Only a few decades ago, sea cruises were considered the privilege of only wealthy representatives of bourgeois society. It cannot be said that now the cost of many-day trips on comfortable ships has become much lower. But modern tourists choose cruises much more often than they did in the last century. Therefore, sea voyages available today for a wide variety of social classes have become noticeably larger, and the size of the ships has long surpassed the legendary Titanic. Although it is unlikely that even among curious tourists there are many who immediately call the largest ocean liner.
A few important facts about Oasis of the Seas
In the fall of 2009, an important event took place at STX Finland - a shipyard in Finland. Launched 16-deck ocean liner in size left behind all the cruise ships that existed at that time. Finnish shipbuilders could be proud of the ship owned by the Royal Caribbean International customer. This well-known American company spent almost $ 1.5 billion on a new project. At the beginning of December 2009, the Oasis of the Seas - that was the name of the ship - set off on its first 7-day cruise.
Not every traveler will be able to understand what is behind the figure of 45,000 tons - this is the weight of the body of this giant liner. If we compare the ship with the infamous Titanic, it is worth noting that it is almost five times the size of it. New at that time, the ocean liner could accommodate more than 6,200 passengers. In order not to overload the ship, during the operation of the ship, the organizers began to limit themselves to 5400 guests. A feature of the crew, numbering nearly 2,200 people, is considered its international character, since it consists of citizens of 70 states.
How will the liner surprise its passengers?
“Oasis of the Seas” - this is exactly what the name of the fairy-tale ship sounds in Russian - consists of 7 multifunctional thematic zones. Among them, the Central Park stands out first of all, not very similar to the one located in New York, but playing the same important role in the lives of passengers. Here you can sit in the shade of 56 real trees and breathe in fresh air saturated with a pleasant aroma coming from more than 12,000 shrubs, flowers and other plants. For hungry travelers in this park, the doors of 6 stylish bars and restaurants are open.
Boardwalk, a spacious promenade located on Deck 6, looks like a crowded promenade with several small cafes, a carousel, constantly sounding music, as well as children and their caring parents with ice cream in their hands. A less relaxed atmosphere prevails on the Royal Promenade. In this zone, located on deck 5, a wealthier audience prefers to stroll, ready to part with significant sums of money in one of the 8 shops located here. All other areas are associated with entertainment or outdoor activities.
Sports and fitness on the ship
Despite the comfort of all 2706 spacious cabins, passengers often only spend the night in them. After all, the ocean liner offers such a variety of activities that every traveler will certainly find something that exactly matches his desires and requirements. Choosing one of the four pools, vacationers can simply swim, play water volleyball or do aerobics. Daredevils are happy to test their climbing abilities. A special wall is equipped for them on the 6th deck.
Young people willingly put on their skates and go to Studio B on the days when it turns into an ice rink. For minigolf enthusiasts, a small court is always open. On a spacious sports ground, passengers with excitement play tennis or volleyball. Sometimes even basketball competitions take place here. Men can train for hours in a small gym, and women are happy to transform their image in a beauty salon. All this is available to travelers at Vitality, a modern spa and fitness center.
Entertainment on the ship
Oasis of the Seas passengers will have to try to feel bored. In addition to dancing contests, beer tasting, auctions of paintings or karaoke, travelers will find entertainment at several venues:
- in Studio B, a multifunctional theater, the public enjoys ice shows;
- bewitching jazz tunes sound in the Jazz Club;
- The Opal Theater, accommodating more than 1300 spectators, delights the audience with the three-hour musical “Cats”;
- Aqua Theater entertains travelers with performances by gymnasts and swimmers;
- at Comedy Club, talented comedians amuse the audience with their witty reprises;
- young travelers enjoy participating in a parade of heroes of their favorite cartoons, and young people relax in Blaze, a democratic club.
restaurants and bars
It is unlikely that passengers of the Oasis of the Seas will be able to go on a diet. The ocean liner holds 24 bars and restaurants, the choice of dishes in which will not disappoint even fastidious gourmets. Among them, first of all, several of the most popular institutions stand out:
- gourmets can learn the taste of Mexican dishes at Sabor;
- The Rising Tide Bar moves slowly, like a large elevator, between the 5th and 8th decks; here you can enjoy great cocktails;
- Giovanni's Table delights visitors with Italian dishes;
- Coastal Kitchen plays the role of an excellent observation deck;
- after an 8-course dinner at 150 Central Park, no one will go hungry;
- Real pizza lovers will love Sorrento's dinner.
This is only a small part of the list of restaurants and bars, the halls of which await guests of the ship.
The past and future of cruise ships
Tourists who dream to go on long sea voyages are becoming more and more. Shipbuilding companies are in a hurry to satisfy the wishes of their customers who need multi-deck ships. 2010 was marked by the advent of Allure of the Seas, which surpassed the Oasis of the Seas in size. Russian shipbuilding cannot yet boast of such achievements. But in the past Soviet Union, “Mikhail Lermontov” was considered one of the worthy competitors to western cruise ships. The ship, built by specialists from East Germany, largely repeated the fate of the Titanic, when in 1986 he left Sydney on a cruise with 408 passengers and sank near New Zealand. Thanks to the help of the tanker and the ferry, no one, except for one of the crew members, was injured.
Soviet citizens could be proud of the ship if they knew what “Mikhail Lermontov” was. The motor ship pleased its passengers with a rest in the music salon, cocktails and dinner in 5 bars and a restaurant, playing tennis in the gym, watching new films in a spacious movie theater and many other entertainments. But then, due to the ideological principles of the government, the majority of Soviet people knew practically nothing about him. Now liners have become even more comfortable. In the future, ships will certainly appear, in comparison with which even the recently built “Harmony of the Seas” - an 18-deck liner - will seem like an ordinary ship.