteed an average of six tons of hull renewals per day, based on approcimately 350 tons of steel and four compartments and tanks to be cleaned and gas-freed. With the increase of the initial work scope, Atlantic Marine required only three additional days in drydock.

M/V Isabella sank two miles west of Ft. Pierce, Fla. USCG Group Miami dispatched a Coast Guard Station (CGSTA) Fort Pierce utility boat (UTB). The crew was removed by the UTB prior to the vessel sinking. Passenger vessel Monarch of the Seas went aground in Saint Philipsburg, Dutch Saint Maarten. The P/V was returning to port because its pumps could not keep up with the flooding after hitting a reef during its departure from port. The National Response Center received a report of a tug pushing three barges that ran aground along the Lower Mississippi River near Helena, Ark. The lead barge experienced damage resulting in the release of 1,700 barrels of unleaded gasoline. The remaining product was removed and the barge was floated off the rocks.

Royal Caribbean International's Vision of the Seas will arrive in Los Angeles on September 28 to offer seven-night Mexican Riviera itineraries. Vision will be the cruise line's second ship in the market, joining Monarch of the Seas, which offers year-round, three- and four-night Baja Mexico cruises. "We are very excited to offer two great cruise vacation options - week-long vacations on Vision of the Seas and shorter getaways aboard Monarch of the Seas - from a port that is so convenient for many travelers from the western United States," said Dan Hanrahan, senior vice president, Marketing and Sales, for Royal Caribbean International. At 78,491 tons, Vision of the Seas is 915 ft. long and holds 2,000 guests double occupancy.

Norwegian Maritime Investigator and the U.S. Coast Guard released their Joint Marine Casualty Investigation