For its 24th consecutive season, Royal Caribbean International will ply Alaskan waters in summer 2013 with the cruise line’s recently revitalised ships to offer vacationers a virtually new fleet in the region. Soon to be revitalised Rhapsody of the Seas will offer guests refreshed staterooms, expanded technological conveniences, and nearly quadrupled dining options on seven-night round-trip cruises from Seattle, Wash. Radiance of the Seas, revitalised in 2011, will alternate seven-night north- and southbound itineraries from Vancouver and Seward, Alaska, respectively. Guests will be awed by nature’s grandness; encounter thriving wildlife; and enjoy Royal Caribbean’s Gold Anchor Service for an incredible adventure in the Last Frontier. Royal Caribbean International’s summer 2013 Alaska cruises and Cruisetours are now open for sale.

“Royal Caribbean has been delivering majestic Alaska to adventurers for nearly a quarter century and we are glad to announce our 2013 Alaska cruise and Cruisetour program,” said Betsy O’Rourke, senior vice president of Marketing for Royal Caribbean International. “Our newly revitalised Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas offer guests what they’ve always loved, and now, so much more. Along with our friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service delivered by every member of our staff and crew, the best way to explore Alaska is with Royal Caribbean International.”

To fully experience all that Alaska can offer, vacationers can choose a Royal Caribbean Alaska Cruisetour, which combines a Radiance of the Seas’ sailing with a pre- or post-cruise land tour that totals to a 10- to 13-night land and sea adventure that ranges as far north as Fairbanks. For the land tour portion, guests are escorted by a dedicated Royal Caribbean Tour Director, who knows what to see, where to eat and how to experience the most of Alaska. Royal Caribbean Cruisetours include premium hotel accommodations, motorcoach transportation, admission into select attractions, and peace of mind – Royal Caribbean takes care of all the details. Almost all 2013 Alaska Cruisetours also include a leg aboard the Wilderness Express, Royal Caribbean’s luxurious, glass-domed train cars that offer incomparable views of the unfolding and untamed Denali National Park.

Vacationers also can choose a 13-night Canadian Rockies Cruisetour, which features independent travel aboard Canada’s VIA Rail to Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Vancouver and Victoria. Furthermore, vacationers can choose an 18-night Cruisetour that combines Alaska and the Canadian Rockies for a truly grand Pacific Northwest expedition.

Every Friday from May 17 through August 30, 2013, Radiance of the Seas will alternate seven-night north- and southbound itineraries between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska. Alaskan ports of call include Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, and Skagway. Additionally, guests will cruise the Inside Passage as well as get an up-close view of Hubbard Glacier.

Rhapsody of the Seas also will sail every Friday on seven-night, round-trip Alaska cruises from Seattle, calling at Juneau and Skagway, Alaska, and Victoria, B.C. Guests also will transit Alaska’s Inside Passage, as well as venture up Tracy Arm Fjord to see Sawyer Glacier.

In port, Royal Caribbean offers guests more than 160 Alaskan shore excursions that help delve into Alaska on land, at sea or in the air. At additional charge, guests can choose a helicopter tour from Skagway, which lands on a glacier for a quick walk around, or an exhilarating flight down a mountainside on the world’s largest zip line at Icy Strait Point. Royal Caribbean shore excursions also offer a large menu of experiences that feature Alaska’s fresh seafood, as well as a slew of choices to witness the wildlife, from whales to moose to bald eagles and everything in between, on land and sea. Guests also can choose experiences to learn about the history and culture of native Alaskans, as well as Gold Rush-era to modern lifestyles – on some, guests can actually pan for real gold.

Guests aboard Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas enjoy all the new amenities, dining and entertainment that were introduced when each ship was revitalised. Both ships will feature refreshed staterooms with interactive flat-panel TVs, a new Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, oversized LED screen on the pool deck, bow-to-stern Wi-Fi service, and more dining and entertainment options than ever before on an Alaska cruise. The cruise line’s suites guests and loyal Crown & Anchor Society members also can enjoy newly installed Diamond Lounge and Concierge Lounge aboard both ships.

Radiance of the Seas’ guests have more than double the dining options prior to its 2011 revitalisation, and now the ship features eight specialty dining options, among them the exclusive Chef’s Table, Royal Caribbean’s signature steakhouse Chops Grille, Izumi sushi and Asian fare, and casual deli-style Park Café.

When Rhapsody of the Seas completes its revitalisation at the end of March 2012, guests also will be dazzled by a new form of spectacular, high-flying entertainment in the ship’s Centrum, first introduced aboard Splendour of the Seas in 2011. Choreographed aerialists dance and glide throughout a five-deck atrium, telling a story just above the heads of guests enjoying a cocktail in the R Bar, another new lounge concept.

Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 22 innovative ships, calling on more than 270 destinations in 72 countries across six continents. The line also offers unique cruise tour land packages in Alaska, Canada, Dubai, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand.