MIAMI, Jan. 4, 2002 -- The first Royal Caribbean International ship to sail regularly from the Port of Tampa, Rhapsody of the Seas, begins sailing from there tomorrow.

Rhapsody of the Seas will dock at the Port of Tampa's Cruise Terminal 2 at approximately 7 a.m. Saturday. The ship will sail from Tampa on January 5, 12, 19, 26, and February 2, 16, 2002, on five seven-night and one six-night Western Caribbean sailings with ports of call at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Georgetown, Cayman Islands; and Key West, Florida. On February 9, 2002, Rhapsody of the Seas will make a special seven-night cruise to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.

"We are very excited about our first sailings from Tampa," said Dan Hanrahan, senior vice president of Marketing and Sales for Royal Caribbean International. "The response to Rhapsody of the Seas has been very strong. Because of this, we are returning to Tampa for a second season of sailings, from November 2002 through April 2003, with our ship Nordic Empress."

Rhapsody of the Seas arrives in Tampa from a six-night sailing from Aruba that departed on December 30, 2001. That New Year's sailing made port calls in Willemstad, Curacao; Georgetown, Cayman Islands; and Cozumel, Mexico.

During Royal Caribbean's second season of sailings from Tampa, Nordic Empress will arrive there on November 2, 2002, by way of a six-night Caribbean cruise that departs San Juan, Puerto Rico, on October 27, 2002, with ports of call at Catalina Island, Dominican Republic; Georgetown, Cayman Islands; and Cozumel, Mexico.

Nordic Empress will sail from Tampa on November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; December 7, 14, 21, 28, 2002; January 4, 11, 18, 25; February 1, 8, 15, 22; March 8,15, 22, 29; and April 5, 12, 2003, on 23 seven-night Western Caribbean sailings, with ports of call at Georgetown, Cayman Islands; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. The March 1, 2003 sailing of Nordic Empress will be a special seven-night cruise to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, and Progreso, Mexico.

Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 15 ships in service and five under construction or on firm order. For additional information about the cruise line, please visit the company's Internet web site at www.royalcaribbean.com or www.rclinvestor.com.