Royal Caribbean orders sixth Oasis-class ship
Miami-based Royal Caribbean is planning on growing its fleet of the world’s largest cruise ships to Brady Bunch size levels.
The company announced Monday it has entered into an agreement with Chantiers de l’Atlantique to build a sixth Oasis-class vessel that would debut in fall 2023.
The agreement made by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the parent company to cruise line Royal Caribbean International as well as Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises and Silversea Cruises, is contingent upon financing, but the company expects to have that completed in either the second or third quarter of this year.
The cruise line already sails four Oasis-class vessels, with each taking on the title of world’s largest cruise ship as they have debuted, first with Oasis of the Seas in 2009, Allure of the Seas in 2010, Harmony of the Seas in 2016 and Symphony of the Seas in 2018. Each ship has been slightly larger than the last.
A fifth Oasis-class ship has already been ordered for delivery in 2021. Although still without a name, cruise line CEO Michael Bayley said last year that it would continue to follow suit, being a little bit larger than its four existing sisters.
Expect the sixth ship to do the same in 2023.
Four of the six ships will have been built at the French shipyard, formerly known as STX France. The first two ships were built at what was then STX Finland.
“This order is a reflection of the exceptional performance of this vessel class and the extraordinary partnership between Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.,” said company Chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain.
The most recent Oasis-class ship, Symphony of the Seas, comes in at 228,081 gross tons, 1,188 feet long and has a maximum capacity of 6,680 guests with 2,200 crew. At double capacity, though, the guest count is 5,518 from 2,759 staterooms.
The ships are known for being segmented into seven distinct neighborhoods such as the Central Park, the open-air green space in the middle of the ship. The latest two Oasis-class ships feature then 10-deck dry slide, The Ultimate Abyss, as well as the Perfect Storm water park.
Oasis of the Seas will be undergoing a dry dock this year and will receive some of the features found on the newer ships, although exact details have yet to be released by Royal Caribbean. Sister ship Allure of the Seas should follow suit next year.
The cruise line’s next two ships, though, will be the Quantum Ultra class, which are being constructed at Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. Spectrum of the Seas will debut this April with Odyssey of the Seas coming in fall 2020.
The cruise line currently sails 25 ships and has four ships on order with the two Quantum Ultra and two Oasis ships. The oldest is 48,563-gross-ton Empress of the Seas which debuted in 1990.
The Oasis-class ships have a limited number of home ports, but the line sails two ships out of its new terminal at PortMiami and keeps one in Port Everglades and one in Port Canaveral. In 2020, the line plans to send Oasis of the Seas to sail out of Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that all six Oasis-class ships will have been built at the same shipyard.
rtribou@orlandosentinel.com, 407-420-5134
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