MS Harmony of the Seas

MS Harmony of the Seas
Harmony of the Seas in Rotterdam
History
Name: Harmony of the Seas
Owner: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Operator: Royal Caribbean International
Port of registry: Nassau,  Bahamas
Route: Caribbean
Ordered: 27 December 2012[1][2]
Builder: STX France SA[1]
Cost: US$1.35 billion (2015)[3]
Yard number: A34[2]
Laid down: 9 May 2014[2]
Launched: 19 June 2015 (float-out)[2][4]
Acquired: 12 May 2016[5]
Maiden voyage: 29 May 2016[6]
In service: 15 May 2016[7]
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics
Class and type: Oasis-class cruise ship
Tonnage:
Displacement: Approximately 120,000 t (132,000 short tons)[8]
Length: 362.12 metres (1,188.1 ft)[2]
Beam:
  • 47.42 m (155.6 ft) waterline[2]
  • 66 m (217 ft) max beam[9]
Draught: 9.322 m (30.6 ft)[2]
Depth: 22.6 m (74 ft)[10]
Decks: 18; 16 passenger decks[11]
Installed power:
  • 4 × 13,860 kW (18,590 hp) Wärtsilä 12V46D[2]
  • 2 × 18,480 kW (24,780 hp) Wärtsilä 16V46D[2]
Propulsion:
  • 3 × 20 MW (27,000 hp) ABB Azipod,
  •       all azimuthing[2]
  • 4 × 5.5 MW (7,400 hp) Wärtsilä CT3500
  •       bow thrusters[2]
Speed:
  • >25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) maximum[12]
  • 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) cruising[11]
Capacity:
  • 5,479 passengers at double occupancy[13]
  • 6,780 maximum[13]
Crew: 2,300[11]

MS Harmony of the Seas is an Oasis-class cruise ship built by STX France at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France[14] for Royal Caribbean International. With a gross tonnage of 226,963 GT,[2] she is the largest passenger ship in the world, surpassing her older sisters Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

History

Harmony of the Seas under construction at STX France

The success of the first two Oasis-class ships led Royal Caribbean Cruises to order a third ship of the type in December 2012.[1] Harmony of the Seas was floated out on 19 June 2015, began her first sea trials on 10 March 2016,[15] and was delivered to Royal Caribbean on 12 May 2016.[5][16] After a build time of 32 months, the ship first set sail on 15 May 2016 from the STX France docks in Saint-Nazaire, viewed by some 70,000 people.[17] Her first destination was Southampton, England, although the home port is Barcelona until 23 October when she crosses the Atlantic.[18]

Harmony of the Seas took two short "preview cruises", three nights to Cherbourg and four nights to Rotterdam, after reaching port in Southampton on 17 May.[19] During these voyages, passengers complained of ongoing construction, a lack of hot water, unopened attractions, excessive waits at restaurants, and other issues.[20] The ship's maiden voyage departed from Southampton on 29 May and arrived at its summer home port of Barcelona on 5 June. According to passengers on this cruise, construction had finished and the ship was ready to sail.[21]

Routing

For the inaugural season, Harmony of the Seas offered seven-night western Mediterranean cruises originating from Barcelona and Civitavecchia.[22] In late October 2016, the ship crossed the Atlantic to the United States, where she offers seven-night eastern and western Caribbean cruises departing from Port Everglades, Florida.

Accommodations

The aft of Harmony of the Seas, with the Aqua Theater and "Ultimate Abyss" slides visible

Harmony of the Seas has 2,747 staterooms, with a wide variety of types, to accommodate (at double occupancy) 5,479 guests[23] ranging from small interior rooms through larger rooms to suites, some of which are fitted with wall-mounted 80-inch (200 cm) screens, covering nearly the floor to ceiling,[24] that show the ship's environment as if through a window, named 'virtual balconies'. These screens were first fitted on the Quantum class of cruise ships.[25] A full 43 categories of stateroom types are offered, starting at a size of 180 square feet (17 m2); several types of suites are available, including the new "Royal Class" suites.[26]

