Royal Caribbean has announced the 70,000 gross ton ship will be leaving the fleet in March 2017. As long as the agreement goes through the ship will be sold to British based cruise line Thomson Cruises.
Legend of the Seas will be renamed TUI Discovery 2 and will be the sister ship to TUI Discovery 1 which was also purchased from Royal Caribbean. The Discovery 2 will begin sailing fro Thomson in May 2017 and deployed in the Mediterranean. The cruise line will be announcing the itinerary details soon which will go on sale from July 2016.
Helen Caron, Managing Director of Thomson Cruises, said:
“We’re looking forward to welcoming TUI Discovery 2 to our growing fleet in 2017. This new ship will offer something for everyone, helping to attract a broad and new customer base. At the same time, we will ensure our cruise holidays maintain their friendly intimate feel, delivered by the friendliest crew at sea, not forgetting the focus we place on sailing to unique destinations that Thomson Cruises are well known for.”
Due to the departure of Legend of the Seas the Miami based cruise line has shifted some deployments and cancelled some sailings which also includes Rhapsody of the Seas and Vision of the Seas. Below are the details released by Royal Caribbean:
Legend of the Seas exits the fleet on March 26, 2017
- The current round trip Brisbane, Australia sailings departing on January 6, 15, 29 and February 8 will operate as scheduled.
- All scheduled sailings from February 20, 2017 onward will be canceled. This includes the summer season cruises from Venice, Italy as well as the balance of the Brisbane itineraries.
- A series of three repositioning cruises will be offered beginning on February 20 from Brisbane. This will include an 11-night sailing from Brisbane to Singapore, as well as a 10-night cruise from Singapore to Dubai and a 13-night sailing from Dubai to Barcelona.
Rhapsody of the Seas will transition to Venice, Italy for the summer season. Sailings from Cape Liberty, New Jersey will be cancelled.
- Rhapsody will offer the full schedule of round trip sailings in fall of 2016 and winter of 2017 from Tampa, Florida as planned.
- On April 29, Rhapsody will offer a 14-night Transatlantic sailing from Tampa, Florida ending in Barcelona, Spain.
- On May 13, Rhapsody will offer a 7-night open jaw sailing from Barcelona, Spain to Venice, Italy.
- From May 20 through the end of October, Rhapsody will offer a variety of exciting 7-night round trip sailings from Venice, Italy.
- With these newly introduced itineraries, all previously planned sailings from Cape Liberty, New Jersey will be canceled.
- At the conclusion of the Mediterranean season, Rhapsody will return to Tampa, Florida as planned and begin sailings on November 19, 2017.
Vision of the Seas will offer four fall foliage sailings from Cape Liberty, New Jersey after completing northerly crossing from Copenhagen, Denmark
- On August 22, Vision will offer a 16-night Transatlantic sailing from Copenhagen, Denmark to Cape Liberty, New Jersey with several calls in Denmark, Norway, Scotland and Iceland.
- On September 7, Vision will offer a 13-night open jaw sailing from Cape Liberty, New Jersey to Quebec City, Canada. The sailings departing from Cape Liberty on September 20, October 1, and October 11 will replace the previously planned sailings offered on Rhapsody and include calls in Boston, Massachusetts, as well as multiple ports in Maine and Nova Scotia.
- Vision’s current fall Europe itineraries, including those departing from Venice, Italy from August 22, 2017 through November 17, 2017 will be canceled.
All those affected cruisers will be offered a full refund and the chance to book an alternative sailing which will include an onboard credit. Any airfare that needed to be changed will also be covered by Royal Caribbean.
Legend of the Seas was built-in 1995 and can carry 1,832 passengers at double occupancy. The vessel has just about sailed in all continents around the world and will continue to offer a great experience to the British market.
