Oasis of the Seas

Oasis of the Seas is a cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International. She is the first of her class, the Oasis class, whose ships were the largest passenger ships in the world, being surpassed in 2023 by the Icon-class. Her hull was laid down in November 2007 and she was completed and delivered to Royal Caribbean in October 2009. At the time of construction, Oasis of the Seas set a new capacity record of carrying over 6,000 passengers.[9] The first of her class, she was joined by sister ships Allure of the Seas in December 2010, Harmony of the Seas in May 2016, Symphony of the Seas in April 2018, and Wonder of the Seas in March 2022, as well as Utopia of the Seas in November 2024. Oasis of the Seas conducts cruises of the Caribbean from her home port of PortMiami in Miami, Florida.

Oasis of the Seas
Oasis of the Seas at Nassau, Bahamas, in January 2010
History
Bahamas
NameOasis of the Seas
OwnerRoyal Caribbean Group
Operator Royal Caribbean International
Port of registryNassau,  Bahamas[1]
Ordered6 February 2006
BuilderSTX Europe Turku Shipyard, Finland[2]
CostUS$1.4 billion (2006)[3]
Yard number1363[1]
Laid down12 November 2007[4]
Launched21 November 2008 (float-out)[5]
Christened30 November 2009[6]
Completed28 October 2009[1]
Maiden voyage5 December 2009[6]
In service2009–present
Identification
Statusin active service
General characteristics
Class and typeOasis-class cruise ship
Tonnage
Length360 m (1,181 ft) overall[1]
Beam
  • 47 m (154 ft) waterline[1]
  • 60.5 m (198 ft) max beam[1]
Height72 m (236 ft) above water line[7]
Draught9.322 m (30.6 ft)[1]
Depth22.55 m (74.0 ft)[1]
Decks
  • 16 passenger decks[8]
  • 18 total decks[8]
Installed power
  • 3 × 13,860 kW (18,590 hp) Wärtsilä 12V46D
  • 3 × 18,480 kW (24,780 hp) Wärtsilä 16V46D
Propulsion
  • 3 × 20 MW (27,000 hp) ABB Azipod,
  •       all azimuthing
  • 4 × 5.5 MW (7,400 hp) Wärtsilä CT3500
  •       bow thrusters[1][7]
Speed24.5 knots (45.4 km/h; 28.2 mph)[2]
Capacity
  • 5,606 passengers at double occupancy[8]
  • 6,699 maximum[8]
Crew
  • 2,165 on maiden voyage[2]
  • 2,181 as of 2019[8]

Oasis of the Seas surpassed the Freedom-class cruise ships (also owned by Royal Caribbean) to become the largest cruise ship in the world at that time.[10] She was herself surpassed by her sister ship Allure of the Seas, which is 50 millimetres (2.0 in) longer, although this may have been caused by ambient temperature differences at the times the measurements were made.[11] In May 2016, her second sister ship Harmony of the Seas became the new record holder with a length of 362.12 metres (1,188.1 ft),[12] and in March 2018, Symphony of the Seas, the fourth member of the Oasis class, became the new world's largest cruise ship with a length of 361.011 m (1,184.42 ft) and a tonnage of 228,081 GT.

Design and description

The gross tonnage (GT) of Oasis of the Seas at launch was 225,282, but it was expanded to 226,838 GT when additional cabins were added to Deck 14 in 2019.[1][13] Her displacement—the actual mass of the vessel—is estimated at 100,000 metric tons (110,000 short tons), slightly less than that of an American Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.[14]

To keep the ship stable without increasing the draft excessively, the designers created a wide hull; 9.3 metres (31 ft) 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 12 metres (39 ft).[16][17]

One of the ship's lifeboats

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.[7][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.[7] 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.[1][18]

Additional power comes from solar panels fitted by BAM Energy Group, which provide energy for lighting in the promenade and central park areas. The installation cost US$750,000 and covers 1,950 square metres (21,000 sq ft) on deck 19.[19][20]

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.[21]

