New cruise ship features virtual skydiving and robot bartenders

New Royal Caribbean cruise ship to feature robots and circus skills training. Image by David Spinks / CC BY 2.0

A new cruise ship boasting robotic bartenders, on-board circus skills training and virtual skydiving has arrived in Southampton.

Royal Caribbean International’s Anthem of the Seas sailed into its home port for the summer season and will be officially named by a 27-year-old travel agent on 20 April.

Emma Wilby from Sunderland won a competition for the honour of being the ship’s so-called Godmother.

The vessel has 18 decks and capacity for almost 5000 passengers, with more than 80,000 people expected to travel on the ship this summer.

Stuart Leven, managing director of Royal Caribbean, said: “Anthem of the Seas is designed to deliver what today’s holidaymakers want – new kinds of experiences and adventures.

“Ships like Anthem of the Seas will help attract new groups of people and build the future of cruising. The UK and Ireland is our second largest market and with over 1.7 million Britons now taking a cruise every year, it has huge importance for our business.”

The company said the ship is expected to deliver around £50 million to the Southampton economy during the summer season.

(Press Association)