Spectrum of the Seas is the newest addition to Royal Caribbean fleet and taking cruising in a new direction. But from the middle of a "virtual bungy " – one of Spectrum's more unusual features – that direction is hard to gauge.
She is the largest cruise ship to sail out of Asia and represents a departure from the sedate, sparkling pleasure cruises of the past.
Spectrum is all about onboard adventures. The new ships contains a number of first-at-sea features. Most noteworthy of these is the Skypad, a "virtual bungy " experience in which passengers strap in to a trampoline harness and a VR headset to transport them over digitally summoned precipices.
It looks bizarre from the outside, but is a simulated thrill custom built for the Chinese market.
Spectrum is a sister ship to Quantum of the Seas, which first sailed out of Shanghai three years ago. With its North Star observation crane and simulated skydiving, Quantum set a course for more daring, activity-driven cruise packages which Spectrum is set to follow.
"We are revealing just how we'll transform the cruise vacation market, yet again, with the debut of Spectrum of the Seas," said Michael Bayley, President and CEO of RCI.
