MS Freedom of the Seas

This article is about the ship. For other uses, see Freedom of the Seas (disambiguation).
Freedom of the Seas after its 2015 refurbishment
History
Bahamas
Name: Freedom of the Seas
Owner: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.[1]
Operator: Royal Caribbean International
Port of registry: Nassau, Bahamas
Ordered: September 2003
Builder: Aker Yards Turku Shipyard, Finland
Cost: US$800 million
Yard number: 55
Laid down: November 9, 2004
Christened:
Maiden voyage: 4 June 2006 (Caribbean)[2]
In service: 4 June 2006
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics
Class and type: Freedom-class cruise ship
Tonnage: 154,407 GT[3]
Length: 1,112 ft (338.94 m)[3]
Beam: 126.64 ft (38.60 m) waterline 184 ft (56.08 m) extreme (bridge wings)
Height: 209 ft (63.70 m)
Draught: 28 ft (8.53 m)[3]
Decks: 18 total decks, 15 passenger decks
Installed power: 6 × Wärtsilä 12V46 (6 × 12,600 kW)
Propulsion:
Speed: 21.6 knots (40.0 km/h; 24.9 mph)[3]
Capacity:
  • 3,782 (double occupancy)
  • 4,515 (maximum occupancy)[4]
Crew: 1,360

MS Freedom of the Seas is a cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International. It is the namesake of Royal Caribbean's Freedom class, and can accommodate 3,634 passengers and 1,300 crew [4] on fifteen passenger decks. Freedom of the Seas was the largest passenger ship ever built (by gross tonnage) from 2006 until construction of the Royal Caribbean International's Oasis-class ships in late 2009.

Although the ship is registered in Nassau, The Bahamas, it is home ported in Port Canaveral, Florida, United States, after moving from the Port of Miami

Construction

Freedom of the Seas under construction at Turku Shipyard in Turku, Finland on February 23, 2006.

The Freedom of the Seas was built at the Aker Yards Turku Shipyard, Finland, which built the ships of the Voyager class as well as the other ships of the Freedom class. Upon its completion, it became the largest passenger ship ever built, taking that honor from Cunard's Queen Mary 2.

Freedom of the Seas is 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in) narrower than QM2 at the waterline, 6 metres (20 ft) shorter, has 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) less draft, is 8.3 metres (27 ft) less tall and 10 miles per hour (16 km/h) slower. Freedom however is the larger ship in terms of gross tonnage. While its gross tonnage was estimated to range from 154,000 GT[5] to 160,000 GT,[6] its official rating by Det Norske Veritas, a Norwegian marine classification society, is 154,407 GT,[1] compared with QM2's 148,528 GT.[7][8] Freedom of the Seas had the highest gross tonnage of any passenger ship yet built, until the 2009 completion of MS Oasis of the Seas and then the 2010 completion of MS Allure of the Seas.

The ship has four bow thrusters.[9] When at sea Freedom of the Seas consumes approximately 12,800 kg (28,000 pounds) of fuel per hour.[10]

Features

The design of the Freedom of the Seas is similar to that of the second-generation Voyager class ships: Navigator of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. The extra 91-feet of length allows for the addition of additional cabins, an interactive water play area on the pool deck, a dedicated 24-hour pizza venue, and an expanded main dining room. The added width of the ship is utilized by two adults-only whirlpools cantilevered out from the ship's sides in the adults only solarium of the ship. Other new features include the FlowRider surf simulator, a boxing ring in the gym, and a Ben and Jerry's branded ice cream parlor.

The ship has an interior promenade 445 feet (136 m) long called the "Royal Promenade", which features a coffee shop, Sorrento's Pizzeria, the Ben and Jerry's ice-cream shop, Vintages wine and tapas bar, the Bull and Bear Irish pub, and many Duty-free shops.[11] The Royal Promenade, first seen on Royal Caribbean's Voyager-Class in 1999, extends through the upper decks of the ships. This gives most upper level cabins a window, either to the port or starboard side or inwards to the promenade. This design was first used in the cruiseferry M/S Silja Serenade in 1990 and its twin ship, M/S Silja Symphony in 1991.

