Royal Caribbean cuts steel for 2nd Quantum Ultra class ship Odyssey of the Seas

The second ship in Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Ultra Class has been named Odyssey of the Seas, and will cruise from the United States.

The announcements were made today by Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises, during the ship’s steel-cutting ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.

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Odyssey of the Seas is due to launch in late 2020 and will be Royal Caribbean’s second Quantum Ultra Class ship and the 27^th cruise ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

The first, Spectrum of the Seas, will debut in 2019 and will cruise from Dubai on her way to Asia, joining other Royal Caribbean ships including Quantum of the Seas, which is due for a major refurbishment this year.

Although details about the features to be found on-board Odyssey of the Seas will be revealed later this year, it is likely she will have a key-card access, all-suite complex with a private swimming pool and restaurant, and the Sky Pad virtual reality trampoline experience, both of which will debut on Spectrum.

At 168,800-gross tons, the Quantum Ultra Class ships are only 134 tons larger than the Quantum Class, and feature all the ground-breaking amenities and attractions that have made Quantum of the Seas and her sister ships so popular.

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According to a video released on Twitter, announcing the name for Spectrum of the Seas, she will have the famous Bionic Bar with robotic bar tenders, a North Star viewing pod, a Sky Dive simulator, and the Two70 Lounge with its 270-degrees of floor-to-ceiling windows.

What makes this lounge special though, are the huge LED screens, that are mounted on independently-moving robotic arms and can move around the room in tandem with a sophisticated sound and light system.

Royal Caribbean has confirmed Odyssey of the Seas will cruise from the United States, but itineraries have not yet been released. It’s likely she’ll cruise in the Caribbean or Alaska.

If she is deployed in the Caribbean, PortMiami is the most likely homeport, as Royal Caribbean have recently invested in a new cruise terminal for its largest cruise ships at the port.