After a more than decade-long hiatus, a Royal Caribbean International ship sailed into the Port of Los Angeles last week.
The 1,020-foot Navigator of the Seas arrived for its first passenger sailing out of Los Angeles on a weekend cruise to Ensenada. It left Friday evening, Nov. 19.
“Our waterfront visitors have an up-close view of the vessels transiting the main channel,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka wrote in an email. “And when a cruise ship glides by, everyone stops to watch it.
“There’s a special connection between the passengers on the ship deck and the visitors on the waterfront,” he added, “and they always smile and wave to each other.”
Royal Caribbean International has more than 100 sailings scheduled for 2022 from the Port of Los Angeles. In all, the port is forecasting more than 200 passenger cruise sailings during the 2022 calendar year.
Port officials have touted that on a busy cruise weekend, with three or four ships in port, as many as 20,000 travelers will sail along the Los Angeles waterfront. They have also daid each cruise ship call generates more than $1 million in economic activity.
The ship, which cruises at 22 knots, can host as many as 2,000 passengers with a crew of 1,200. The 15-deck vessel went on her maiden voyage almost 19 years ago in December 2002. The ship’s features include the largest waterslide at sea, a revamped pool deck and new nightlife venues.
“As a native Californian, I’m so happy that Royal Caribbean International is back in Los Angeles for the first time in 11 years,” Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean senior vice president of sales, trade support and service, wrote in an email. “The newly amplified Navigator of the Seas is the right ship for the LA market, and we wanted to explore more variety in the West Coast.”
The ship will run Friday to Monday cruises to Ensenada and Monday to Friday cruises that include a stop anchored off Avalon, on Catalina Island.
“People wanting short getaways will love the 3-, 4- and 5-night cruises to Catalina, Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas,” Freed said, “and will still have the option of 7-night vacations to those amazing destinations.
“Additionally, our consumers enjoy the venues we have onboard,” Freed added, “from Navigator’s reimagined and beautiful poolscape to the world-class entertainment, expansive dining choices and the newest features and experiences, this ship offers it all.”
The cruise industry felt the COVID-19 pause in operations as much or more than other industries.
“The last 20 months have been hard on all of us,” Freed said. “We are committed to the West Coast market as part of our Royal Comeback, and our goal is to continue to build on that momentum in Los Angeles and well into the future.”
