World's largest cruise liner begins maiden voyage

[FarCenter]

MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) - The world's largest cruise liner has begun her maiden voyage after leaving Finland on Friday.

The 360-meter (1,200 feet) ship, the Oasis of the Seas, worth nearly $1.5 billion, is en route to Florida.

The 16-deck, 2,700-cabin vessel's journey started in the Finnish port of Turku. The ship took over 2 years to build at a shipyard in Turku by STX Finland Cruise Oy and will first visit the British port of Southampton.

The Oasis of the Seas, which nearly 40% larger than any other cruise ship in the world, can accommodate 6,300 passengers and a crew of 2,100. It also has an ice rink and a small golf course, several swimming pools, other sport venues and parks, as well as a theater.

<SNIP>http://en.rian.ru/world/20091030/156655431.html

[AllentownJake]

1. Stay out of the North Atlantic

Just saying.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. How about ice-breakers?

[bbernardini]

3. And if the picture accompanying the story is to be believed, it's also INVISIBLE!!!

Amazing, the things they can do with technology these days.

[texastoast]

5. Now that is some slick n/t

[FarCenter]

6. Those clever Finns appear to have mastered stealth technology

http://www.oasisoftheseas.com/image-gallery.php

Caution: slow to load, even on broadband.

[texastoast]

4. What happens to all the sewage?

Is ocean dumping still an issue? I haven't kept up nor, as yet, flushed down.

[bbernardini]

8. Soylent Green Lite (tm) nt

[FarCenter]

9. Royal Caribbean takes a Royal Dump?

You mean that the beautiful people aboard these wonderful cruise ships actually go to the bathroom?

There is a story about an architect who was given a commission to design a new convent. He was so taken by the spiritual qualities of the nuns that he entirely forgot to include bathrooms.

[A HERETIC I AM]

10. Vessels like that keep their sewage onboard....

and black and grey water is held until it returns to port.

[rrneck]

7. Damn...

[Romulox]

11. A little Norwalk Virus on the open seas, anyone?

Perhaps H1N1?

[Statistical]

12. We sailed on a voyager class (Mariner of the Seas) a couple years ago.

The ship was insanely large once you got up next to it. Pictures didn't do it justice.

The Freedom class is about 20% larger than Voyager class.
The Oasis class is nearly 40% larger than Freedom.

The fins make some amazing ships though.

[greenbriar]

16. The Freedom of the Seas is great

The hot tubs that jut out over the ocean are awesome at night

[Liberal In Texas]

13. There comes a point where you don't even know you're on a ship anymore.

[Old and In the Way]

14. That must have one hell of a keel

That monster looks top heavy - the structure below the waterline must be equally impressive. Wonder what this ship drafts?

[FarCenter]

17. Draft is 30 feet

http://www.oasisoftheseas.com/presskit/Oasis_of_the_Seas.pdf

[greenbriar]

15. Royal Caribbean has outdone theirselves

this should be an awesome boat

we can't wait to go on it