By
Sean Dudley |
Crane supplier MacGregor is to provide Royal Caribbean International’s first Quantum-class ship, Quantum of the Seas, with a viewing pod.
Guests will be lifted 91 metres above sea level in ‘North Star’, a jewel-shaped, glass capsule, before swinging out over the sea for the first-of-its-kind guest experience.
“We are the first crane supplier involved in anything like this type for a cruise ship,” said Jonas Hägglund, sales manager at MacGregor. “Safety is paramount and the operator needed a crane supplier that would not only deliver the highest safety standards, but also proven, reliable technology for the North Star guest experience.”
Fourteen guests and one crew member can be accommodated in the 7.1-ton viewing gondola, which will be fitted with a stabilising system designed to provide a comfortable ride for guests.
“All crane movements will be smooth and immediate, with stepless speed control, essential for this type of guest experience. It is also important that the experience is as quiet as possible, so the main power pack will be rubber-suspended to minimise vibrations and noise transmission; the crane housing will also be isolated to minimise noise,” added Hägglund. “Given the vessel's cruising areas, the system is fitted with an air-type cooler to keep the crane's hydraulic oil at a moderate temperature even in very hot ambient conditions, which ensures a long oil life and reliable crane performance.”
The 16-deck, 4,180-passenger Quantum of the Seas – currently under construction at German shipyard, Meyer Werft – is scheduled to cross from Southampton to New York in autumn 2014. The vessel is then expected to depart New York from her Cape Liberty homeport for seven to 12-night itineraries during the winter 2014-15 season.
Quantum-class sister ship Anthem of the Seas is to debut in spring 2015.