The World's Largest Cruise Ship

By Timon Singh | 11/24/09 - 14:01

The Oasis of the Seas

1,181ft (360m) long, 208ft (63.3m) wide, capable of holding 6,300 passengers and split into seven 'neighbourhoods' because it's so large, the Oasis of the Seas is truly the behemoth of the waves.

The numbers are simply staggering, so we have put together an infographic to illustrate the size and scale of the ship.

The Oasis of the Seas is set to be christened on 30th November and is currently sitting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida waiting to embark on its maiden voyage. Eclipsing the Freedom-class cruise ships as the world's largest passenger vessel, the $1.4 billion ship is the the crown jewel of Royal Caribbean International.

Ordered in 2006, the Oasis was constructed in Turku, Finland in under two years. The keel was laid down on 12th November 2007 and the finished liner was handed over to Royal Caribbean on the 28th October 2009, where she then set sail to the United States.

Upon her trip across the Atlantic, the Oasis was famously photographed exiting the Baltic Sea underneath the Great Belt Fixed Link bridge in Denmark. With an air draft of 236ft (72m) the Oasis was taller than the bridge's clearance (213ft, 65m). However, the Oasis managed to scrape under the bridge thanks to the retraction of the ship's telescoping funnels. The Oasis of the Seas passed under the bridge with less than 2ft of clearance (see below video).

The seven 'neighbourhoods' on the ship include 'Central Park', which features boutiques and restaurants, 'The Boardwalk' that has a handcrafted carousel and a 750-seat AquaTheatre, 'The Pool and Sports Zone', 'The Seas Spa and Fitness Centre', 'Entertainment Place', 'Youth Zone' and the 'Royal Promende'.

Other features include Broadway shows being played in the ship's theatres, a zip-line that runs nine stories above the main deck, two climbing walls, a mini-golf course, casino and theme park.

Her sister ship, the Allure of the Seas is scheduled to be launched in November 2010.

To learn more about the ship, visit the official Oasis of the Seas website here.