Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

The world's biggest cruise ship is making its debut

The world's biggest cruise ship is making its debut

It's been three years in the making, but the world's largest cruise ship is finally ready to welcome passengers.

Measuring a staggering 1,188 feet, Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas was delivered last month and is due to begin its maiden voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to the Caribbean on March 4.

The 18-deck cruise ship was built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, and has capacity for 6,988 guests and 2,300 crew members.

Innovative ship
A rendering of the Wonder of the Seas, which is the world's largest cruise ship.


"We're excited to introduce guests across the world to Wonder of the Seas and its world-class features after a six-year-long process," Mark Tamis, senior vice president of hotel operations at Royal Caribbean International tells CNN Travel.

"From planning to delivery, we've utilized our expertise across Royal Caribbean, as well as incorporating our guest's suggestions and travel partner feedback to create something truly awe-inspiring." 

The ship will begin operating five- to seven-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to the Caribbean in March before launching Western Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona and Rome in May.

Wonder of the Seas comprises eight neighborhoods, one of which contains over 20,000 real plants, and its on-board features include what's described as the "tallest slide at sea," as well as a 10-deck-high zip line and a huge poolside movie screen.

Covid disruptions
Wonder of the Seas during the start of its physical construction at Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in France.


"We've always prided ourselves on offering guests the best and most innovative ships to give them a truly extraordinary experience. Wonder encompasses all of that," adds Tamis.

The ship was originally scheduled for delivery in 2021, but this was pushed back due to delays brought about by the global pandemic.

The cruise line industry has faced constant disruption over the past two years as a result of Covid-19. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pushed cruise travel up to the highest-risk level in late December, indicating that the risk for Covid-19 was "very high" due to an increase in infections among cruise passengers and crew after the emergence of the Omicron variant.

In January 2022, the health agency's Covid guidance became optional for a large number of cruise ships. This month, the CDC lowered the risk level from
Level 4 to Level 3, which means that its advice is now that people should be fully up to date with their Covid vaccinations before traveling.

Welcome addition
Wonder of the Seas features eight on board neighborhoods spread over 18 decks.


The rules under the CDC's conditional sailing order, which ended on January 15, required 95% of both passengers and crew to be fully vaccinated to sail in most circumstances, while some cruise lines required vaccination for all passengers and crew.

Royal Caribbean paused operations on some of its ships, including Symphony of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas, in January due to "Covid-related circumstances around the world."

The cruise line currently requires all guests aged 12 and over to be fully vaccinated, while those aged over two must submit a negative Covid-19 test before sailing. All guests aged two and up are required to be masked in most public indoor spaces.

The fifth and newest of Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class vessels, Wonder of the Seas is one of several brand new cruise ships that are set to hit the waters in the coming weeks and months.

Discovery Princess, the newest addition to the Princess Cruises fleet, was handed over at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

Meanwhile, Disney Wish, the first new cruise ship Disney has built in ten years, is due to be delivered this summer, while Silversea Cruises' new luxury cruise ship Silver Dawn is scheduled for a spring debut.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×