Oasis Class

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

AlternateTextHere
Oasis class conceptual Image From Aker Yards
Class overview
Builders: Aker Yards, Turku, Finland
Operators: Royal Caribbean International
Preceded by: Freedom Class
Built: 2007-2010 (planned)
In service: 2009-? (planned)
Building: 1
Planned: 2
Completed: 0
General characteristics
Type: Cruise ship
Tonnage: 220,000 gross
Displacement: app. 100,000 tons
Length: 1,181 ft (360 m)
Beam: 154 ft (47 m)
Height: 213 ft (65 m) above water line
Draft: 30 ft (9 m)
Decks: 16 passenger decks
Installed power: 8 Wärtsilä V12 Engine @ 17,500 hp each
Propulsion: 3 × 20 MW Asea Brown Boveri Azipod, all azimuthing[citation needed]
Speed: 20.2 kn (37.4 km/h/23.2 mph)
Capacity: 5,400 passengers
Notes: cost USD 1.2 billion (EUR 755 million)

The Oasis Class (formerly known as Project Genesis[1]) is a class of Royal Caribbean cruise ships, the first of which was ordered in February 2006. The first ship is scheduled to be delivered towards the end of 2009. The two ships ordered in the class are to be named Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.[1][2]

[edit] Construction

The Oasis class will surpass the earlier Freedom Class as the world's largest passenger ships. They will be 23 meters (69 feet) longer, 8.5 meters (29 feet) wider, have a slightly deeper draft than the Freedom Class ships, and a gross tonnage that is expected to be 43% greater.[3][4]

Like the Freedom class, the Oasis class ships will be built by Aker Yards in Turku, Finland. They will be 1,180 feet (360 meters) long, with a gross tonnage of 220,000, and will be able to carry 5,400 passengers. The first of the Oasis class, priced at US$1.2 billion (€ 900 million) reportedly will be the most expensive commercial ship ever built. It will be 118.1 feet (36 m) longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower and weighing 12 times more than the tower.[5] It will also be 48 feet longer than the present longest ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2.

The option for a second ship of the class was exercised by Royal Caribbean on April 2, 2007. The second ship is to be delivered by Aker Yards in August 2010.[6]

On December 11, 2007, the keel of the first vessel of the class was laid down in Turku. In early 2008, Royal Caribbean ended months of speculation by announcing that their two Oasis class ships would be based year-round at Port Everglades.[citation needed]

On April 15, 2008, Royal Caribbean held a press conference in New York City to release the first official information and renderings of "Central Park", a 5-deck high area in the middle of the ship, open to the sky and filled with lush tropical gardens, upscale restaurants and shops.[7] The area, one of seven "neighborhoods" onboard the ship, also features the Rising Tide Bar, which will move up and down through 3 decks. There will be 334 staterooms overlooking the Park, 254 with balconies - four of which are wheelchair accessible. Two arched-glass domes in Central Park called the Crystal Canopies will provide sunlight into the ship's inner public spaces.[8]

[edit] References

[edit] External links