By
Rebecca Gibson |
STX France is to deliver Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd’s fourth Oasis-class cruise ship in 2018.
Announced during the keel-laying ceremony for the third Oasis-class vessel at STX France’s Saint-Nazaire shipyard, the new order is subject to documentation and satisfaction of financing and other customary conditions.
“We are very excited that Royal Caribbean has agreed to move forward with a fourth Oasis-class ship demonstrating its confidence in STX France to construct the most superior cruise ships in the world,” said Laurent Castaing, CEO of STX France. “We look forward to advancing the efficiencies of our ship building process to produce the most innovative ships that vacationers have come to expect from Royal Caribbean.”
Signifying the start of the physical construction process, Oasis III’s keel-laying ceremony was attended by Castaing, Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd, and Adam Goldstein, president and COO of Royal Caribbean. In time-honoured maritime tradition, newly minted coins were placed under the keel as it was lifted into the building dock to bring good luck the construction process. The coins will be removed when construction is complete and will be placed onboard to bring good luck to the captain and crew when the ship is delivered in spring 2016.
Still receive her official name, Oasis III and the fourth Oasis-class ship will join Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas – which launched in 2009 and 2010, respectively – and will feature a split superstructure and Royal Caribbean’s neighborhood concept with seven distinct themed areas. Oasis III will be around 20% more energy efficient than Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, while the fourth Oasis-class ship will further build on that efficiency.
Spanning 16 decks, the 225,282 gt ships will offer 2,700 staterooms, as well as an 82 foot-long zip line, a handcrafted carousel, the Rising Tide elevating bar, the AquaTheater high-diving performance venue and the Central Park with more than 12,000 live trees and plants. The Oasis Class also provides amenities such as twin FlowRider surf simulators, cantilevered whirlpools, an ice-skating rink, the H2O Zone kids aquapark and the Royal Promenade, an interior boulevard that stretches nearly the length of the ship with restaurants, lounges and boutiques.
“The Oasis class was a revolution in maritime design when it was launched in 2009,” said Fain. “Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas continue to be in a class by themselves both in terms of guest satisfaction and financial returns. Today’s announcement is a reflection of their success.”
Fain added: “We are thrilled to announce the order of a fourth Oasis-class ship during the keel-laying milestone of the third. This announcement is also a testament to the men and women of STX France who have worked so hard and so cooperatively on Oasis III.”