(ap - Miami)
In a surprise announcement at the annual Cruise Industry Convention, CEO of Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, Mark Conroy, stunned the audience with news of a new ship order. The ship (which, in keeping with RSSC convention of naming their ships after Royal Caribbean ships), will be named the Explorer. It will be a smaller ship, to replace the beloved Song of Flower, weighing in at 23,505 GRT. But in a move to increase the luxury aspect of RSSC, the ship will only carry 20 passengers in 1900 sq. ft. cabins. Conroy said he expected this ship to stay mainly in Greenlandic waters with frequent excursions to whaling factories. There will be no spa facilities on board and only one restaurant, another industry first: "McDonalds-at-sea."