Royal Caribbean is building a fleet of the world’s largest cruise ships, with the steel cut on the line’s fourth Oasis-class ship this week.
So far, the Oasis-class fleet is currently made up of Oasis of the Seas (launched 2008) and Allure of the Seas (2009). The keel was laid on the third Oasis vessel in May last year and the ship scheduled to launch next year.
The steel was cut on Royal Caribbean’s fourth Oasis-class vessel.
Construction on the fourth vessel officially started this week when the steel was cut and is scheduled for delivery in 2017.
The unnamed ship will have similar features to her sister ships, which took the cruise by storm for their revolutionary design and don’t forget extensive size.
The ships can carry up to 5,400 passengers at double capacity. This is 500 passengers more than the world’s second largest ship, Quantum of the Seas and 1,300 more than the world’s third largest ship, Norwegian Epic.
When Oasis of the Seas launched in 2009 she set a new standard for mass market ship.
Oasis-class vessels are also famous for having a number of at sea firsts including an 82 foot long zip line, a handcrafted carousel, the Rising Tide bar – a bar that lifts 35 people at a time between the Royal Promenade and Central Park, and there’s the AquaTheatre high-diving performance venue.
Additionally, when Oasis of the Seas launched, she was the first vessel to have Central Park onboard – a mini replica of the famous New York park. It is the size of a football field and features a walkway surrounded by 12,000 trees and plants as well as dining and entertainment.
The Oasis-class vessels have the Rising Tide – a bar that moves up and down levels.
In the entertainment department Oasis class vessels also have Royal Caribbean’s revolutionary FlowRider surf simulators, cantilevered whirlpools, an ice-skating rink, the H2O Zone kids aquapark, and the Royal Promenade – an interior boulevard that stretches nearly the length of the ship and flanked by restaurants, lounges and boutiques, among many others.
Further details of what guests can expect on the two new ships will be revealed in the coming months.
All four vessels will have the FlowRider – a surf simulator at sea.
In the meantime, both Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas sail alternating seven-night Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries every Saturday and Sunday, respectively from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, visiting exciting warm-weather getaways in the Caribbean.
During the 2015 Europe season, Allure of the Seas will be homeported at Barcelona, Spain, for the first full Oasis-class Europe season.