Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, has been the most anticipated new-build to debut since Cunard's Queen Mary 2. Its innovations -- such as the first-ever Boardwalk and Central Park at sea, which uniquely occupy space that's carved out of the middle of the ship -- are already legendary.
The ship features new-to-Royal Caribbean types of eateries that range from spa cuisine to elaborately staged food and wine pairings. Its entertainment district, a hub for late owls, offers ice skating and disco, comedy and jazz, and a three-tiered theater that features a 90-minute version of "Hairspray," the popular Tony Award-winning Broadway show. Particularly dazzling is the ship's AquaTheater, with its deepest-pool-at-sea, which serves as a platform for performers such as divers and synchronized swimmers.
Innovations on Oasis of the Seas are by no means limited to passenger-friendly advances. Royal Caribbean also has introduced a number of new technical and environmental tools that enable the ship to be more efficient and more eco-responsible.
Beyond the innovations of Oasis of the Seas (and its sister Allure of the Seas, which debuted in December 2010), what kind of cruise does it really offer? Will a ship that accommodates 6,296 passengers (when all berths are filled) feel crowded? How can a vessel that's so big -- and that holds so many people -- offer the kind of attentive service that cruise ships are typically known for? And will the hordes descending from Oasis of the Seas in ports such as Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten overwhelm the islands?
The ship features new-to-Royal Caribbean types of eateries that range from spa cuisine to elaborately staged food and wine pairings. Its entertainment district, a hub for late owls, offers ice skating and disco, comedy and jazz, and a three-tiered theater that features a 90-minute version of "Hairspray," the popular Tony Award-winning Broadway show. Particularly dazzling is the ship's AquaTheater, with its deepest-pool-at-sea, which serves as a platform for performers such as divers and synchronized swimmers.
Innovations on Oasis of the Seas are by no means limited to passenger-friendly advances. Royal Caribbean also has introduced a number of new technical and environmental tools that enable the ship to be more efficient and more eco-responsible.
Beyond the innovations of Oasis of the Seas (and its sister Allure of the Seas, which debuted in December 2010), what kind of cruise does it really offer? Will a ship that accommodates 6,296 passengers (when all berths are filled) feel crowded? How can a vessel that's so big -- and that holds so many people -- offer the kind of attentive service that cruise ships are typically known for? And will the hordes descending from Oasis of the Seas in ports such as Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten overwhelm the islands?
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