Oasis of the Seas: Cruising on a sailing city
Photo credit: AP Photo | Royal Caribbean International's newest cruise ship, the highly-anticipated Oasis of the Seas, makes her U.S. debut into her homeport of Port Everglades Friday, Nov. 13, 2009, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Sixteen decks, 24 dining options, seven themed neighborhoods and a rooftop zip line. An ice-skating rink, handcrafted carousel and the first Broadway production to be staged at sea.
Royal Caribbean's brand new Oasis of the Seas has all that and more - much more, in fact, including a passenger capacity of 5,400 that easily makes it the largest cruise liner in the world.
The ships departs Tuesday on its first public sailing from Port Everglades, Fla., on a four-night cruise to Labadee, the cruise line's private island off the coast of Haiti. Beginning Dec. 5, the ship will sail on seven-night eastern Caribbean cruises with ports of call in St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Nassau, Bahamas.
NEW CONCEPTS
Among the ship's most distinctive features is a new design concept that gives passengers various "neighborhoods" to explore. The Pool and Sports Zone, for example, is a 3-acre extravaganza with four pools (including a sloped entrance "beach pool"), 10 whirlpools, miniature golf, zip line and a pair of FlowRider surfing simulators (yes, surf lessons are available).
DINING GALORE
Come dinnertime, how exactly will 5,400 passengers dine? Royal Caribbean is banking on efficiency, with nearly 1,100 kitchen staff, bartenders and servers dedicated to the ship's two dozen dining spots. Naturally, passengers can choose from (and often pay an extra surcharge for) a gut-busting array of experiences - sushi, tapas, an upscale steakhouse. There's also a doughnut shop, ice-cream parlor and specialty cupcake boutique. Feeling squeamish? The Solarium Bistro serves lunch and dinner entrees that pack less than 500 calories.