The ship has three swimming areas: an interactive water park, a dedicated adult pool, and the main pool. The 13th deck has a sports area with a rock climbing wall, the FlowRider surf simulator, a miniature golf course and a full size basketball court. Other items include an ice skating rink, a casino, a Johnny Rockets restaurant, and a three-deck-high broadway-style theater. Technology amenities include Wi-Fi capabilities throughout the ship, interactive flat panel televisions in all staterooms, and cell phone connectivity. Many of the ship's interiors were extensively decorated by muralist Clarissa Parish.[12]

Career

Freedom of the Seas off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico in its maiden voyage.

Freedom of the Seas was docked at Blohm und Voss in Hamburg, Germany on 17 April 2006 to repair a damaged bearing in one of the three Azipod propulsion units and to put on some of the finishing touches prior to its official handover to Royal Caribbean International on 24 April 2006. It then departed to Oslo, Norway on 25 April for official festivities. It then sailed for Southampton, England on 27 April and arrived at 9am on 29 April. The ship sailed on its first transatlantic crossing on 3 May 2006.

Freedom of the Seas arrived in New York Harbor USA for its official naming ceremony on 12 May 2006 which was broadcast live on NBC's The Today Show from Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, New Jersey (the ship's official New York berth), and thereafter traveled to Boston for the weekend of May 19–22. It began operations out of Miami with its first cruise and maiden voyage on June 4, sailing to western Caribbean locations in Mexico, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica as well as Labadee, in Haiti, one of Royal Caribbean's private resorts.

On May 4, 2009, Freedom of the Seas moved its home port from the Port of Miami-Dade to Port Canaveral, where it replaced Mariner of the Seas. Then in winter 2016-2017, Freedom of the Seas repositioned to Port Everglades, where it alternates between a six-night Western Caribbean and an eight-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary.[13]

The ship underwent its first dry dock refurbishment in late March 2011, where it received some of the new features found on the Oasis and Allure of the Seas such as new touchscreen kiosks around the ship as well as making the theater capable of showing 3-D movies. A Clean Shave was removed from the promenade and replaced with the Cupcake Cupboard. Also, a large movie screen was fitted on the pool deck.[14][15]

In January 2015, the ship underwent a 24-day dry dock. During the dry dock, new cabins were added both inside the ship, in the former location of the "The Crypt" night club, and in a new structure atop the front of the ship. Other changes included the addition of the Mexican restaurant "Sabor" and ends replacement of the "Portofino" Italian restaurant with "Giovanni's Table".[16]

The ship experienced a fire while entering the Port of Falmouth, Jamaica. July 22, 2015.[17]

References

  1. 1 2 "Freedom of the Seas (25177)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Freedom of the Seas". Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Freedom of the Seas". Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
  4. 1 2 "Freedom of the Seas Fast Facts". Royal Caribbean Press Center. Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Hjem - Aker ASA". akeryards.com.
  6. ↑ "Giant cruise ship thrills Hamburg". BBC News. 2006-04-17. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
  7. ↑ United States Coast Guard Maritime Information Exchange, Queen Mary 2, Retrieved 2012-03-26
  8. ↑ Queen Mary 2, inquiry for IMO 924106, Ships in Class (registration required). Lloyd's Register. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  9. ↑ "Freedom of the Seas". Ship Technology. 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2013-07-21.
  10. ↑ "Wärtsilä 46F". wartsila.com.
  11. ↑ Archived November 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ www.clarissaparish.com Retrieved January 2012
  13. ↑ "Royal Caribbean announces 2016-2017 Caribbean cruise ship deployments". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "Port Canaveral". portcanaveral.org. Archived from the original on 2008-04-12.
  15. ↑
  16. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Completes Dry Dock, Features New Cabins and Restaurants". Cruise Critic.
  17. ↑ "Fire breaks out on Royal Caribbean ship". USA TODAY. 22 July 2015.
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