The world’s biggest cruise ship, which is five times the size of the Titanic, has set sail for the first time.
Wonder of the Seas weighs in at a staggering 236,857 tons and is fitted out with 19 swimming pools, 20 restaurants, 11 bars, an ice rink, casino and even its own Central Park.
The Royal Caribbean liner set out on her maiden seven-day voyage Friday from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, heading to the Caribbean.
The statistics for the record-breaking ship are staggering.
It’s 362 meters long (1,188 ft), it can carry 6,988 passengers along with 2,300 crew and can hold enough beer to fill all the swimming pools on board twice over.
One female holidaymaker said: “It’s hard to believe you are even on a ship. It’s a city on the water. There is everything you could ever want. There’s no reason to ever get off.”
Another joked: “We’re going to need a bigger ocean.”
The colossal ship has 18 decks, 16 for passengers.
Its three 20,000 kilowatt diesel-electric thrusters beneath the stern and four 7,500 horsepower bow thrusters allow it to reach a top speed of 22 knots (25mph).
The construction of the Wonder of the Seas at Saint-Nazaire, France, took three years and cost more than £1 billion.
She was supposed to debut in China last year, but because to the Covid epidemic, those preparations were delayed.
“Restaurants have been rebranded, and signage in Mandarin have been translated to English,” a source told the Mail on Sunday. She’ll spend the summer sailing throughout the Caribbean before transferring to European trips.”
There is also a Boardwalk on board, which is modeled after the Coney Island attraction and is lined with eateries selling Italian, French, and German cuisine, as well as American favorites like hotdogs and pizzas.
On board, there is also a Vegas-style casino.
Central Park, with 20,000 plants and trees, is located on another deck.
The Bionic Bar, located on the Royal Promenade, serves passengers beverages produced by robots.
If it doesn’t pique your interest, there’s also the Rising Tide Bar, which features a moving platform with chairs that move up and down between the Promenade on Deck Five and Central Park on Deck Eight, offering spectacular vistas.
The musical Chicago, presented by a Broadway company, an AquaTheatre where high-divers leap from 60ft boards into a swimming pool, and nightly “icetravanganzas” in the interior ice rink are just a few of the activities and entertainment on board.
Thrill-seeking travelers can enjoy a 12-foot-high surf pool, a 25-meter-long (82-foot-high) ten-deck-high zip line, and two rock climbing walls.
A mini golf course, laser tag arena, video game arcade, outdoor movie theater, luxury spa, and state-of-the-art gym are also available.
VIP guests can unwind in their private suites with the assistance of a “royal genie,” or butler.
The Ultimate Family Suite, which can accommodate up to 10 people, features a two-story slide connecting the bedroom and living room.
Playscape, dubbed “an onboard fantasy for youngsters,” boasts a slide that takes riders up a near vertical wall on a raft before dumping them back down with a massive splash.
The Ultimate Abyss, a 100-foot slide that drops from Deck 16 to Deck 6 in 13 seconds, also provides thrills.
Bookings have returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to Royal Caribbean.
“We are excited to move forward this year,” stated CEO Jason Liberty. As we bring the rest of our fleet online and approach historical occupancy levels, we believe 2022 to be a solid year.”
This tale was first published in The Sun, and it is reprinted here with permission.