It doesn’t seem that long ago that my then girlfriend and I took our first cruise.
At the end of the 1980s we boarded 2,300-passenger Sovereign of the Seas in Miami, thinking this was the height of present floating fun and relaxation.
Although built more than 30 years ago, the ship – since operating for Spanish company Pullmantur – gave newcomers like us a fantastic first penetration into the whole cruise experience.
Sovereign was two times as expanded as its predecessors, Song of America and Sun Viking, by a dazzling five deck atrium containing glass elevators, grand staircases and fountains.
This was the first time similar a huge atrium had been constructed in a passenger ship.
Wind forward to a decade ago, (and another girlfriend) and we were lucky enough to be amongst the elementary people to step on board the then largest cruise ship in the world – Voyager of the Seas.
So overcome I proposed
We couldn’t believe not only the size of the 3,114-passenger vessel towering atop of us but all the ground-breaking innovations to be found on board. Ice skating, rock climbing, a Royal Promenade with its shops, cafes and bars; interior facing cabins and what seemed to be an infinite number of places to eat and drink. There were even self-levelling pool tables. In fact, I was so overcome I proposed to said girlfriend upon the body that cruise…
What’s more, the size of Voyager and its four sister ships didn’t make ports of call inaccessible. With a draught of just 29ft, the ships are able to visit the vast majority of destinations around the world, by the obvious exception of the Panama Canal.
We view nothing could top that for the Wow divisor. But then came the even bigger Freedom-class ships – an extension of the Voyager concept with larger pool areas, a surf simulator, hot tubs cantilevered over both sides and a boxing ring added.
How could we not fall for the fun-packed facilities on such a leading scale?
Although squarely aimed at parents and children of whole ages, the five Voyager class and three 3,634-passenger Freedom class ships cater just as well for couples, singles, multi-generational families and groups of friends.
While originally built to be deployed for cruising in the Caribbean, both class of vessel has be proper for a regular sight in European waters with Independence of the Seas extending its departures from Southampton to year-round rather than summer-only.
Floating my boat
The one transaction these vast floating resorts be delivered of in common is they are all operated by the same firm, Royal Caribbean International, a cruise business which has built its reputation on ‘pushing the envelope’ in terms of devise and innovation.
Which leads me up to today and the official naming ceremony in Florida of the line’s momentous new £800 the masses Oasis of the Seas, a ship that has surpassed all others in terms of bulk, space and the spectacular on board offering (as you will be delivered of had difficulty missing, given the extensive gazette, TV and online media coverage over the past week).
Back in the days when Sovereign of the Seas was cutting edge, I would have never imagined that the same company would be building a cruise ship capable of carrying 6,000-plus passengers with 12,000 plants in a giant open air park.
Yet this is at this time a matter of fact with Oasis of the Seas, cheek by jowl with its sister ship Allure of the Seas, which is currently under building in preparation during entering into service in just a year’session time.
Where else for Oasis?
While Oasis is to swim out of Fort Lauderdale – making an amazing roving voyage and stay option for lovers of Florida’s nearby theme parks – Royal Caribbean bosses have not ruled out the ship operating in other parts of the world.
As I intimated in last week’s blog, the mammoth new vessel could be making future appearances from home from the Caribbean as and when port facilities allow, following in the wake of Navigator and Independence of the Seas, both of which have been based outside the US.
Girlfriends may receive come and gone over the years but my love of these big ships remains constant.
While smaller, intimate ships, have their distinct merits proper to their done the hackneyed pathway itineraries, I am still in awe of the sheer scale of these vessels.
And two children later, the cruise bug is contagious, it’s not only my wife who nags to step on conclave every f if it be not that our two young children who can’t commit to memory enough of the round the clock treasure hunts, ice cream parties, days at in the pool and quick bites of culture in between.
It makes me wonder the family of kind of ships they’ll be cruising on 30 years from now…
Phil Davies
an aan ann an oasis ooasis oaasis oassis oasiis oasiss oasis in iin inn in every eevery evvery eveery everry everyy every port pport poort porrt portt port an n a an oasis asis osis oais oass oasi oasis in n i in every very eery evry evey ever every port ort prt pot por port an a n an an oasis o asis oa sis oas is oasi s oasis oasis in i n in in every e very ev ery eve ry ever y every every port p ort po rt por t port port an na an an oasis aosis osais oaiss oassi oasis oasis in ni in in every veery eevry evrey eveyr every every port oprt prot potr port port sn ab am iasis pasis ossis oaais oadis oasus oasos oasia oasid un on ib im wvery rvery ecery ebery evwry evrry eveey evety evert everu oort pirt pprt poet pott porr pory ain ein en on un in akn ughasis aasis oaisis oeisis oesis oosis ousis oisis oacis oazis oases oasies oasees oasas oaseas oasys oasic oasiz en ien een an ean yn ikn ivery eevery aevery eavery avery efery effery ewery eviry eveery evaery eveary evary everai everay everi everu bort pughrt part pord
