By
Rebecca Gibson |
Royal Caribbean International held a steel-cutting ceremony for its third Oasis-class ship at STX France’s Saint-Nazaire yard on 23 September.
Marking the first construction milestone for the 227,700 gt vessel, the event was attended by Laurent Castaing, CEO of STX France, Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises and Adam Goldstein, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International.
“The Oasis-class ships have fundamentally changed the cruising landscape with the cornucopia of amenities and innovations that can be found onboard,” said Fain. “We are delighted to be offering a third Oasis-class vessel for our guests, as well as to be back at STX France after such a long tradition of building amazing ships together.”
Oasis 3, which is due for delivery in mid-2016, is the twelfth ship STX France has built for the cruise line and will join sister ships Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, which debuted in 2009 and 2010 respectively with a split superstructure and seven distinct themed areas.
Weighing 225,282 gt and spanning 16 decks with 2,700 staterooms, the Oasis-class ships have an 82 ft 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 features the twin FlowRider surf simulators, cantilevered whirlpools, an ice-skating rink, the H2O Zone kids aquapark and the Royal Promenade, an extended interior boulevard flanked by restaurants, lounges and boutiques.
“Our Oasis-class ships have led the charge in delivering the wow for which Royal Caribbean is known,” said Goldstein. “We are delighted to get the building process underway and look forward to the next chapter of this amazing class of ships.”
Additional details of the third Oasis-class ship will be revealed in the coming months.