MS Oasis of the Seas

MS Oasis of the Seas
Oasis of the Seas at Nassau, Bahamas, in January 2010
History
Name: Oasis of the Seas
Owner: Royal Caribbean International
Operator: Royal Caribbean International
Port of registry: Nassau,  Bahamas[1]
Route: Caribbean
Ordered: February 2006
Builder: STX Europe Turku Shipyard, Finland[2]
Cost: US$1.4 billion (2006)[3]
Yard number: 1363[4]
Laid down: 12 November 2007[5]
Launched: 21 November 2008 (float-out)[6]
Christened: 30 November 2009[7]
Completed: 28 October 2009[4]
Maiden voyage: 5 December 2009[7]
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics
Class & type: Oasis-class cruise ship
Tonnage:
Length: 361.6 m (1,186.5 ft) overall[9]
Beam:
  • 47 m (154 ft) waterline[8]
  • 60.5 m (198 ft) max beam[8]
Height: 72 m (236 ft) above water line[10]
Draught: 9.3 m (31 ft)[8]
Depth: 22.55 m (74 ft)[8]
Decks: 16 passenger decks[2]
Installed power:
  • 3 × 13,860 kW (18,590 hp) Wärtsilä 12V46D
  • 3 × 18,480 kW (24,780 hp) Wärtsilä 16V46D
Propulsion:
  • 3 × 20 MW (27,000 hp) ABB Azipod,
  •       all azimuthing
  • 4 × 5.5 MW (7,400 hp) Wärtsilä CT3500
  •       bow thrusters[10][11]
Speed: 22.6 knots (41.9 km/h; 26.0 mph)[2]
Capacity:
  • 5,400 passengers at double occupancy[2]
  • 6,296 maximum[2]
Crew:
  • 2,165 on maiden voyage[2]
  • 2,394 as of July 2012[9]

MS Oasis of the Seas is an Oasis-class cruise ship, delivered to her owner, Royal Caribbean International, in October 2009. The first of her class, she was joined by her sister ship MS Allure of the Seas in December 2010.[12] Both vessels cruise the Caribbean from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.[13] She set a new record of carrying over 6,000 passengers.[14]

Oasis of the Seas surpassed the Freedom-class cruise ships (also owned by Royal Caribbean) to become the largest cruise ship in the world at that time.[15] She has, however, been surpassed by her sister ship Allure of the Seas, which is 50 millimetres (2.0 in) longer, although this difference may have been caused by different ambient temperatures at the times the measurements were made.[16]

History

The vessel was ordered in February 2006 and designed under the name "Project Genesis". Her keel was laid down on 12 November 2007 by STX Europe Turku Shipyard, Finland.[5] The company announced that full funding for Oasis of the Seas was secured on 15 April 2009.[17]

The name Oasis of the Seas resulted from a competition held in May 2008.[18]

During the first float-out of the vessel the tugboats that were pulling the ship from its dock failed to control the ship, resulting in the port side of the ship hitting the dock. This resulted in some cosmetic damage and minor damage to the hull, which was repaired and did not affect the final delivery date of the vessel.[19]

The ship was completed and turned over to Royal Caribbean on 28 October 2009. Two days later, she departed Finland for the United States. While exiting the Baltic Sea, the vessel passed underneath the Great Belt Fixed Link in Denmark on 1 November 2009. The bridge has a clearance of 65 m (213 ft) above the water; Oasis normally has an air draft of 72 m (236 ft). The passage under the bridge was possible due to retraction of the telescoping funnels, and an additional 30 cm (12 in) was gained by the squat effect whereby vessels traveling at speed in a shallow channel will be drawn deeper into the water.[20] Approaching the bridge at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph), the ship passed under it with less than 60 centimetres (2 ft) of clearance.

Proceeding through the English Channel, Oasis stopped briefly in the Solent so that 300 shipyard workers who were on board doing finishing work could disembark, then left on the way to her intended home port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.[21] The ship arrived there on 13 November 2009, where tropical plants were installed prior to some introductory trips and her maiden voyage on 5 December 2009.

While Royal Caribbean's chief of captains William S. Wright was in command of the ship's journey across the Atlantic and also for the first few sailings, navigation of Oasis of the Seas is regularly handled by Trym Selvag and Thore Thorolvsen.

Oasis had a minor refit in winter 2011, adding the DreamWorks Experience which allows passengers to interact with characters, such as Shrek, on board the ship. The Oasis-class also now features 3D movies.

