Posted on 03/10/2016 12:05:21 PM PST by Red Badger
A cruise liner longer than the Eiffel Tower and 100 metres longer than the Titanic will set sail from a French port for the first time on Thursday.
Harmony of the Seas will leave the western port of Saint Nazaire on Thursday afternoon and, if all goes well, not return until Sunday morning.
The purpose of the voyage is mainly to test the power on the boat and how well it manoeuvres, which, given it weighs some 227,000 tonnes and measures 362 metres in length, will be interesting to see.
There will be no passengers on board during the test voyage, just 500 staff.
If testing goes as planned, the boat will eventually head to British port of Southampton in May, from where it will set sail for Barcelona for its first cruise around the Mediterranean.
Harmony of the Seas makes the Titanic, which measured 269 metres, look like a little pleasure boat - and it is even 50 metres longer than the Eiffel Tower.
Harmony is also a metre wider than the current twin ocean-going monsters of the pleasure cruise world, which are also 362 metres long.
"Allure of the Seas" and "Oasis of the Seas", the world's biggest cruise ships in current service, are 65 metres wide and come in at 225,000 tonnes a piece. All three belong to Royal Caribbean International cruise lines.
The ship will have room for some 6,360 passengers and 2,100 staff members.
Ah yes, just you and 8,500 other people nestled together for 10 days.
fair enough, guinea ;)
That's funny...my brother says nursing homes are land-locked cruise ships.
Insanity!
Then you should know not to get an Italian mad at you. (I learned that from my wife)
At least 2100 will be sober. Getting on and off the ship will be a job itself.
I prefer a bit more seclusion.
Isn't that the point of a vacation, escape all the dang people?
I've never been on a cruise, but an Alaska cruise might not be bad.
The ones that do go, go often.
It’s all done by floor one at a time. Very organized you would be surprised you disembark off a ship like that within a few hours. Each floor meets in a certain place and when your area is called you get off. Bayonne is great also very organized to find your luggage.
Here is a great link it allows you to see ports, ships, photos of the ships and realtime tracking of their routes.
Just browse around it to see some cool ship stuff.
http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ports/137/USA_port:NEW%20YORK
I think you mean Motel 5. I always ask those going on a cruise if they are going to start a pool when they get there as to which person isn’t going to make it back.
I do know that I won’t let it happen again!
I think you’re nuts, personally. Biggest, most conspicuous floating terrorist target in the entire world.
You have to drag for a while til it gets up on plane. More like a wake board/surf boat.
The madhouse is when you get back to the U.S., and you and your 6000 new friends are trying to get your luggage, clear customs, and grab a cab within a three hour window.
It’s unsinkable, I tell ya.
There has to be a story there. How did you live aboard a ship for four years?
Not exactly my cup of tea for a vacay to spend it with a mass of humanity squeezed into something like that.
Ah yes, just you and 8,500 other people nestled together for 10 days."
I've been on the other two Oasis class ships and never felt crowded. The Oasis class ships are truly amazing and wouldn't hesitate to cruise on any of them. In all, I've been on 6 cruises and have two cruises coming up before July and looking forward to them.
If visiting ports around the world, watching Broadway musicals onboard, or just relaxing on your balcony reading and listening to sounds of ocean spray is not your thing, then I sure you have your preferred ways to relax.
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