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.
You’re GONNA HAVE FUN WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!........................
And that is exactly why we ditched not even halfway through the thing-it was also the last time we went on holiday/vaca to a place we couldn’t get to by just packing the Suburban and hitting the road...
Alaskan cruises are my favorite. Since I don’t like to get dressed up for dinner after a long day of sightseeing, I prefer the free style cruises with Norwegian Cruise Lines.
We have some amazing shots of glaciers calving. Our favorite port is Skagway. Don’t miss the Red Onion Saloon. Lots of history there. Skagway had electricity before New York City did.
Way cool! Is that blue a comm dome?
My wife is going on a cruise with one brother to celebrate the others brother’s 50th wedding anniversary. She wanted me to go but I am prone to motion sickness (and don’t want to sit around for 6 days). She asked if minded her going with her other brother. I said no but I wish I had pointed out that it is cheaper than putting her in a nursing home. :)
‘It’s unsinkable, I tell ya.’
Might as well put a curse on her. Never call any ship unsinkable. Do not tempt the Big Fella’ Upstairs.
Everybody of our age remembers “The Love Boat” TV series, and still believes it’s like that today.....................
Looks like a float buoy marker.................
Probably closer to 2099 sober. You are assuming the captain will not be inebriated.
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