Motor cruising in size mega-xxl

[Amgine]

Oasis of the Seas, Royal Carribean's 220,000 ton cruise ship, was launched yesterday in Turku, Finland from STX Europe Finland. Of course, it wasn't actually "launched", but floated out (see float out slideshow).

One question being asked is: Why launch the world's largest cruise ship during the worst economic downturn in a century? Especially since they already *have* the current record holder? Brushing aside the rosy predictions of Royal Carribean, the ship was ordered in 2006. They also have another one under construction, a metre longer but basically the same design (16 decks!) scheduled to go into service in 2010.

LOA: 362 m (1,187 ft)
Beam: 47 m (154 ft)
Disp.: 220,000 ton


(Yes, that's a bow thruster.)

[Pelagic]

The Two Companies, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruises had their founding owners grow up just a few miles from each other in Israel and they have had this competition going for years to market the biggest cruise ship and that competition now continues into the next generation.

One of the founders explained to me that a new build allows about 3 extensions during contract period to make it the “biggest” and they used to leapfrog each other for bragging rights during concurrent builds.

Quite an elite kind of competition and they were just like kids about it, but in a savvy marketing way as well.

There will always be customers for this kind of catered escape and I am sure they will find them

[Spin_Drift]

Originally Posted by Amgine

Oasis of the Seas, Royal Carribean's 220,000 ton cruise ship, was launched yesterday in Turku, Finland from STX Europe Finland. Of course, it wasn't actually "launched", but floated out (see float out slideshow).

One question being asked is: Why launch the world's largest cruise ship during the worst economic downturn in a century? Especially since they already *have* the current record holder? Brushing aside the rosy predictions of Royal Carribean, the ship was ordered in 2006. They also have another one under construction, a metre longer but basically the same design (16 decks!) scheduled to go into service in 2010.

LOA: 362 m (1,187 ft)
Beam: 47 m (154 ft)
Disp.: 220,000 ton


(Yes, that's a bow thruster.)

That's a HUGE ship. Where will it cruise to, do you know?