Royal Caribbean International has claimed Anthem of the Seas is its fastest selling UK-based ship for the line, Travel Weekly reports in daily newsletter emailed to Cruise Busiess.

During the first day of sales on February 26, two-thirds of bookings were for premium balcony staterooms or suites. Stuart Leven, managing director UK and Ireland, was quoted as saying: “Since the announcement in November last year that Anthem of the Seas will call Southampton its home, the reaction from holidaymakers and agents has been phenomenal. It’s been two weeks since we confirmed the itineraries and it’s clear that the anticipation has been there and converted to vigorous first day sales, and we haven’t even announced all of our groundbreaking features for this amazing new ship."

Anthem of the Seas, which is the second unit of the 167,800 gross ton Quantum class of Royal Caribbean International, will be introduced in April 2015 as replacement of the 158,400 gross ton Independence of the Seas in Southampton. The new ship will enter service only a few weeks after P&O Cruises, which is part of the Carnival Corp & plc group, will have introduced its143,000 gross ton newbuilding, Britannia.

Royal Caribbean will also employ Adventure of the Seas on a series of cruises from Souythampton in both 2014 and 2015, while a Radiance class vessel will be based at Harwich, north of London, in both years as well.