Just a few decades ago, sea cruises were considered the privilege of only we althy representatives of bourgeois society. It cannot be said that now the cost of multi-day trips on comfortable ships has become much lower. But today's tourists choose cruises much more often than they did in the last century. Therefore, sea voyages available today for various social strata have become noticeably larger, and the size of ships has long surpassed the legendary Titanic. Although it is unlikely that even among inquisitive tourists there will be many who will immediately name the largest ocean liner.
Some important facts about Oasis of the Seas
In autumn 2009, STX Finland, a shipyard in Finland, had an important event. The 16-deck ocean liner, which was launched, left behind all the cruise ships that existed at that time. Finnish shipbuilders could be proud of the liner, which became the owner of the customer Royal Caribbean International. This famous Americanthe company spent nearly $1.5 billion on the new project. In early December 2009, Oasis of the Seas - as the ship was named - embarked on her first 7-day cruise.
Not every traveler will be able to understand what is behind the figure of 45,000 tons - such is the weight of the hull of this giant liner. If we compare the ship with the infamous Titanic, it is worth noting that it is almost five times larger than it. The ocean liner, new at that time, could take 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 special feature of the crew, numbering almost 2200 people, is its international character, as it consists of citizens of 70 countries.
How will the liner surprise its passengers?
"Oasis of the Seas" - that's what the name of the fairy tale ship sounds like in Russian - consists of 7 multifunctional thematic zones. Among them, first of all, Central Park stands out, which bears little resemblance to the one located in New York, but plays the same important role in the lives of passengers. Here you can sit in the shade of 56 real trees and breathe in the fresh air, saturated with a pleasant aroma coming from more than 12,000 shrubs, flowers and other plants. For hungry travelers, this park has 6 stylish bars and restaurants.
Boardwalk, a spacious walking area located on deck 6, seems like a crowded promenade with several small cafes, a carousel constantly soundingmusic, as well as children and their caring parents with ice cream in their hands. A less relaxed atmosphere prevails at the Royal Promenade. In this area, located on deck 5, the more affluent public prefers to walk, ready to part with significant sums of money in one of the 8 shops located here. All other zones are related to entertainment or active recreation.
Sports and fitness on board
Despite the comfort of all 2706 spacious cabins, passengers most 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. Having chosen one of the four pools, vacationers can simply swim, play water volleyball or do aerobics. Daredevils are happy to test their abilities in rock climbing. A special wall is equipped for them on the 6th deck.
Young people willingly put on skates and go to Studio B on the days when it turns into an ice skating rink. A small court is always open for passionate fans of mini-golf. On the spacious sports ground, passengers play tennis or volleyball with passion. Sometimes there are even basketball matches. Men can train for hours in a small gym, and women are happy to transform their image in a beauty salon. All of this is available to travelers at Vitality, a state-of-the-art spa and fitness center.
Entertainment on the liner
Oasis of the Seas passengers will have to work hard to feel bored. In addition to dance competitions, beer tastings, art auctions or karaoke, travelers can expect entertainment at several stages:
- in Studio B - a multifunctional theater - the audience enjoys ice performances;
- bewitching jazz melodies sound in the Jazz Club;
- Opal Theatre, seating over 1300 spectators, delights the audience with a three-hour musical "Cats";
- Aqua Theater entertains travelers with gymnasts and swimmers;
- at the Comedy Club, talented comedians amuse the audience with their witty reprises;
- young travelers are happy to participate in the parade of their favorite cartoon characters, and young people relax in Blaze, a democratic club.
Restaurants and bars
It is unlikely that the passengers of the "Oasis of the Seas" will be able to go on a diet. The ocean liner accommodates 24 bars and restaurants, the choice of dishes in which will not disappoint even the pickiest gourmets. Among them, first of all, several of the most popular establishments stand out:
- Mexican food can be tasted by gourmets at Sabor;
- Rising Tide Bar moves slowly like a big elevator between decks 5 and 8; here you can enjoy great cocktails;
- Giovanni's Table delights visitors with Italian dishes;
- Coastal Kitchen acts as a great viewpoint;
- an 8-course dinner at 150 Central Park leaves no one hungry;
- Pizza lovers will love dinner at Sorrento's.
This is only a small part of the list of restaurants and bars, the halls of which are waiting for the guests of the ship.
The past and future of cruise ships
There are more and more tourists dreaming of going on long sea voyages. Shipbuilding companies are in a hurry to satisfy the desires of their customers who need multi-deck ships. 2010 was marked by the appearance of Allure of the Seas, which surpassed the "Oasis of the Seas" in its size. Russian shipbuilding cannot yet boast of such achievements. But in the former Soviet Union, Mikhail Lermontov was considered one of the worthy competitors for Western cruise ships. The ship, built by specialists from East Germany, largely repeated the fate of the Titanic when, in 1986, it left Sydney on a cruise voyage with 408 passengers and sank near New Zealand. Thanks to the tanker and the ferry that came to the rescue, no one, except for one of the crew members, was injured.
Soviet citizens could be proud of the ship if they knew what the "Mikhail Lermontov" was. The ship pleased its passengers with relaxation in the music room, cocktails and dinner in 5 bars and a restaurant, playing tennis in the gym, watching new films in a spacious cinema and many other entertainments. But then, due to the ideological guidelines of the government, most Soviet people knew practically nothing about him. Now the liners have become even more comfortable. In the future, there will certainly be ships that will make even the recently built Harmony of the Seas, an 18-deck liner, seem like an ordinary ship.
