Tag Archives: Oasis of the Seas

RCCL to reduce emissions from 19 ships

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RCCL said that the move will position it “ahead of all forthcoming International Maritime Organization Emission Control Area emissions standards, and will ensure compliance with existing European Union standards.”

Beginning in January, installation will take place on 13 Royal Caribbean International ships and six Celebrity Cruises ships, during scheduled drydocks and while ships are in service.

Preliminary work has begun on several of the ships, RCCL said, but most work will take place between 2015 and 2017. Each installation will take approximately eight months.

Two ships that entered into service this year, Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas and TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 3, had scrubbers installed during initial construction. Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas has been operating one of its six engines with a retrofitted scrubber system for two years.

Royal Caribbean said the system “scrubs” exhaust gases by injecting a high volume of water spray into the exhaust stream.

 

Oasis of the Seas vs. Quantum of the Seas: a Cruise Ship Comparison

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quantum-top oasis-bottomSince its debut in 2009, Oasis of the Seas has continued to turn the cruise world upside down. With first-in-cruising innovations like a zip line, a carousel, a levitating bar and real, live trees, it commands respect — even from those who argue its massive size doesn’t appeal. In addition to being the largest ship at sea, it’s arguably the most well-known. So where does that leave Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, and how can it possibly step out of the shadow of its behemoth fleetmate?

Below we’ve compiled a list of offerings on both ships to show you exactly what you’ll find onboard. Although these two vessels share some of the same venues and amenities, there’s a lot that sets them apart, and each provides an experience all its own. Read on to figure out which of these ground breaking ships is the right fit for you.

To the right: Quantum of the Seas (top) and Oasis of the Seas. Photo appears courtesy of RCI.


Oasis of the Seas Quantum of the Seas Both
Photos
oasis aquatheater image
quantum north star image
american icon grill image
American Icon will be featured on both ships
Size Tonnage: 225,282
Passengers: 5,400
Decks: 18		 Tonnage: 167,800
Passengers: 4,180
Decks: 16		 N/A
Cabins If you’d rather wake up to trees than ocean views, try a balcony cabin that overlooks Oasis’ Central Park or Boardwalk “neighborhood.”
 Quantum’s cabins are, on average, nine percent larger than those on Oasis. Solo cruisers don’t have to worry about dreaded single supplements, either. Twenty-eight studio cabins(12 with balconies) are available for anyone cruising alone. Meanwhile, “virtual balcony”interior cabins offer real-time ocean views via floor-to-ceiling LED screens, and family connected suites combine three cabin types to accommodate larger groups. Royal Caribbean ships offer several similar stateroom categories across the fleet, but Oasis and Quantum have a couple notable stateroom standouts.
Restaurants Following its recent dry dock, Oasis received Mexican restaurant Sabor, as well as the Boardwalk Dog House, which originally debuted on sister ship Allure of the Seas. Oasis also offers for-fee options at Giovanni’s Table, featuring Italian fare, and upscale 150 Central Park, which boasts a rotating six-course menu. If you’re looking for a quick bite, the Cafe @ Two70 offers gratis picnic-type fare with 270-degree views. Another quick option is the SeaPlex Dog House, the first food truck at sea, featuring free gourmet hotdogs and sausages. An interesting extra-charge offering includesDevinly Decadence, where all meals are fewer than 500 calories. Both ships will offer Royal Caribbean’s new“Dynamic Dining” concept, which does away with traditional dining and, instead, allows passengers to choose from a number of eateries at their leisure, some of which are free and some of which incur extra charges. Dynamic Dining will roll out on Oasis in spring 2015. You’ll also find Sorrento’s Pizzeria on both ships, as well as the Windjammer Cafe buffet; Izumi, which offers Japanese cuisine; Johnny Rockets for burgers and shakes; Wonderland, molecular gastronomy featuring dishes like disappearing noodles, and wasabi and apple crisps prepared with liquid nitrogen; American Icon Grill for comfort food; Coastal Kitchen, which showcases California-Mediterranean fare for suite passengers only; The Grande, a fancy affair, which focuses on dishes served aboard the ocean liners of yore; Silk, Royal Caribbean’s pan-Asian restaurant; and Chops Grille, the line’s steakhouse.
Bars The Rising Tide Bar, which debuted on Oasis of the Seas, is set on hydraulics and travels between the Royal Promenade and Central Park. In its Bionic Bar, Quantum will feature robotic bartenders. Passengers order drinks via tablets and can then watch as the robots (more like mechanical arms, really) prepare them. Vintages, a swanky wine bar where passengers can try new or favorite beverages, is featured on both ships.
Activities & Entertainment For breathtaking entertainment that combines aerial and aquatic feats with the ship’s wake as the backdrop, you won’t want to miss performances at the AquaTheatre on the ship’s Boardwalk, where you’ll also find a carousel. Look up in the sky, and you’ll see fellow passengers whizzing by on the sports deck’s zip
 Try any number of at-sea firsts on Quantum, including a visit to North Star. Best for those without a fear of heights, the glass pod, positioned on a mechanical arm, will raise passengers 300 feet above sea level for 360-degree views. Meanwhile, SeaPlex ttriples as a venue for basketball, roller skating and bumper cars. Adrenaline junkies will appreciate trapeze classes and a RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator. A handful of RCI ships offer Broadway productions as part of their theatre entertainment. Oasis, where cruisers can catch performances of CATS, and Quantum, featuring Mamma Mia!, are no exception. Both ships also feature rock climbing walls and the line’s signature FlowRider surf simulators.
Itineraries Based in Fort Lauderdale at Port Everglades, Oasis sails Western Caribbean itineraries. Homeporting in Bayonne’s Cape Liberty through spring 2015, Quantum sails Southern Caribbean voyages. It will then permanently relocate to Shanghai for Asia sailings. Until Quantum relocates to Asia, both ships sail a mix of Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean and Europe itineraries from the U.S. East Coast.
Family Oasis’ Adventure Ocean is housed in one giant expanse on the same deck. In addition to exclusive areas separated by age group, there’s a science lab, a workshop and even a theater, where participants rehearse before performing for their parents at the end of each sailing. Quantum’s Adventure Ocean spans two decks, and it features a science lab as well as a cool teen space will provide a similar experience to that found on Oasis. Both ships showcase Royal Caribbean’s stellar kids offerings, each boasting extensive Adventure Ocean facilities. The line also has a partnership with DreamWorks, and cruisers can enjoy parades and meet-and-greets that feature Shrek, Fiona and other characters. These two vessels also include the H2O Zone, where young cruisers will find splash pools and colourful sculptures that spray water.

