Oasis-class cruise ship

The Oasis class is a class of Royal Caribbean International cruise 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] A third Oasis-class vessel, Harmony of the Seas, was delivered in 2016 built by STX France, and a fourth vessel, Symphony of the Seas, was completed in March 2018. As of April 2019, the fifth Oasis-class ship, Wonder of the Seas, is under construction. A sixth unnamed ship has also been ordered by the company[10] The first two ships in the class Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas are slightly exceeded in size by the third ship Harmony of the Seas, while Symphony of the Seas is the world's largest cruise ship. Wonder of the Seas, due to be completed in Spring 2021, is planned to be larger than Symphony of the Seas.[11] As of early 2019, all ships of the class rank as the world's largest passenger ships.

Class overview
Builders: STX Finland Turku Shipyard (Now Meyer Turku), Finland & Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire, France
Operators: Royal Caribbean International
Preceded by: Freedom class
Succeeded by: Quantum class
Built: 2007–2010; 2013–2023 (planned)
In service: 2009–present
Planned: 6
Building: 1
Completed: 4
Active: 4
General characteristics
Type: Cruise ship
Tonnage: 225,282 GT[1]–227,700 GT[2]
Length: 360 m (1,181 ft 1 in) overall[3]
Beam:
  • 47 m (154 ft 2 in) waterline
  • 60.5 m (198 ft) extreme[3]
Height: 72 m (236 ft 3 in) above water line[4]
Draught: 9.3 m (30 ft 6 in)[3]
Depth: 22.55 m (74 ft 0 in)[3]
Decks: 16 passenger decks[5]
Installed power:
Propulsion:
  • 3 × 20,000 kW (27,000 hp) ABB Azipod (all azimuthing)[4]
  • 4 × 5,500 kW (7,400 hp) Wärtsilä CT3500 bow thrusters
Speed: 22.6 knots (41.9 km/h; 26.0 mph)[5]
Capacity: 5,400 passengers double occupancy; 6,296 total[5]

Ship features

The Oasis-class ships surpassed the earlier Freedom-class ships as the world's largest and longest passenger ships. Oasis of the Seas is also 8.5 metres (28 ft) wider, and with a gross tonnage of 225,282, is around 70,000 tonnes larger.[12][13] 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 tropical gardens, restaurants, shops, and a working carousel.[14][15]

Technical details

The displacement—the actual mass—is estimated at approximately 100,000 tonnes, equivalent to the displacement of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.[16]

To keep the ship stable without increasing the draft excessively, the designers created a wide hull.[17] The cruise ship's officers were pleased with the ship class' 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).[18][19]

The ship's power comes from six medium-speed, marine-diesel generating sets: three 16-cylinder Wärtsilä 16V46D common rail engines producing 18,480 kilowatts (24,780 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][20] 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.[20][21]

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.[22]

Ships
Ship Status Maiden voyage Gross tonnage Length Notes Image
Oasis of the Seas In service 5 December 2009[23] 226,838 (previously 225,282)[24] 360 m (1,180 ft)[24] Underwent drydock refurbishment in October 2014 and other drydock work in early 2019. In November 2019, Oasis completed her dry docking Royal Amplification Renovation based in Cádiz, Spain.
Allure of the Seas In service 1 December 2010[25] 225,282[26] 360.05 m (1,181.3 ft)[26] World's third largest cruise ship, exceeding the length of Oasis of the Seas by 50 millimetres (2 in).
Harmony of the Seas In service 29 May 2016[27] 226,963[28] 362.12 m (1,188.1 ft)[28] The second largest cruise ship in the world, exceeding prior ships in the class by 0.3 metres (1 ft) length and 1,681 GT.
Symphony of the Seas In service 7 April 2018[29] 228,081[30] 361.011 m (1,184.42 ft)[30] Currently the world's largest cruise ship, surpassing Harmony of the Seas.
Wonder of the Seas Under construction as of April 24, 2019[31] 2022 (planned)[32]
originally planned for 2021		 >228,081[33] TBC Will be fifth Oasis-class cruise ship. Planned to be the largest cruise ship in the world over 230,000 gross tonnage
TBA Ordered[34] Fall 2023 (planned)[34] 231,000[35] TBC Will be sixth Oasis-class cruise ship. Planned to be the largest ship in the world when it launches.[35] (Construction starts in 2020)

