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Cruise News for the Corporate Travel Professional

October 2013 Edition

Virtual Balconies Set for Navigator of the Seas Debut in February

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Royal Caribbean International will debut its new virtual balcony concept when the Navigator of the Seas emerges from a revitalization in February of 2014.

The balconies were originally debuted at the Quantum of the Seas unveiling in New York, with Royal Caribbean executives noting that they were so impressed, the balconies would roll out sooner, on the 2002-built Navigator come early 2014.

The ship will feature some 98 virtual balconies, according to the cruise line, all in Category J rooms, meaning not all interior staterooms will get the technology.

Of the 98 rooms, 17 are quad cabins, and 81 are double-occupancy rooms.

The actual specifics? The virtual balcony will be an 80-inch floor-to-ceiling high definition screen, with real times views and sound. The volume level can be adjusted and there is an on and off switch. The screens are “energy efficient” and give off little heat, according to Royal Caribbean.

“The view from each virtual balcony will be relative to the position of the screen in the room,” meaning that a starboard-side room will get a starboard-side view.

Footage will be live and in high-definition from outside cameras, but guests will not be able to change views (yet).

As for pricing, Royal, in a document sent to its travel partners, said “we would consider it unusual to find a virtual balcony stateroom priced higher than an ocean view stateroom.”

Apart from Navigator, every interior room on the new Quantum of the Seas will get the new virtual balcony screens and technology.