Freedom-class cruise ship

Freedom class
Class overview
Builders: Aker Finnyards Turku Shipyard, Finland
Operators: Royal Caribbean International
Preceded by: Radiance class
Succeeded by: Oasis class
Built: 2004-2008
In service: 2006-present
Planned: 4 Ships
Completed: 3 Ships
Cancelled: 1 Ship
Active: 3 Ships
General characteristics
Type: Cruise ship
Tonnage: 154,407 gross tonnage (GT)
Length: 1,111 ft 6 in (338.8 m)
Beam:
  • 126 ft 8 in (38.6 m) at waterline
  • 183 ft 8 in (56.0 m) bridge wings
Height: 209 ft (63.7 m) above water line
Draft: 28 ft (8.5 m)
Decks: 18 total, 15 passenger
Installed power: Six Wärtsilä 46 V12 diesels each rated at 12.6 MW (~17,000hp) driving electric generators at 514 rpm
Propulsion: Three ABB Azipod podded electric propulsion units, two of them azimuthing, one fixed. 4 additional bow thrusters.
Speed: 21.6 kn (40.0 km/h; 24.9 mph)
Capacity: 4,370 passengers (double occupancy)
Crew: 1,300 (average)

The Freedom class is a group of three cruise ships for Royal Caribbean International. The first ship of the class, Freedom of the Seas, was the largest passenger ship in the world, and the largest ever built in terms of passenger capacity and gross tonnage, when she was built in 2006. These two records were then shared by all three ships until the construction of the MS Oasis of the Seas was completed in November 2009.

Freedom of the Seas left Aker Finnyards Turku Shipyard, Finland on April 24, 2006 and started regular sailings out of Miami the next month. The second ship of the class, Liberty of the Seas, sailed on her maiden voyage on May 19, 2007. The third ship of the class, Independence of the Seas, was delivered and started work out of Southampton in April 2008.

The Freedom-class ships are similar in design and layout to the earlier second-generation Voyager class, including an ice skating rink and a 400-foot (120 m) mall named the Royal Promenade, featuring pubs, shops, arcades, bars, and a 24-hour Cafe Promenade. New features added to the Freedom class include the FlowRider surf park, cantilevered whirlpools, a full-size boxing ring, and the H2O Zone waterpark.

In March 2008, Aker Yards and Royal Caribbean announced a memorandum of agreement for a fourth ship in the class, subject to board approval and finalization of terms and conditions, but no actual order for the ship was ever announced.[1] In 2011, Royal Caribbean announced that it had ordered two ships from the similarly-sized Quantum class, making an order for a fourth Freedom-class ship unlikely.[2]

Ships

Ship Year Built Entered service
with Royal Caribbean 		Gross tonnage Current Home Port Notes Image
Freedom of the Seas 2006 June 4, 2006 160,000 Port Canaveral, Florida, U.S. Largest cruise ship in the world, 2006–2009. Dry dock refurbishment January 2015.
Liberty of the Seas 2007 May 19, 2007 160,000 Galveston, Texas Originally supposed to be named Endeavour of the Seas. Dry dock refurbishment January 2011. Sailed from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey from May to November 2015.[3] Repositioned to Galveston, Texas in November 2015.[4]
Independence of the Seas 2008 May 2, 2008 160,000 Port Everglades, Florida, U.S. Dry dock refurbishment April 2013.

Destinations

As of 2012, Independence of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas sail out of European ports in the summer and out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida during winter months. During the summer, Liberty of the Seas sails Mediterranean itineraries out of Barcelona, Spain, Toulon, France, and Sorrento, Italy while Independence of the Seas sails Northern Europe itineraries out of Southampton, Hampshire.

Freedom of the Seas sails out of Port Canaveral, Florida (near Orlando) year-round, alternating between Eastern & Western Caribbean itineraries.

Features

Freedom Class Size Comparisons.

References

  1. ↑ "Possible Fourth Freedom Vessel To Be Built By Aker Yards". Aker Yards press release. 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
  2. ↑ http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsarticle&id=1528198
  3. ↑ "China Is New Home for Royal Caribbean International's Quantum of the Seas". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  4. ↑ "ROYAL CARIBBEAN ANNOUNCES 2015-16 DEPLOYMENT FOR NEW YORK AND GALVESTON". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 17 April 2014.

External links

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