Amenities

As the third member of the Oasis class, Harmony of the Seas is very similar to her two sister ships. However, there are some design changes and extra amenities, most noticeably the "Ultimate Abyss" dry slide at the stern of the ship and the "Perfect Storm" water slides.[27] Harmony is the second Royal Caribbean ship to feature water slides, after Liberty of the Seas underwent a refurbishment in January 2016 that added water slides and Splashaway Bay. The ship is divided into seven neighborhoods, including Central Park and Boardwalk, like its Oasis-class sisters.[28] Amenities include:[29]

  • "Vitality" Spa and fitness center
  • "Splashaway Bay" water play area for young children
  • "Perfect Storm" water slide complex, featuring three slides
  • "Ultimate Abyss" dry slide complex, with two ten-story tall enclosed slides[30]
  • 4 swimming pools and 10 hot tubs, including two hot tubs cantilevered over the edge of the ship[31]
  • 2 Flowrider surf simulators[32]
  • "Casino Royale" casino with a full selection of slot machines and table games
  • "Puzzle Break: Escape the Rubicon" escape room game designed by Seattle-based Puzzle Break and ShowFX[33]
  • 20 dining venues,[34] including "Wonderland" molecular gastronomy restaurant[32]
  • 11,252 works of art[32]
  • Studio B Ice Rink
  • The Aqua Theatre, an open-air stage which hosts diving, aerial and acrobatics shows
  • The Bionic Bar, where drinks are made solely by two robotic arms[35]
  • The Royal Theatre, a 1,400 seat venue for Broadway-style shows such as Grease, Royal Caribbean's original show Columbus, and 3D movies[36]
  • DreamWorks Experience, with characters from Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, etc.
  • Two rock climbing walls[35]
  • Full-size basketball court, miniature golf course and ping pong tables[35]
  • Zip line[35]
  • Adventure Ocean programs for children and youth; also Royal Babies and Royal Tots programs[31]
  • "Voom" high-speed Internet[37]
  • Optional RFID enabled wristbands (WOWbands) which will provide the same functions as the SeaPass cards[37]
  • Promenade shopping mall featuring jewelry, fashion and accessories
  • Rising Tides Bar, a bar platform that raises and lowers three floors between the Promenade level and the Central Park level
  • Carousel, Johnny Rockets, Starbucks, snacks and entertainment on the Boardwalk area
  • Central Park, an open air garden path with food and shops

Technology

Harmony of the Seas is 20% more energy efficient than its sister ships Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. Small air bubbles from the keel reduce drag and thus fuel consumption by 7-8%, and a smooth hull surface further reduces resistance. The bubble system also reduces propeller noise, and is used on Celebrity Reflection and Quantum of the Seas. LED and fluorescent lamps replace incandescent light bulbs, reducing power consumption and need for air conditioning. The engine system uses a waste heat recovery system, and drives three Azipod propellers.[38][39][40]

