Royal Caribbean’s 1,181ft cruise ship has docked in the UK for the first time
Southampton docks are home to some truly huge ships, but last night the South Coast port played host to an exceptionally large visitor.
Oasis of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, docked in Southampton for the first time yesterday (15 October).
The 1,181ft ocean liner is twice as large as any previous cruise ship to dock in the UK, and she drew a crowd of hundreds of locals hoping to catch a glimpse.
Her 16 decks make for an air draft of 236ft, which is twice the height of the Boat Show Eye Ferris wheel at last month’s PSP Southampton Boat Show.
It was only a fleeting visit, however, as the Royal Caribbean megayacht departed at midnight, bound for Florida.
Launched in 2009, Oasis of the Seas is a truly staggering vessel, composed of 500,000 different components and capable of 22 knots.
More than 6,000 passengers can be accommodated on board, as well as 2,200 staff, and with this in mind, it’s hardly surprisingly to learn that there are 25 restaurants to choose from.
Entertainment options at sea includes a mini-golf course, basketball court, two wave simulators, high-speed internet, and a theatre playing the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats.
A sister vessel with the same dimensions and features, Allure of the Seas, is due to be launched by Royal Caribbean in May 2015.
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