Liberty of the Seas

Liberty of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean International Freedom-class cruise ship which entered regular service in May 2007. It was initially announced that she would be called Endeavour of the Seas, however this name was later changed.[4] The 15-deck ship accommodates 3,634 passengers served by 1,360 crew. She was built in 18 months at the Aker Finnyards Turku Shipyard, Finland, where her sister ship, Freedom of the Seas, was also built. Initially built at 154,407 gross tonnage (GT), she joined her sister ship, Freedom of the Seas, as the largest cruise ships and passenger vessels then ever built. She is 1,111.9 ft (338.91 m) long, 184 ft (56.08 m) wide, and cruises at 21.6 knots (40 km/h).

Liberty of the Seas anchored in Grand Cayman on December 22, 2016.
History
Bahamas
Name: Liberty of the Seas
Owner: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Operator: Royal Caribbean International
Port of registry: Nassau,  Bahamas
Route:

Caribbean

Homeport: Galveston, Texas
Builder: Aker Yards Turku Shipyard, Finland
Cost: US$800 million
Christened: May 18, 2007 by Donnalea Madeley[1]
Maiden voyage: May 19, 2007[1]
In service: May 18, 2007
Identification:
Status: Service suspended
General characteristics
Class and type: Freedom-class cruise ship
Tonnage: 155,889 GT[2]
Length: 1,111.94 ft (338.92 m)[2]
Beam:
  • 126.70 ft (38.618 m) (waterline)[2]
  • 128.06 ft (39.034 m) (max)[2]
Draught: 29.61 ft (9.026 m)[2]
Decks: 18 total decks, 15 passenger decks
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed: 21.6 knots (40.0 km/h; 24.9 mph)
Capacity:
  • 3,798 (double occupancy)[3]
  • 4,960 (maximum occupancy)[3]
Crew: 1,300 (average)
Notes: [1][2]

Liberty of the Seas is the second of the Freedom-class vessels. A third ship, Independence of the Seas, was delivered in April 2008. In 2009, the first in a new Oasis class of ships measuring 220,000 gross tons displaced the Freedom class as the world's largest passenger ships.

History
Liberty of the Seas docked in Labadee, Haiti.

On April 19, 2007, Liberty of the Seas was delivered to parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.[5] On April 22, 2007 she made her first port of call Southampton, on a promotional visit.[6] She arrived at Cape Liberty Cruise Port on May 3, 2007.

On May 18, 2007, the ship was christened by Toronto-based travel agent Donnalea Madeley, who, along with her husband, is also the founder of the charity Hands Across the Nations.[7]

In January 2011, Liberty of the Seas underwent renovations which included an outdoor video screen in the main pool area.[8]

Later in 2011, Liberty of the Seas completed her first transatlantic repositioning cruise, moving from Miami, Florida to being home-ported in Barcelona, Spain. She stayed in Europe for the summer and part of fall, and then returned to Miami. Until 2015, Liberty of the Seas spent summers in Europe and winters in either Port of Miami or Port Everglades in Florida. In 2015, Liberty of the Seas repositioned to Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, New Jersey from May to November,[9] after which she repositioned to Galveston, Texas.[10]

In February 2016, Liberty of the Seas again underwent renovations, adding additional cabins atop the front of the ship, introducing new restaurants, and making enhancements to the pool deck. After the enhancements, Liberty of the Seas was 155,889 gross tonnage (GT), making her larger than the other two Freedom-class ships, and the eleventh largest cruise ship in the world, beating Norwegian Epic by 16 GT.[11][12]

Facilities

Liberty of the Seas has extensive sports facilities including the FlowRider onboard wave generator for surfing, an interactive water play area for children, a full-sized volleyball / basketball court, an ice skating rink, and a large fitness center. There are also two whirlpools that are cantilevered and project out from the sides of the ship to provide unimpeded views of the sea below and a modular conference center for business meetings. Among other dining facilities there is a three level formal dining room.[13]

A refurbishment in 2016 added a water slide complex, featuring two racing slides and a boomerang-style slide, and a children only water play area, featuring smaller water slides.

Many of the ship's interiors were extensively decorated by muralist Clarissa Parish.[14]

2020: spread of COVID-19
See also: COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships § Liberty of the Seas

On 2 April 2020, it was reported that two crew members had tested positive for coronavirus.[15] One was asymptomatic, and remained in quarantine on board the ship, while the other, who showed visible symptoms, disembarked and was sent to a hospital in Galveston.[15]

On 15 April 2020, after the ship was anchored on the coast of Texas, it returned and docked in Galveston.[16]

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References
  1. "Liberty of the Seas". Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 2010-12-20.
  2. "Liberty of the Seas (26180)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 2007-05-13.
  3. "Liberty of the Seas Fast Facts". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  4. Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Postcards – Page 2
  5. Royal Caribbean International :: Royal Caribbean Takes Delivery of Liberty of the Seas Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "World's largest cruise ship calls". BBC News. April 22, 2007. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
  7. http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Donnalea-Madeley-named-godmother-of-Liberty-of-the-Seas Madly
  8. "DreamWorks Experience Ships – Royal Caribbean International". Royalcaribbean.com. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
  9. "China Is New Home for Royal Caribbean International's Quantum of the Seas". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  10. "ROYAL CARIBBEAN ANNOUNCES 2015–16 DEPLOYMENT FOR NEW YORK AND GALVESTON". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  11. Schmal, Jody (9 October 2015). "Royal Caribbean to debut first-ever water slides on Galveston-based cruise ship". chron.com. The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  12. "Royal Caribbean's Liberty Of The Seas Arrives to Galveston after Her Texas-Sized Makeover". Royal Caribbean Press Center (Press release). Royal Caribbean International. 7 February 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  13. "Liberty of the Seas – Royal Caribbean International". Royalcaribbean.com. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
  14. www.clarissaparish.com Archived 2017-12-08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved January 2012
  15. Two Liberty of the Seas crew member test positive to COVID-19 Crew Center 2 April 2020
  16. Liberty of the Seas returns to Galveston from quarantine The Daily Mail 15 April 2020
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