Incidents

On 13 September 2016 one employee died and four were injured when a life boat fell down from the fifth deck during a security drill.[41][42]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Royal Caribbean Orders Third Oasis-Class Ship from STX France". 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Harmony of the Seas (33249)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  3. ↑ Smith, Oliver (26 February 2015). "New cruise ship will be world's largest". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  4. 1 2 Pemberton, Becky (12 May 2016). "The €1billion floating town is finally delivered: World's biggest cruise ship Harmony of the Seas with 18 decks and a 10-storey water slide is handed over to owners". Daily Mail. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "Vacations Reinvented as the World's Largest Cruise Ship Sails Into Southampton" (Press release). Royal Caribbean International. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  6. ↑ "World's largest cruise ship, costing $1B, sets sail". CBS News. Associated Press. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  7. ↑ Bracken, Matt (24 May 2016). "Largest cruise ship ever sets sail for maiden voyage". The Baltimore Sun. The Dark Room. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "Harmony of the Seas - Oasis 4". STX France. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  9. ↑ "Ship Detail, Harmony of the Seas". Sea-web.com. IHS Global. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 Plush, Hazel (16 May 2016). "The world's largest cruise ship in numbers". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  11. ↑ Sloan, Gene (21 May 2016). "Royal Caribbean's giant new ship also is its fastest". USA Today. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  12. 1 2 Saunders, Aaron (16 May 2016). "Five Reasons You Should Sail Aboard Harmony of the Seas". The Avid Cruiser. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  13. ↑ Kitching, Chris (16 May 2016). "The $1 billion boat: World's largest cruise ship - which boasts a 10-storey slide and capacity for 5,500 passengers - sets sail for the UK ahead of its maiden voyage". Daily Mail. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  14. ↑ Sloan, Gene (11 March 2016). "World's largest cruise ship takes to sea for first time". USA Today. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  15. ↑ "Harmony of the seas". 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  16. ↑ "Biggest-Ever Cruise Ship Harmony Of The Seas Is Longer Than Eiffel Tower's Height". NDTV. Agence France-Presse. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  17. ↑ "World's largest cruise ship sets sail from France". CTV News. Agence France-Presse. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016. The ship is headed for Southampton in southern England and is to embark on its official maiden voyage on May 22 to its new home port of Barcelona.
  18. ↑ "Harmony of the Seas: World's largest cruise ship in Southampton". BBC News. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  19. ↑ Finnigan, Lexi; Mendick, Robert (28 May 2016). "Harmony of the Seas maiden voyage to go ahead despite complaints over 'chaotic' test trip". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  20. ↑ "Harmony of the Seas - Our Last Few Days". Cruise Muses. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  21. ↑ Uria, Daniel (14 May 2016). "Royal Caribbean completes construction of world's largest cruise ship Harmony of the Seas". United Press International. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  22. ↑ Frisco, Eleena (15 May 2016). "World's biggest cruise ship sets sail from France". Tribu Magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  23. ↑ "Staterooms". Royal Caribbean International. 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  24. ↑ Estes, Adam Clark (5 November 2014). "A Look at How Royal Caribbean's New Virtual Balconies Work". Gizmodo. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  25. ↑ "Harmony Of The Seas Review and Specifications". Cruise Mapper. May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016. Most Harmony of the Seas staterooms are 180-270-sq.foot Balcony rooms (1772). There are a total of 2744 staterooms in 43 categories. 46 are the wheelchair accessible rooms. The largest aboard Harmony of the Seas are the Royal Loft Suites (142 m2).
  26. ↑ Brady, Nicola (29 May 2016). "Harmony of the Seas: What's it like on board the world's biggest cruise ship?". Independent.ie. Travel Cruise. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  27. ↑ Smith, Oliver (11 March 2016). "The world's largest cruise ships sets sail on first sea trial". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  28. ↑ Stieghorst, Tom (18 December 2015). "New world's largest cruise ship to have monster slide". USA Today. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  29. ↑ "Plunging into Adventure on the Tallest Slide at Sea: Royal Caribbean Reveals 10 story Ultimate Abyss". Royal Caribbean International. 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  30. 1 2 "Harmony of the Seas". RoyalCaribbean.com. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  31. 1 2 3 "Royal Caribbean shows off Harmony of the Seas, world's largest cruise ship". Travelweek. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  32. ↑ Leppert, Jason (12 January 2016). "Harmony of the Seas Loads Up on Entertainment and Activities". Travel Pulse. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  33. ↑ Koumelis, Theodore (16 May 2016). "Royal Caribbean International conducts delivery ceremony and honors crew of Harmony Of The Seas". Travel Daily News. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  34. 1 2 3 4 Bleier, Evan (19 June 2015). "World's largest cruise ship - which will boast seven neighborhoods and carry 5,500 passengers - starts to take shape". Daily Mail. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  35. ↑ "Inside the world's largest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  36. 1 2 Iannucci, Lisa (11 May 2016). "Va Va VOOM – Royal Caribbean Utilizes Fastest Internet At Sea". Travel Pulse. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  37. ↑ "Micro-bubble system helps Quantum to whopping 20% efficiency gain on Oasis". Seatrade Cruise News. 28 August 2014. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  38. ↑ "Harmony of the Seas: World's Biggest Cruise Ship 20% More Fuel Efficient than Her Sister Ships". Ship & Bunker. 27 May 2016. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  39. ↑ Oliver, Alexandra Jane (24 May 2016), Harmony of the Seas joins DNV GL fleet, DNV GL, archived from the original on 17 September 2016, retrieved 17 September 2016
  40. ↑ Quioc, Marqaid (13 September 2016). "Cruise ship crewmember dies in lifeboat drill in France". Business Insider. Associated Press. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  41. ↑ "Harmony of the Seas accident: One dead, four hurt in lifeboat crash". BBC News. 13 September 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
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