Radiance of the Seas - A First Class Delivery

Radiance of the Seas, the first of its Radiance-class of ships, was delivered to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) on March 9. The 90,090-ton vessel departed on March 11 from Amsterdam, en route to the Port of Miami for arrival on March 21, 2001.

The 2,100-guest Radiance of the Seas is designed to sail world itineraries to Alaska, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, Pacific Northwest and the Caribbean.

The ship is powered by an azipod propulsion system, and smokeless, vibration-free GE gas turbine engines, which represent the industry's newest technology for protecting the environment.

The vessel's naming ceremony will take place on April 6, at 5:30 p.m. at Port Everglades, with the ship's godmother, Margot Pritzker, wife of Thomas J. Pritzker, chairman of the Hyatt Corporation and member of the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Board of Directors. The vessel's 14-night maiden voyage, a Panama Canal cruise, will depart on April 7, from Port Everglades.