Oasis of the Seas Live: Float Out and Ship Tour

[editor@cruisecritic]

It was pretty frosty! Woke up to snowstorm this morning but do you want to know what was eerie in the best possible way? Really heavy snow clouds gave way to blue sky and sunshine -- just as our bus pulled into the shipyard. Oasis was glowing.

 

Carolyn

 

 

Hi Tammy :D

 

Just heard from a friend up there that it is around -3c today and snow forecast for tomorrow...hope Carolyn has her winter woolies on :D

 

After the coffee I think we need to crack open the champagne eh :D

[Bild Em Bigger]

Hi Carolyn

It must be such an experience to visit the yard, I would give my right arm to visit the yard in Turku no matter how cold it was.:D

I am friendly with a few Captains in the RCCL fleet all of which have promised to get me a contact at the yard but they never seem to come through on their promise.:mad:

Do you know if they have a visitor centre at the yard? Of course I would love to see Oasis, but for me it is more about seeing how they do things in the yard (I am an engineer, it’s a curse!).:D

[Cruiserccl]

67 PICTURES OF PURE OASIS!

http://oasisoftheseas.com/gallery.php

[Elizanessie]

Thanks Carolyn for answering questions :D

 

I think you must have had a magical day...well thats the way it is coming over in your posts :D

 

Great to hear mention of Allure..I am sure lots of us on here are interested in her also.:D

 

Cant wait to read all about your trip and thanks for taking us along with you...well in spirit anyways :D

[Bild Em Bigger]

Have a fun video clip with Ken Rush as well.

 

Carolyn

 

I think Ken is great, I was lucky enough to be on the independence naming ceremony, and when I went back 4 days later for a Canary Islands cruise Ken run me off a copy of the naming ceremony on DVD, he is really helpful like that. :D

 

Can’t wait to see him again next year on Oasis.:D

[editor@cruisecritic]

There are two rock climbing walls and they flank each side of the Aqua Theater, facing aft, toward the wake. Here's a shot of the blank wall that's pre-installation of one of the rock climbing walls.

 

Carolyn

[Elizanessie]

Do you know if they have a visitor centre at the yard? Of course I would love to see Oasis, but for me it is more about seeing how they do things in the yard (I am an engineer, it’s a curse!).:D

 

There was a link for visits to the yard floating around ..will try to find it for you.

 

Chris it was on one of your threads...do you have it handy by chance?

[Cruiserccl]

There are two rock climbing walls and they flank each side of the Aqua Theater, facing aft, toward the wake. Here's a shot of the blank wall that's pre-installation of one of the rock climbing walls.

 

Carolyn

Its HUGE! That looks a lot bigger than the rock wall on the Voyager class of ships! Thanks for all the pictures looks like you guys are having fun out there even if its freezing! :D

[editor@cruisecritic]

There's actually a couple of Turku-based tour operators that are offering options to see the ship this summer (only really useful if you're on a ship calling at Helsinki and you can hightail it down to Turku). Here's a link to a story we did about a month ago:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=2904.

 

Otherwise, there's no visitor's center at STX Europe in Turku (would be a great addition but the yard is sprawling and trucks everywhere carrying massive pieces of hull --see attached photo -- this is Allure of the Seas) and it's kind of dangerous. They wouldn't let us walk around, we had to take a bus even for short distances.

 

You know which yard does offer tours? Meyer Werft in Papenburg, where Celebrity is building the Solstice sisters. It's a cool facility; there's a gift shop and you climb up a whole host of stairs to an observation platform where you can see the ship. Think it costs 10 euro to get in. And of course Papenburg is in the middle of nowhere :) -- about 3 hours from Amsterdam, 1 1/2 hours or so from Dusseldorf. Definitely worth it if you're into ships and/or in the area.

 

Carolyn

 

And p.s. visiting a shipyard is a marvelous experience. Marvelous doesn't actually quite capture it (I'm so tired right now!). It's just fascinating. I've been to three, I think (STX in St. Nazaire, Turku and Meyer Werft) and if you like ships it's a pilgrimmage worth fighting for!

 

One funny thing. We were talking at one point to a cruise line (I seriously can't remember which one) in the U.K. that wanted to work with us to do a contest on the site with the prize being a trip to the shipyard. Someone in the meeting said "who in the heck would want that" and I'm like -- you have no idea!