Facilities
A view of the Royal Promenade shopping area

The ship features a zip-line, an ice-skating rink, a surf simulator, an aquatic amphitheater, a moving bar, a casino,[22] a miniature golf course, multiple night clubs, several bars and lounges, a karaoke club, comedy club, five swimming pools, volleyball and basketball courts, youth zones, and nurseries for children.[23] Many of the ship's interiors were extensively decorated by muralist Clarissa Parish.[24]

Oasis of the Seas Boardwalk

History
Oasis of the Seas at night
Oasis of the Seas at night before renovation

The vessel was ordered in February 2006 and designed under the name "Project Genesis".[25] Her keel was laid down on 12 November 2007 by STX Europe Turku Shipyard, Finland.[4] The company announced that full funding for Oasis of the Seas was secured on 15 April 2009.[26]

The name Oasis of the Seas resulted from a competition held in May 2008.[27] The ship was formally named on 30 November 2009 during a charity sailing for Make-A-Wish Foundation. At this ceremony the ship was sponsored by seven "godmothers", each representing one of the seven neighbourhoods on board. Her godmothers are Gloria Estefan, Michelle Kwan, Dara Torres, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Shawn Johnson, Jane Seymour and Daisy Fuentes.[28]

During the first float-out of the vessel the tugboats that were pulling the ship from its dock failed to control the ship, resulting in the port side of the ship hitting the dock. This resulted in some cosmetic damage and minor damage to the hull, which was repaired and did not affect the final delivery date of the vessel.[29]

The ship was completed and turned over to Royal Caribbean on 28 October 2009. Two days later, she departed Finland for the United States.[30] While exiting the Baltic Sea, the vessel passed underneath the Great Belt Fixed Link in Denmark on 31 October 2009 at 23:18 UTC.[31][32] The bridge has a clearance of 65 m (213 ft) above the water; Oasis 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.[33] Approaching the bridge at 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph),[32] the ship passed under it with less than 60 centimetres (2 ft) of clearance.[31]

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.[34] 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.

Oasis of the Seas had a minor refit in winter 2011. She underwent a second drydock refit in October 2014.[35] During drydock the ship was modified by dividing the main dining room into three separate restaurants.[36][37]

On 1 April 2019, Oasis of the Seas was undergoing work at a dry dock in the Bahamas when two cranes collapsed onto the ship. Eight people suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and extensive damage to the ship required it to relocate to Cádiz for repairs. The ship returned to service on 5 May, but three sailings were cancelled during its downtime.[38][39]

On 20 December 2019, Oasis of the Seas was almost struck by Carnival Legend while in port in Cozumel, Mexico. Carnival Legend was on the receiving end of a collision with Carnival Glory earlier that day.

Oasis of the Seas was scheduled to cruise the Mediterranean out of Barcelona in summer 2019 before undergoing a major drydock at the end of the season.[40] Oasis of the Seas then repositioned to her new homeport of Miami for the fall and winter 2019 seasons.[40] She was scheduled to move to Cape Liberty Cruise Port in May 2020.[41]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Miami Herald reported that 14 crew members had tested positive for COVID-19. At that time, the vessel had been at anchor near Port Miami since mid-March. The passengers had disembarked for flights to their home countries but the ship remained in the area.[42] By 10 April 2020, seven crew members had been taken to nearby hospitals within a week.[43] As of 4 May 2020, three crew members had died in various hospitals in South Florida.[44]

