Oz's largest ship sets sail

The newest and largest cruise ship to be based in Australia for the summer cruising season will sail into Brisbane today - Royal Caribbean Cruises' Rhapsody of the Seas is visiting the city for the first time, ahead of 11 voyages this summer, including a grand 35-night tour around Australia and New Zealand...

Managing director Gavin Smith said Royal Caribbean had seen demand for its cruises grow markedly since opening its first Australian office in Sydney last year.

"Over this season, we'll have more than 25,000 guests sailing with us," Mr Smith said in a statement.

"Cruising offers great value for money and we have seen a surge in bookings both from Australian travellers as well as from international guests who see a Royal Caribbean cruise as the perfect way to discover lots of great Australian destinations on one trip."

The 78,500-tonne ship carries up to 2,435 passengers and even has an outdoor rock climbing wall.

Source: www.theage.com.au