MIAMI, Jan. 11 -- Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL)
announced today that it has exercised its option with Meyer Werft shipyard in
Papenburg, Germany, to build a second 85,000-ton Vantage class vessel for
Royal Caribbean International at a contract cost of approximately $350
million.

This second Vantage class ship will be a sister to the 2,000-guest vessel
currently under construction in Papenburg. The first Vantage ship is
scheduled to be delivered in February, 2001; the second in June, 2002. Both
will be built to Panamax standards, enabling them to transit the Panama Canal,
and will be powered by environmentally friendly gas turbines.

"Our taking the option for a second Vantage vessel is testimony to our faith
in the continued growth of the cruise industry," said Richard D. Fain, Royal
Caribbean's chairman and CEO. "In fact, in the first two years of the new
millennium, we'll take delivery of four new ships, with a combined capacity of
over 10,000 new berths at a cost of almost two billion dollars -- a
commitment that clearly measures our belief in cruising's dynamic future."

With rotating propulsion pods mounted under the hull, the Vantage class
ships will be extremely fast for vessels of this size, enabling them to offer
some unusual itineraries. The gas turbines powering the Vantage ships will be
extremely quiet and vibration free. The reduced space required by these small
but powerful turbines means additional onboard space will be available for
public areas, guest accommodations and activity centers.

"We will be incorporating, on a somewhat smaller scale, many of the design
features and technological advancements featured on our Eagle-class ships,"
Fain added. "The Vantage vessels will keep Royal Caribbean in the forefront
of contemporary ship development."

Royal Caribbean International is operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., a
global cruise company which also operates Celebrity Cruises. Royal Caribbean
International's fleet consists of 12 vessels in service and five ships on
order. The ships currently visit Alaska, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, the
Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, New England, the Panama Canal and
Scandinavia.