Oasis underwent a second drydock refit in October 2014.[22] During drydock the ship was modified to support Dynamic Dining, adding the suite-only "Coastal Kitchen" restaurant to the Viking Crown and dividing the main dining room into three separate restaurants: "American Icon Grill", "The Grande", and "Silk".[23][24] In addition, the Broadway-style production of Hairspray was replaced with a production of Cats.[25]

Technical details

The gross tonnage of Oasis of the Seas is 225,282.[1] Her displacement—the actual mass of the vessel—is estimated at approximately 100,000 metric tons (110,000 short tons), slightly less than that of an American Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.[26]

To keep the ship stable without increasing the draft excessively, the designers created a wide hull; 9.3 metres (31 ft) of the ship sits beneath the water, a small percentage of the ship's overall height. Wide, shallow ships such as this tend to be "snappy", meaning that they can snap back upright after a wave has passed, which can be uncomfortable. This effect, however, is mitigated by the vessel's large size.[27] The cruise ship's officers were pleased with the ship's stability and performance during the transatlantic crossing, when the vessel, in order to allow finishing work to go on, slowed and changed course in the face of winds "almost up to hurricane force" and seas in excess of 12 metres (39 ft).[28][29]

The ship's power comes from six medium speed marine diesel generating sets: three 16-cylinder Wärtsilä 16V46D common rail engines producing 18,860 kilowatts (25,290 hp) each and three similar 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 12V46 engines producing 13,860 kilowatts (18,590 hp) each. The fuel consumption of the main engines at full power is 1,377 US gallons (5,210 l; 1,147 imp gal) of fuel oil per engine per hour for the 16-cylinder engines and 1,033 US gallons (3,910 l; 860 imp gal) per engine per hour for the 12-cylinder engines.[10][30] The total output of these prime movers, some 97,020 kilowatts (130,110 hp), is converted to electricity, used in hotel power for operation of the lights, elevators, electronics, galleys, water treatment plant, and all of the other systems used on the operation of the vessel, as well as propulsion. Propulsion is provided by three 20,000-kilowatt (26,800 hp) Azipods, ABB's brand of electric azimuth thrusters. These pods, suspended under the stern, contain electric motors driving 20-foot (6 m) propellers.[10] Because they are rotatable, no rudders are needed to steer the ship. Docking is assisted by four 5,500-kilowatt (7,380 hp) transverse bow thrusters.[11][30]

Additional power comes from solar panels fitted by BAM Energy Group, which provide energy for lighting in the promenade and central park areas. The installation cost US$750,000 and covers 1,950 square metres (21,000 sq ft) on deck 19.[31][32]

The ship carries 18 lifeboats that hold 370 people each, for a total of 6,660 people. Inflatable life rafts provide for additional passengers and crew.[33]

Amenities

Oasis of the Seas offers passengers features such as two-story loft suites and luxury suites measuring 150 m2 (1,600 sq ft) with balconies overlooking the sea or promenades. The ship features a zip-line, a casino,[34] a miniature golf course, multiple night clubs, several bars and lounges, a karaoke club, comedy club, five swimming pools, volleyball and basketball courts, theme parks and nurseries for children.[35] Many of the ship's interiors were extensively decorated by muralist Clarissa Parish.[36]

Onboard recreational, athletic, and entertainment activities are organized into seven themed areas called "neighborhoods",[37][38] a concept which bears resemblance to theme park planning.[12]

  1. Central Park features boutiques, restaurants and bars, including access to the Rising Tide bar,[12] which can be raised or lowered between three decks.[35][34] It has the first living park at sea with over 12,000 plants and 56 trees.[35][39]
  2. The Pool and Sports Zone features a sloped-entry beach pool and two surf simulators.[12]
  3. Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center features a spa for teens.[12] The gym has 158 cardio and resistance machines, classes, and a range of spa services. [40]
  4. Boardwalk features a handcrafted carousel,[12][15] restaurants, bars, shops, two rock-climbing walls, and a temporary tattoo parlor.[10] Its outdoor 750-seat[35] AquaTheatre amphitheater hosts the ship's largest freshwater pool.[15]
  5. Royal Promenade features restaurants and shops and is viewable from a mezzanine.[10][12]
  6. Youth Zone features a science lab and computer gaming.[39]
  7. Entertainment Place features the ship's main theater, as well as an ice skating rink, a nightclub, the casino, and smaller venues for jazz and comedy performances.[41][42]

Naming ceremony and launch party

The ship was formally named on 30 November 2009 during a charity sailing for Make-A-Wish Foundation. At this ceremony the ship was sponsored by seven "godmothers", each representing one of the seven neighbourhoods on board. Her godmothers are Gloria Estefan, Michelle Kwan, Dara Torres, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Shawn Johnson, Jane Seymour and Daisy Fuentes.[43]

