The Largest Passenger Vessel - Oasis of the Seas

MS Oasis of the Seas is a cruise ship in the fleet of Royal Caribbean International. The first of her class, she is expected to be joined by her sister ship Allure of the Seas in November 2010. Both vessels are expected to cruise the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The ship surpasses the Freedom-class cruise ships (also owned by Royal Caribbean) as the world's largest passenger vessel.




Technical details

Oasis measures 225,282 gross tons, almost half again as large as the runners-up, the vessels of the Freedom class, and several times larger than Titanic, of 46,329 gross register tons (a different measure of tonnage). To displace the volume of water necessary for the ship to float, and to keep the ship stable without increasing the draft excessively, the designers created a wide hull. About 30 feet (9 m) 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 potentially be uncomfortable. This effect however is mitigated by the vessel's large size. The cruise line'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 40 feet (12m).

The ship's power comes from six marine diesel engines, three Wärtsilä 16-cylinder common rail diesels producing 18,860 kilowatts (25,290 hp) each, and three similar 12-cylinder engines each producing 13,860 kilowatts (18,590 hp). 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 not provided by screws on the end of long shafts piercing the hull, as on most prior ships, but by three, 20,000 kilowatts (26,800 hp) "Azipods", ABB's brand of azimuth thrusters. These pods, suspended under the stern, each contain an electric motor driving a 20-foot (6 m) propeller. As they are rotatable, no rudders are needed to steer the ship. Docking is assisted by four 5,500 kilowatts (7,380 hp) bow thrusters in tunnels.


Amenities

Oasis of the Seas will offer passengers features such as two-story loft suites and luxury suites measuring 1,600 sq ft (150 m2) with balconies overlooking the sea or promenades. The ship features a zip-line, a casino, a mini-golf course, a night club, four swimming pools, volleyball and basketball courts, theme parks and nurseries for children.

Onboard recreational, athletic, and entertainment activities are organized into seven themed areas called "neighborhoods", a concept which bears resemblance to theme park planning. These neighborhoods are:

1. Central Park features boutiques, restaurants and bars, including access to the Rising Tide bar, which can be raised or lowered to three separate levels. It will house the first living park at sea with over 12,000 plants and 56 trees.
2. The Pool and Sports Zone features a sloped-entry beach pool and two surf simulators.
3. Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center features a spa for teens.
4. Boardwalk features a handcrafted carousel, restaurants, bars, shops, two rock-climbing walls, and a tattoo parlor. Its outdoor 750-seat AquaTheatre amphitheater hosts the ship's largest freshwater pool.
5. Royal Promenade features restaurants and shops and is viewable from a mezzanine.
6. Youth Zone features a science lab and computer gaming.
7. Entertainment Place

 

Source: wikipedia.org