The Oasis of the Seas, the world's largest and most expensive cruise ship, began its maiden voyage on December 1, 2009, after a three-year construction process that culminated in a handover on October 28, 2009. The ship's unique design features a theater, casino, stores, swimming pools, an open-air park and a rock-climbing course.
The Oasis of the Seas, which cost about $1.4 billion, is 360 meters long, 47 meters wide and 65 meters high above the draft line. The ship is five times the size of the Titanic and dwarfs even the U.S. military's Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.
The mega-ship*** has 16 decks and can accommodate more than 2,000 crew members and 6,000 tourists, with a capacity of nearly 50 percent more than the largest cruise ship already in operation.
It left Finland on October 30, 2009, bound for Fort Lauderdale, USA. The ship's future itineraries will focus on the Caribbean. Despite the current global economic downturn, people have shown great interest in traveling on the mega-ship, with many bookings being made.
Oasis of the Seas, which took six years to build, was ordered by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and built by Oslo, Norway-based shipbuilding giant STX Shipbuilding, and is now the world's largest cruise ship, costing 800 million pounds (about 900 million euros) to build.
Oasis of the Seas is 1,180 feet (about 360 meters) long, 154 feet (about 47 meters) wide and 213 feet (about 65 meters) above the draft line. With a gross tonnage of 225,280 tons, it can carry 6,360 passengers and 2,160 crew members. The ship*** has 16 decks, each with a cabin and 2,700 staterooms. The entire construction process was complex, consuming nearly 400,000 steel parts, 45,000 assembly components and 220 subsections, and the entire production process was managed and controlled under the Finnish Nesta Shipbuilding System (NESTIX).
Oasis of the Seas uses 630,000 gallons of paint for its varnish; it has the world's largest offshore swimming pool, which holds 2,300 tons of water. Its outdoor park has more than 12,000 real plants, including hundreds of palm trees. More than 5,311 kilometers of cable are used on board to illuminate 2,700 cabins. An arena with a capacity of 750 people is available, as well as an ice rink, surf machines and a high diving show ring.
In terms of data, the Oasis of the Seas has set a number of cruise industry records, and can be called the "giant of the sea". "Oasis of the Seas is designed to cater to young couples with children who are more energetic, with a range of premium services including 21 swimming pools, a water park, a carousel and a science lab. Those lucky enough to set foot on this "giant of the sea" will be immersed in a whole new world of entertainment, the most eye-catching of which is the amphitheater and climbing area known as the Aqua Theatre. "The Aqua Theatre is used as a swimming pool during the day and as a stage for spectacular performances at night. "Oasis of the Seas has seven themed "communities", each containing unusual elements such as the first park at sea, a nine-deck abseil, a handmade carousel, a carousel, and a rock climbing area. A handcrafted carousel and 28 multi-level cabins with floor-to-ceiling windows.
7 Communities:
Central Park
Pedestrian Mall
Broadway
Swimming and Sports Center
Maritime Wellness and Fitness Center
Recreation Center
Youth Activity Center On October 28, 2009, STX Finland, a subsidiary of South Korean shipbuilder STX, launched a new project called "STX Finland". "STX Finland, a subsidiary of the Korean shipbuilding company STX, officially handed over the Oasis of the Seas to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines in the Finnish port of Turku. The new Oasis of the Seas is scheduled to depart on December 1, 2009 for her maiden voyage of four days. It will depart from the port of Fort Lauderdale in the United States, known as the "Venice of America," and arrive in the Caribbean country of Haiti.
On the day of the handover, hundreds of workers were still making final preparations, laying carpets and cleaning the ship's surface for the voyage of the Oasis of the Seas, which is berthed in the Turku shipyard. Turku is located 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. On the evening of October 28, 2009, about 1,000 VIPs boarded the Oasis of the Seas for a huge party, but no list of those attending the event was released. "Oasis of the Seas is scheduled to leave Finland on October 30 for its home port of Fort Lauderdale in the United States, a voyage that will last about two weeks.
Oasis of the Seas will depart Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 1, 2009, for its first passenger voyage to Labadee, Haiti, which will last four days. "Tickets for Oasis of the Seas' inaugural voyage are not yet sold out.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Chief Executive Officer Richard Fain said the Oasis of the Seas is booking at a brisk rate for its inaugural voyage, even though the shadow of the global economic crisis has yet to fully lift. The ship aims to attract new customers who have never cruised before, and its future itineraries will focus on the sunny Caribbean.
October 15, 2014 - The world's largest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, has arrived in Britain for the first time and was greeted by hundreds of people as it sailed into Southampton at 10 a.m. local time.
Speech
The inaugural voyage of the Oasis of the Seas is partly about dispelling old notions about sailing. Stepping aboard a giant of the sea like this is definitely a rare experience, and it's hard to think of this type of travel as a second choice for people when they have the option of rock climbing, surfing, and other fun activities.