Oasis-class cruise ship

Class overview
Builders: STX Finland Turku Shipyard, Finland & Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire, France
Operators: Royal Caribbean International
Preceded by: Freedom class
Succeeded by: Quantum class
Built: 2007–2010; 2013–2021 (planned)
In service: 2009–present
Building: 1
Planned: 5
Completed: 3
Active: 3
General characteristics
Type: Cruise ship
Tonnage: 225,282 GT[1]–227,700 GT[2]
Length: 360 m (1,181 ft) overall[3]
Beam:
  • 47 m (154 ft) waterline
  • 60.5 m (198 ft) extreme[3]
Height: 72 m (236 ft) above water line[4]
Draught: 9.3 m (31 ft)[3]
Depth: 22.55 m (74 ft)[3]
Decks: 16 passenger decks[5]
Installed power:
Propulsion: 3 × 20 MW ABB Azipod, all azimuthing[4]
Speed: 22.6 knots (41.9 km/h; 26.0 mph)[5]
Capacity: 5,400 passengers double occupancy; 6,296 total[5]

The Oasis class is a class of Royal Caribbean International cruise ships which are the world's largest passenger ships. The first two ships in the class, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas,[7][8] were delivered respectively in 2009 and 2010 by STX Europe Turku Shipyard, Finland.[9] In 2016, a third Oasis class vessel, Harmony of the Seas, was built by STX France in Saint-Nazaire, surpassing her sister ships to become the largest cruise ship in the world. There are a total of 3 cruise ships in the class with one more unnamed ship currently under construction and another contracted to be built. The two ships are expected to be delivered in 2018 and 2021 respectively.

Ship features

The Oasis-class ships surpassed the earlier Freedom-class ships as the world's largest and longest passenger ships. Oasis also is 8.5 metres (28 ft) wider, and with a gross tonnage of 225,282, is almost 45% larger.[10][11] Oasis-class vessels can carry over 5,400 passengers.

Oasis-class ships feature a split structure, with the 5-deck high "Central Park" and "Boardwalk" outdoor areas running down the middle of the ship. These areas feature lush tropical gardens, upscale restaurants, shops, and a working carousel.[12][13]

Technical details

The displacement—the actual mass—is estimated at approximately 100,000 metric tons, equivalent to the displacement of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.[14]

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 be uncomfortable. This effect, however, is mitigated by the vessel's large size.[15] 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 40 feet (12 m).[16][17]

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 12V46D 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.[4][18] 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.[4] 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.[18][19]

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.[20]

Ships

Name Status Entered service with Royal Caribbean Gross tonnage Length Home port Notes Image
Oasis of the Seas In service 5 December 2009 225,282 361.6 m (1,186.5 ft) Port Everglades, Florida (2009-Nov 4, 2016)
Port Canaveral, Florida (Nov 5, 2016)		 One of the largest cruise ships in the world along with sister "Allure of the Seas". She entered drydock in September 2014.
Allure of the Seas In service 1 December 2010 225,282 360 m (1,187 ft) Port Everglades, Florida Technically the second world's largest cruise ship, exceeding the length of Oasis of the Seas by 50 millimetres (2 in). Repositioned to her new home port of Fort Lauderdale, FL, in 6 November 2015.[21]
Harmony of the Seas [2][22][23] In service 22 May 2016 227,700 362.12 m (1,188.1 ft) Port Everglades, Florida The largest in the class and also the largest cruise ship in the world, exceeding prior ships in the class by 2.15 metres (7 ft) length and 2,418 GT.
TBA Keel laid
29 October 2015[24] 		2018 (planned)[25] TBA TBA TBA
TBAAgreement signed
25 May 2016[26] 		Spring 2021 (planned) TBA TBA TBA

Harmony of the Seas and future Oasis-class cruise ships

On 25 October 2012 Royal Caribbean confirmed that the company was engaged in negotiations to build a third Oasis-class ship and hoped to enter an agreement before the year's end. The ship, which the company would expect to cost less per berth basis than the two previous ships and to be more energy efficient,[27] was named Harmony of the Seas and delivered in May 2016.

On 27 December 2012, Royal Caribbean ordered the third Oasis-class ship from STX France,[28] after failing to come to an agreement with the Government of Finland to build the ship at the STX Finland shipyard that built the first two ships.[29][30][31][32]

The steel cutting for the ship began on the 23rd of September 2013. The ship is larger than the preceding Oasis-class ships at an estimated 227,700 GT, 362.15 m in length, and 66 m in maximum width, representing an increase of 2,418 GT and 2.15 m length.[23][33] The ship has 2,744 passenger staterooms with a capacity of 6,360 passengers (5,488 double occupancy), an increase of 64 passengers over the previous ships in the class, as well as 1,197 crew cabins capable of berthing 2,100 crew.[23][33] The ship features an expanded adults-only solarium area and a water slide.[33][34] It cost about €1 billion (US$1.35 billion)[35] and entered service in May 2016.[36]

