Royal Caribbean International has launched a new web site with more information and tools designed for both new and experienced cruisers researching their next vacation.

With today`s faster Internet connection speeds, surfers are no longer looking for overview sites, they want in-depth information at their fingertips, said Barbara Shrut, vice president, Customer Loyalty and eMarketing, for Royal Caribbean International. We wanted to provide the most comprehensive and user-friendly site to ensure our guests have everything they need to put together their dream vacation. The new royalcaribbean.com is easy to navigate and rich with information on all aspects of the cruise experience, from our outstanding ships and onboard programs to the exciting ports of call we visit.

The new site is broken into five main areas. All About Cruising gives visitors the information they need to start planning their cruise. It includes a New to Cruising section for first-timers that shares the inside scoop on what`s included on a cruise and what they can expect onboard. Visitors are invited to download a sample of Royal Caribbean`s daily onboard schedule to get an idea of the wide variety of entertainment and activities offered. The All About Cruising area also contains a dedicated section for experienced cruisers, as well as full details on Royal Caribbean`s Adventure Ocean, Adventure Family, Royal Reunions, Royal Romance and Accessible Seas programs.

The Find a Cruise area of the site includes information on Royal Caribbean`s innovative fleet of 18 ships, worldwide ports of call, and convenient departure points. The Quick Vacation Search allows visitors to search for a cruise by date, departure port, destination and ship, while a more advanced search engine adds fields for number of nights and price. Visitors can book their cruise immediately online, request a follow up call from a Guest Vacation specialist, or find a travel agent in their area. If they aren`t quite ready to book, site visitors can save the information they find through the new My Cruises feature, which holds the information in a personal, password-protected account.

The Ships section outlines the features of Royal Caribbean`s ship families and gives in-depth information on each of the line`s 18 ships, including enlarged deck plans. The Staterooms section includes photos and 360-degree visual tours of the various categories of staterooms offered, from interior to ocean view to suites. Under the Activities section, future cruisers can learn about the wide variety of entertainment, dining, sporting, and other recreation options that awaits them on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

The Find a Cruise area also includes details on how travelers can extend their vacations back on land through pre- and post-cruise hotel packages and Royal Caribbean`s outstanding lineup of cruisetour vacations, which pairs cruises with exclusive land packages in Alaska, Canada and Europe.

For the latest hot deals, contests and sweepstakes, as well as information on weekend getaways, short cruises and specialty cruises, visitors can head to the Deals & More area of royalcaribbean.com. Visitors also can sign up here to receive e-mail news alerts and offers from Royal Caribbean, or to apply for the Royal Caribbean Visa(R) Credit Card, which allows cruisers to earn points that add up to onboard credits, stateroom upgrades and even free cruise vacations.

The Customer Support area provides answers to frequently asked questions, lists full contact information for Royal Caribbean International, and has a travel agent locator that helps travelers connect with one of the line`s valued travel partners in their city or state. Site visitors also can request a brochure or download a free screensaver that features a selection of the exciting destinations guests can explore on Royal Caribbean cruises.

Guests can visit the Before You Boardarea to find out everything they need to know before they go on their cruise. This section also allows cruisers to research, select and book their Explorations! shore excursions in advance; fill out their boarding documents online; or download a form to purchase gifts to be delivered onboard.

The site also features an advanced search engine that allows guests to go straight to whatever information they`re after by simply typing in a question. Responses pop up in an easy-to-browse format.