TUI Cruises Buys Splendour of the Seas
Royal Caribbean Cruises is selling its cruise ship Splendour of the Seas to Germany-based TUI Cruises, a joint venture between Tui Group and Royal Caribbean.
The sale is scheduled to take place in the second quarter of 2016. Once sold, the ship will be leased to Thomson Cruises, which will operate the vessel.
“The ship’s sale is in line with our strategic objective of divesting ourselves of older hardware and keeps us firmly on the course to the Double-Double,” said Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises.
Splendour of the Seas will complete all scheduled open deployment, and no sailings will be altered or disrupted due to the sale, Royal Caribbean said.
Her final sailing will commence on April 4, 2016, and all officers and crew will remain with the company and will be transferred to other vessels worldwide after the ship leaves the Royal Caribbean International fleet.
Splendour of the Seas joined the Royal Caribbean International fleet in 1996, and was built by Chantier’s de L’Atlantique, now STX France, in St. Nazaire, France. The 69,130-ton ship carries 1,830 guests (double occupancy) and 760 crew.