Ship construction

Oasis of the Seas, the first vessel of the class, was ordered in February 2006 and designed under the name "Project Genesis".[36] Her keel was laid down on 11 December 2007 by STX Europe Turku Shipyard, Finland.[37] The name Oasis of the Seas resulted from a competition held in May 2008,[38] and full funding for Oasis of the Seas was secured in April 2009.[39] The ship was completed and turned over to Royal Caribbean on 28 October 2009. Two days later, she departed Finland for the United States.[40] While exiting the Baltic Sea, the vessel passed underneath the Great Belt Fixed Link in Denmark on 31 October 2009 at 23:18 UTC.[41][42] The bridge has a clearance of 65 m (213 ft) above the water; Oasis of the Seas 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.[43] Approaching the bridge at 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph),[42] the ship passed under it with less than 60 centimetres (2 ft) of clearance.[41]Proceeding through the English Channel, Oasis of the Seas 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.[44] 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.

The keel of the second ship, Allure of the Seas, was laid on 2 December 2008 at the STX Europe Turku shipyard, Finland, during a ceremony involving Royal Caribbean and STX representatives.[45] She was launched on 20 November 2009,[46] with further outfitting taking place while afloat in the shipyard. Allure of the Seas was declared complete and formally delivered to Royal Caribbean on 28 October 2010.[47] She left the Turku shipyard on 29 October 2010 at 05:45 UTC, heading directly to her home port of Port Everglades.[48] The ship is equipped with telescoping funnels to pass under bridges such as the Storebælt Bridge, which she passed on 30 October 2010. While media has reported that there was only 30 centimetres (12 in) of clearance, the truth is that at the mean water level it was closer to 2–3 metres (6.6–9.8 ft) and the much-advertised squat effect, whereby vessels traveling at speed in a shallow channel will be drawn deeper into the water, did not have significant effect on the draft of the vessel.[49]

Royal Caribbean confirmed on 25 October 2012 that they were engaged in negotiations to build the third Oasis-class ship, which would become Harmony of the Seas.[50] The ship was officially ordered from STX France on 27 December 2012,[51] after failing to come to an agreement with the Government of Finland for additional financial support to build the ship at the STX Finland shipyard that built the first two ships.[52][53][54][55] Steel cutting began on 23 September 2013, and the ship was delivered in May 2016. The ship is larger than the preceding Oasis-class ships at an estimated 227,700 GT, 362.15 metres (1,188 ft 2 in) in length, and 66 metres (216 ft 6 in) in maximum width, representing an increase of 2,418 GT and 2.15 metres (7 ft 1 in) length.[56][57] 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.[56][57] The ship features an expanded adults-only solarium area and three water slides, a first for Royal Caribbean.[57][58] It cost about €1 billion (US$1.35 billion)[59] and entered service in May 2016.[60]

In May 2014, Royal Caribbean exercised their option for a fourth Oasis-class ship, which would become Symphony of the Seas[51] Steel cutting began in February 2015 had begun for the fourth ship,[61] and the name of the ship was announced in March 2017.[62] The ship was delivered in April 2018.[29]

In May 2016, Royal Caribbean signed an agreement for a fifth Oasis-class ship, later named Wonder of the Seas.[63] Steel cutting began on 24 April 2019, and the keel was laid in October of that year. The ship name was announced on 10 October 2019, and the ship is planned to enter service in the spring of 2021, based in the Chinese market.[64][65] A hull section was built at Crist at Gdansk and delivered to the yard in November 2019.[66]

In February 2019, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. ordered a sixth Oasis-class ship, which is planned to be the largest in the world when she enters service.[35]

Negotiations about a seventh vessel, to be delivered in 2026, were stopped in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.[67]

References
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