Royal Caribbean’s rollout of RFID wristbands will be gradual

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Royal Caribbean RFID wristbandFORT LAUDERDALE — Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. President Adam Goldstein said it will be several years before the Sea Pass wristbands being used for room keys on Quantum of the Seas can be rolled out fleetwide.

Goldstein said the radio-frequency identification (RFID) wristbands are simple, but they go hand-in-hand with a new shipboard property management system that takes a fair amount of time to install.

“The next-generation embarkation and the RFID bands will kind of follow that process,” Goldstein said in a speech at the CruiseWorld conference, a Travel Weekly event.

Royal Caribbean will proceed ship by ship with the installations. He did not say which would be the next ship in line for Sea Pass.

Goldstein said that older ships such as Majesty of the Seas that look their age next to Quantum have been given extended life by adding newer features in scheduled drydocks.

“We’ve found across the boCruiseWorld - Adam Goldsteinard — and this is industrywide — that we’ve been able to inject a lot more features from the newer ships onto the older ships than probably any of us thought possible.”

He also noted that RCCL has six brands and that older Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises ships such as Majesty of the Seas have traditionally migrated to its other, primarily European, brands.

Goldstein said pressure on concessionaires to be more efficient has resulted in smaller footprints for areas like the photo gallery on Quantum. That has freed up more space for a variety of extra features that make the ship more exciting overall, he said.

CruiseWorldGoldstein said he’s never been a big fan of the contemporary-premium-upper premium-luxury continuum that many use to label the market segments of the cruise business, and that the edges of those categories are increasingly blurring into each other.

“If you’re in a loft suite on Oasis of the Seas, you’re in a pretty luxurious product,” he said.

“Very often our bigger brands are the second choice for couples that are normally cruising on small luxury ships,” Goldstein said. He said those passengers want the attributes of a large ship with all of the luxury amenities of a small one. “It is an interesting marketing challenge.”