Feature 1 | CRUISE ShIp TEChnology
Oasis is fulfilling the dream
Delivery of the world’s largest cruiseship has been a major event in the cruise
calendar this year, writes Sandra Speares, and Royal Caribbean’s 225,000gt
Oasis of the Seas has already completed several cruises.
T
here has been little time off for Kulovaara said. “We delayed the arrival Mr Kulovaara said that the thing that
naval architect, Harri Kulovaara, into Port Everglades by two days. That he found most surprising, was that when
executive vice president, maritime kind of test is good because it gives you one considered the open area at the
at Royal Caribbean during the period it has a really good shake down. She really centre of the ship, the amount of daylight
taken to get Oasis of the Seas operational. behaved very well.” that enters how it changes the ambiance
“We are very proud of the result and the The workforce for this kind of project overall.
reception has been very good”. is of very large magnitude, as a prototype One of the most innovative parts of
The ship, he says, has functioned the project was very challenging and it the ship is her split superstructure which
exceptionally well operationally. “We are was “wonderful how she came together leaves two ‘neighbourhoods’ - Central
very pleased that she has fulfilled our in a timely manner and fulfilled all our Park and Boardwalk - open to the sky.
d r e a m”. expectations,” Mr Kulovaara added. Oasis has an extensive number of new
Mr Kulovaara and RCCL can perhaps Technically, he says, the ship is working computer applications on the ship, Mr
have time to take a break before the very well. Kulovaara explained. “Everything is built on
delivery of the next ship in the Oasis In a ship with this number of fibre-optics; everything is built on wi-fi”.
class, Allure of the Seas, which is due passengers – 5400 in total, passenger There is an independent computer
from STX Europe later this year. flow is very important. Royal Caribbean room onboard the ship. “There are a lot
Oasis’ maiden crossing across the has always paid considerable attention to of new applications that we have not had
Atlantic was not without incident, this element, notably how the passengers in the past.” The photo gallery he cites
with hurricane force winds providing divide themselves between the various as being one example of cutting edge
a testing time for the vessel. “The different attractions onboard. technology.
highest wave heights were 24m – really The ship is not that much longer of any Photos are a big part of the cruise
exceptional weather in the beginning,” of the other new generation RCCL ships, experience, from security not just from
Mr Kulovaara said. Such conditions although she is wider across the beam. leisure points of view. A photo of the
allowed the company to evaluate the Easy navigation of the ship is essential, passenger is taken at the outset. The
ship’s performance. “Of course the not only for passenger comfort, but to phone system, the ‘Wow Phone’, is an
captain was taking it very carefully,” Mr handle any emergency. iphone which essentially can be used
A size comparison, Oasis of the Seas alongside the Statue of liberty, a Boeing 747, a london bus and a Mercedes saloon.
The Naval Architect February 2010 27
NA Feb10 - p27+
p28.indd 27 01/02/2010 20:43:34
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