“Royal Caribbean” “Freedom of the seas” cruise line ship

Founded by three Norwegian shipping companies in 1969 as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, this company is one of two affiliates of Royal Caribbean Cruises, the second-largest cruise operator in the world. The line’s first newbuild, Song of Norway, entered service in 1970, and today, RCI operates a fleet of modern super- and megaliners including the largest passenger ship afloat, the Freedom of the Seas. Royal Caribbean’s signature Viking Crown Lounge is a familiar sight in almost all parts of the world, and the company has a strong presence not only in the Caribbean, but also in Europe, Alaska, and other “exotic” destinations. The company’s Voyager class and Radiance class ships are in a league all their own and as a result, Royal Caribbean consistently wins honors as the best mass-market cruise line. The new Freedom class ships will be the largest cruise ships ever.

“Adventure of the seas”
“Allure Of The seas”
“Brilliance of the seas”
“Enchantment of the seas”
“Explorer of the seas”
“Freedom of the seas”
“Grandeur of the seas”
“Independence Of The seas”
“Jewel of the seas”
“Legend of the seas”
“Liberty Of The seas”
“Majesty of the seas”
“Mariner of the seas”
“Monarch of the seas”
“Navigator of the seas”
“Oasis Of The seas”

he first human inhabitants of the Virgin Islands were the Arawak Indians. The Arawaks were descendants of coastal Indians from what is now Venezuela and Guyana who were forced out of that area by more aggressive tribes. They island hopped up the Antillean chain until they reached the Virgin Islands sometime around 300 AD. The Arawaks lived peacefully here, fishing and farming, until the fierce and cannibalistic Carib Indians moved into the area about 100 years before the arrival of Columbus.

Christopher Columbus “discovered” the Virgin Islands on his second voyage to the Caribbean in 1493. Because the islands were sited around the time of the feast of St. Ursula, he named them “Once Mil Virgins” after the eleven thousand virgins that were martyred with St. Ursula. Columbus was a devout Christian, and some say a religious zealot who was obsessed with the idea of converting what he thought was Asia to Christianity. But Columbus received wealth and status also. The Spanish crown granted him the titles of admiral of the Ocean Sea, Governor and Viceroy of the Indies, and Captain General. As such he had control over trade in the West Indies. He landed on St. Croix and provisioned for his trip on to Hispaniola. St. Croix would become a provisioning station for Spanish ships from then on Magen’s Bay, St. Thomas.

The Arawaks were first to live on the island and named it “Svalugia” or “The land of salt”. Since those times, the name changed, and the island changed hands often times: in their battle over the West Indies, French, English, Dutch, Danish, Spanish and Portugues “Conquistadores” spent more or less time governing and fighting over St Martin. The name of the island is said to be given by Christopher Columbus when he spotted the land on November 11, the feast of St. Martin of Tours, who lived from 330 to 397 as a bishop and missionary in France. He was, and still is, one of the most popular Saints in Western Europe up to today. However, it has never been proven that it was Columbus to name the island. Other sources say that is was for an European settler by the name of St. Martin, who lived there in the late 16th century. Today, the island is called “Sint Maarten” in Dutch spelling, and “St Martin” in French, Spanish, Italian, and English spelling.

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