References
  1. "Oasis of the Seas (27091)". DNV Vessel Register. DNV. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  2. "Oasis of the Seas: Fast Facts" (PDF). OasisoftheSeas.com. 10 September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  3. Nugent, Rory (June 2009). "Hope Floats". The Atlantic. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  4. Singh, Timon (24 November 2009). "The World's Largest Cruise Ship". US Infrastructure. Archived from the original on 30 November 2009.
  5. "World's biggest cruise ship launched; will carry 6,300 passengers". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. 21 November 2008. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014.
  6. Quan, Tracy; Burden, Erin (18 November 2009). "Royal Caribbean International Appoints Seven Godmothers for Oasis of the Seas". OasisoftheSeas.com (Press release). Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  7. "Creating the Incredible" (PDF). CruiseWeb.nl. STX Europe. November 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 December 2009.
  8. "Oasis of the Seas: Fast Facts". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  9. Sloan, Gene (8 April 2010). "Record set as Oasis of the Seas sails with more than 6,000 passengers". USA Today. Cruise Log. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
  10. Giovis, Jaclyn (19 June 2008). "New Royal Caribbean cruise ship offers many firsts". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on 20 June 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2008.
  11. Sjöström, Pär-Henrik (10 December 2010). "Larger than her sister". Shipgaz (6): 22.
  12. "Harmony of the Seas (33249)". DNV Vessel Register. DNV. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  13. "Deck by deck drydock changes to Oasis of the Seas". Royal Caribbean Blog. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  14. "If Royal Caribbean builds it, 6,400 could come". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. 7 February 2006.
  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 20 June 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 20 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Royal Caribbean, 2009.
  18. 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. Gale, Kevin (18 January 2010). "Solar panels juice up Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas". South Florida Business Journal. Archived from the original on 4 April 2014.
  20. Sewall, Adam (18 January 2010). "Royal Caribbean Adding Solar Power to its Fleet". GetSolar.com. Archived from the original on 4 April 2014.
  21. Hall, Nick (10 December 2009). "World's largest lifeboats for Oasis of the Seas". Motor Boats. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  22. Pan, Phillip P (31 October 2009). "World's largest cruise ship offers a boatload of firsts". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on 4 November 2009.
  23. Olsen, Jan M (1 November 2009). "Largest cruise ship squeezes under Danish bridge". Yahoo.com. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 10 November 2009.
  24. Clarissaparish.com Archived 8 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 2012.
  25. "Royal Caribbean orders a giant cruise vessel from Aker Yards". Nortrade. Media Digital AS. 6 February 2006. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  26. Fain, Richard (15 April 2009). "Thanks a Billion". Royal Caribbean International. Archived from the original on 28 November 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  27. Sloan, Gene (23 May 2008). "Royal Caribbean's next ships will be Oasis, Allure". USA Today. Cruise Log. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  28. "Her går gigantskipet hårfint under" [Here goes the giant ship under narrowly] (in Norwegian). Nettavisen. Archived from the original on 8 March 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  29. "World record Cruise Ship". Sky.com. 14 July 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  30. "Royal Caribbean's newest ship, the world's largest, makes maiden voyage". NJ.com. The Associated Press. 30 October 2009. Archived from the original on 17 December 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  31. Milojevic, Aleksandar (1 November 2009). "Oasis of the Seas squeezed under bridge". Maritime Denmark. Archived from the original on 17 December 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  32. "Kæmpeskibet klarede broen" [Giant ship cleared the bridge]. DR.dk. 1 November 2009. Archived from the original on 17 December 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  33. Behling, Frank (31 October 2009). ""Oasis of the Seas" hat Kurs auf Fehmarn" ["Oasis of the Seas" has embarked on Fehmarn]. Kieler Nachrichtan (in German). Archived from the original on 3 November 2009.
  34. "Huge cruise ship stops in Solent". BBC News. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  35. "World's largest cruise ship docks at Keppel Verolme for maintenance". Keppel Verolme. 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  36. "Our Biggest Ship Gets Even Better" (PDF). Royal Caribbean International. 14 October 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  37. "Oasis Class Revitalization Q&A's" (PDF). Royal Caribbean International. 13 October 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  38. Miller, Joshua Rhett (2 April 2019). "Eight injured when crane falls onto Royal Caribbean cruise ship". New York Post. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  39. "Oasis of the Seas Returns to Service After Drydock Casualty". The Maritime Executive. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  40. Hochberg, Matt (19 December 2018). "Six big changes coming to Royal Caribbean in 2019". Royal Caribbean Blog.
  41. Pompilio, Natalie (12 December 2018). "Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas to Cruise From New York in 2020". Cruise Critic.
  42. "14 crew have COVID-19, Royal Caribbean captain says, after passengers got off in Miami". Miami Herald. 29 March 2020.
  43. Harris, Alex (10 April 2020). "Oasis of the Seas docks at Port Everglades to hospitalize more sick crew members". Bradenton Herald. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  44. Neal, David J.; Dolven, Taylor (4 May 2020). "A third crew member from Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas dies from COVID-19". Bradenton Herald. Retrieved 4 May 2020.

Further reading
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