In May 2014, Royal Caribbean exercised their option for a fourth Oasis-class ship to be delivered in 2018.[28] In February 2015, Royal Caribbean announced that the third Oasis-class ship would be named Harmony of the Seas[37] and that steel cutting had begun for the fourth ship.[38] In May 2016, Royal Caribbean announced that they had signed an agreement for a fifth Oasis-class ship, to be delivered in the Spring of 2021.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "Oasis of the Seas: Summary (27091)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  2. 1 2 "New Oasis from STX France to be 227,700 Tons". Cruise Industry News. 2013-09-23. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Oasis of the Seas: Dimensions (27091)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Creating the Incredible" (PDF). STX Europe via CruiseWeb.nl. November 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 "Oasis of the Seas: Fast Facts" (PDF). OasisoftheSeas.com. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  6. ↑ "Oasis of the Seas: Machinery Summary (27091)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  7. ↑ "Press Release: Royal Caribbean selects Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas as the names for its Project Genesis ships" (PDF). Royal Caribbean International. 2008-05-23. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  8. ↑ "Royal Caribbean's next ships will be Oasis, Allure". USA Today. 2008-05-23. Archived from the original on May 26, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  9. ↑ Aker Yards press release, Royal Caribbean orders another giant cruise vessel from Aker Yards, 2007-04-02.
  10. ↑ Cruise Critic, Genesis Milestone Reached: Keel Laid in Turku, retrieved 2007-12-14.
  11. ↑ Travel Mole, Work starts on world's largest cruise ship, 2007-12-12.
  12. ↑ Associated Press, Royal Caribbean Cruises bringing Central Park replica to ocean, 2008-04-17.
  13. ↑ Royal Caribbean Press Release, 2008-04-15
  14. ↑ How the World's Largest Cruise Ship Floats. Livescience, 3 November 2009. Retrieved 2013-10-01.
  15. ↑ Bryner, Jeanna (3 November 2009). "How the World's Largest Cruise Ship Floats". Livescience.com. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  16. ↑ Wright, William S. (Captain), "Blue Seas, Green Practices", Captain's Log, Day Six, search for video at Oasis of the Seas Archived June 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.. Royal Caribbean, 2009.
  17. ↑ Wright, William S. (Captain), "Back to the Bridge", Captain's Log, Day Ten, search for video at Oasis of the Seas Archived June 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.. Royal Caribbean, 2009.
  18. 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.
  19. ↑ "Oasis of the Seas: Machine Summary (27091)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
  20. ↑ Hall, Nick (10 December 2009). "World's largest lifeboats for Oasis of the Seas". Motor Boats. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  21. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Repositioning cruises". repositioncruises. 5 February 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  22. ↑ "Introducing Harmony of the Seas". Royal Caribbean. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  23. 1 2 3 Honeywell, John (2013-09-23). "First steel is cut for Royal Caribbean's Oasis 3 which will become the biggest cruise ship in the world". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  24. ↑ Matt Hochberg. "Keel laying for Royal Caribbean's Fourth Oasis class cruise ship". Royal Caribbean Blog. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  25. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Orders Fourth Oasis-Class Vessel". Marinelink.com. Maritime Activity Reports, Inc. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  26. 1 2 "Royal Orders Oasis Five, Two More Ships for Celebrity". cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  27. ↑ Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. : Royal Caribbean Reports Third Quarter Results And Updates 2012 Guidance. Retrieved 2012-11-28.
  28. 1 2 Royal Caribbean Orders Third Oasis-Class Ship from STX France. Cruise Industry News, 27 December 2012. Retrieved 2012-12-28.
  29. ↑ Finnish Authorities Discussing Financing Third Oasis-Class Vessel? Cruise Industry News, 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-05.
  30. ↑ RCCL said to be close to order third Oasis class ship from STX Finland. Cruise Business Review, 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-05.
  31. ↑ Saarikangas laivatilauksesta: Vireillä on jotakin, tilanne ei ole toivoton. YLE, 26 November 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-28.
  32. ↑ Valtio tyrmäsi Turun telakan hakeman lainan. Taloussanomat, 21 December 2012. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  33. 1 2 3 "Oasis 3". STX France. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  34. ↑ "ANALYSIS: Third Oasis Renderings". Cruise Ind. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  35. ↑ "Work starts on world's largest cruise ship at French shipyard". Digitaljournal.com. 2013-09-23. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  36. ↑ "Harmony of the Seas: World's largest cruise ship in Southampton". BBC News. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  37. ↑ "NEW GENERATION OASIS-CLASS SHIP HARMONY OF THE SEAS UNVEILS NEW THRILLS AND ADVENTURES". royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com (Press release). Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  38. ↑ "ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL BEGINS CONSTRUCTION ON FOURTH OASIS-CLASS SHIP". royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com (Press release). Retrieved 26 May 2016.

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