Image gallery

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Log3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Oasis of the Seas: Summary". Det Norske Veritas. 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Oasis of the Seas: Fast Facts" (PDF). OasisoftheSeas.com. 10 September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  3. ↑ Nugent, Rory (June 2009). "Hope Floats". The Atlantic. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  4. 1 2 "Oasis of the Seas: Yard". Det Norske Veritas. 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  5. 1 2 Singh, Timon (24 November 2009). "The World's Largest Cruise Ship". US Infrastructure. Archived from the original on 30 November 2009.
  6. ↑ Associated Press (21 November 2008). "World's biggest cruise ship launched; will carry 6,300 passengers". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 27 April 2013.
  7. 1 2 Quan, Tracy; Burden, Erin (18 November 2009). "Royal Caribbean International Appoints Seven Godmothers for Oasis of the Seas". OasisoftheSeas.com (Press release). Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Oasis of the Seas: Dimensions". Det Norske Veritas. 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  9. 1 2 "Oasis of the Seas". Royal Caribbean. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Creating the Incredible". STX Europe via CruiseWeb.nl. November 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2009.
  11. 1 2 "Oasis of the Seas: Machinery Summary". Det Norske Veritas. 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Royal Caribbean announces Allure of the Seas' inaugural season". Royal Caribbean International. 30 March 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
  13. ↑ Honeywell, John (27 October 2009). "Oasis even bigger than we thought". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  14. ↑ Sloan, Gene (8 April 2010). "Record set as Oasis of the Seas sails with more than 6,000 passengers". Cruise Log at USAToday.com. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
  15. 1 2 3 Giovis, Jaclyn (19 June 2008). "New Royal Caribbean cruise ship offers many firsts". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on 20 June 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2008.
  16. ↑ Sjöström, Pär-Henrik (10 December 2010). "Larger than her sister". Shipgaz (6): 22.
  17. ↑ Fain, Richard (15 April 2009). "Thanks a Billion". Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  18. ↑ Sloan, Gene (23 May 2008). "Royal Caribbean's next ships will be Oasis, Allure". Cruise Log at USAToday.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  19. ↑ "World record Cruise Ship". Documentary at Sky.com. 14 July 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  20. ↑ Behling, Frank (31 October 2009). ""Oasis of the Seas" hat Kurs auf Fehmarn" ["Oasis of the Seas" has embarked on Fehmarn]. Kieler Nachrichtan (in German). Archived from the original on 3 November 2009.
  21. ↑ "Huge cruise ship stops in Solent". BBC News. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  22. ↑ "World's largest cruise ship docks at Keppel Verolme for maintenance". Keppel Verolme. 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  23. ↑ "Our Biggest Ship Gets Even Better" (PDF). Royal Caribbean International. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  24. ↑ "Oasis Class Revitalization Q&A's" (PDF). Royal Caribbean International. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  25. ↑ "Cats Coming to Oasis of the Seas". Cruise Industry News. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  26. ↑ "If Royal Caribbean builds it, 6,400 could come". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. 7 February 2006.
  27. ↑ Bryner, Jeanna (3 November 2009). "How the World's Largest Cruise Ship Floats". Livescience.com. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  28. ↑ Wright, William S. (Captain), "Blue Seas, Green Practices", Captain's Log, Day Six, search for video at Oasis of the Seas. Royal Caribbean, 2009.
  29. ↑ Wright, William S. (Captain), "Back to the Bridge", Captain's Log, Day Ten, search for video at Oasis of the Seas. Royal Caribbean, 2009.
  30. 1 2 Holmlund-Sund, Marit (28 October 2009). "Wärtsilä powers Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas - the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world" (Press release). Wärtsilä Corporation. Archived from the original on 29 November 2009.
  31. ↑ Gale, Kevin (18 January 2010). "Solar panels juice up Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas". South Florida Business Journal. Archived from the original on 4 April 2014.
  32. ↑ Sewall, Adam (18 January 2010). "Royal Caribbean Adding Solar Power to its Fleet". GetSolar.com. Archived from the original on 4 April 2014.
  33. ↑ Hall, Nick (10 December 2009). "World's largest lifeboats for Oasis of the Seas". Motor Boats. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  34. 1 2 Pan, Phillip P (31 October 2009). "World's largest cruise ship offers a boatload of firsts". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on 4 November 2009.
  35. 1 2 3 4 Olsen, Jan M (1 November 2009). "Largest cruise ship squeezes under Danish bridge". Associated Press via Yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 10 November 2009.
  36. ↑ www.clarissaparish.com Retrieved January 2012
  37. ↑ Lester, Paul (2 November 2009). "Oasis of the Seas – world's largest cruise liner sets sail this month". Gizmag.com. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  38. ↑ "Oasis of the Seas journeys home to Fort Lauderdale". Gizmag.com. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  39. 1 2 "Mega cruise liner Oasis of the Seas completed on schedule". Helsingin Sanomat. 1 November 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  40. ↑ "Oasis of the Seas: description". Cruise 1st. 2009. Retrieved 18 Jan 2013.
  41. ↑ "Oasis of the Seas Photo Tour and Commentary: Entertainment". Beyond Ships. p. 4. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  42. ↑ "Oasis of the Seas Photo Tour and Commentary: Bars and Lounges". Beyond Ships. p. 5. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  43. ↑ "Her går gigantskipet hårfint under" [Here goes the giant ship under narrowly] (in Norwegian). Nettavisen. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  44. Wright, William S. (Captain), "Clearing a Landmark", Captain's Log, Day Three, search for video at Oasis of the Seas. Royal Caribbean, 2009.

Further reading

External links

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