 

Hi Carolyn

It must be such an experience to visit the yard, I would give my right arm to visit the yard in Turku no matter how cold it was.:D

I am friendly with a few Captains in the RCCL fleet all of which have promised to get me a contact at the yard but they never seem to come through on their promise.:mad:

Do you know if they have a visitor centre at the yard? Of course I would love to see Oasis, but for me it is more about seeing how they do things in the yard (I am an engineer, it’s a curse!).:D

[Elizanessie]

http://www.forum-marinum.fi/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=105

 

This is the one I heard about earlier in the year

[Cruiserccl]

Do you know if they have a visitor centre at the yard? Of course I would love to see Oasis, but for me it is more about seeing how they do things in the yard (I am an engineer, it’s a curse!).:D

 

There was a link for visits to the yard floating around ..will try to find it for you.

 

Chris it was on one of your threads...do you have it handy by chance?

Yeah here it is and i also posted a news story about tours done by Cruise Critic!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=840729&highlight=

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=2904

[editor@cruisecritic]

Though this photo would never win any awards what I like about it is it shows the big picture at the shipyard. The ship almost looks small but that's because we were far away. Notice (you have to look closely) the Royal Caribbean logo? It's on the smokestack already! Was put there this week. It lights up -- tonight, after dark fell at 3:30 p.m. (seriously) it was electric.

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

this is the ship while still in drydock -- I don't know if photo shows how vast it really is. One thing that struck me about Oasis of the Seas is that it's hull reminded me of a bloated whale's belly. It's really -- er, fat. I was told it wasn't much different than the hull for Freedom class but not sure I believe that.

 

Carolyn

[Cruiserccl]

this is the ship while still in drydock -- I don't know if photo shows how vast it really is. One thing that struck me about Oasis of the Seas is that it's hull reminded me of a bloated whale's belly. It's really -- er, fat. I was told it wasn't much different than the hull for Freedom class but not sure I believe that.

 

Carolyn

Did you guys have any pictures of the finished loft suites from the tour you guys got?

[Dan Askin]

Hey Everyone,

 

We've just launched our Oasis of the Seas float out news piece. Take a read if you will: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=2948

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

[AquaWtr4me]

I am soo excited now that I can't stand it. She is gorgeous!!

 

Carolyn, If you could, I am dying to hear anything about the loft suites.

[Cruiserccl]

Its your cruise director!

[crusinmama06]

Hey Everyone,

 

We've just launched our Oasis of the Seas float out news piece. Take a read if you will: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=2948

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

 

 

Great article Carolyn. Thanks for the link Dan. :)

[Rstamper]

Hi Brenda :D

 

Yes as my Critter Sister Brenda posted above (thanks Sis) I am on the Inaugural sailing of Oasis,wish you and DH could join us in this one :D

Taking Alex and his GF on the Navigator in May :D

 

Ok all done in house so now ready to wait here patiently for when the news comes in from Turku..(Turku time is 2 hours ahead of UK time.)

 

Liz, That sounds like a lot of fun - being on the Inaugural sailing of the Oasis of the Seas. I am really hoping to be able to cruise on the Oasis in early 2010. We have two cruises planned in 2009 - One in February, which my niece is planning for her wedding on the Carnival Freedom and one in May - the Golden Princess for our 30th anniversary (this cruise is close to home - no flying!). I wish Royal Caribbean had more ships up here in the Pacific Northwest in the summer. Have fun on the Navigator of the Seas!

 

Brenda

 

 

Brenda

[Rstamper]

I'm obviously not Liz, but I am a Brenda:D

 

Just thought I would answer this for Liz since she isn't on yet. Liz is on the Inaugural sailing. We have a huge roll call if you would like to check it out. We would love to have you join us on what is sure to be a history making voyage:D Hope to see you there;)

 

Hi Brenda,

 

This is the other Brenda. I would love to be on that voyage with you guys. I am already taking two cruises in 2009, though, but am hoping to cruise the Oasis in 2010.

 

Brenda

[D300]

Thanks for the photos.

I think it's soon time for me to start to book my back2back on Oasis for autumn 2010.

[Bild Em Bigger]

Thanks Carolyn, Liz & Cruiserccl for all the links and feedback on tours to Turku, I am seriously considering heading over to Turku next summer for a couple of days and take one (or both) the tours you mentioned.:D

 

Carolyn, I take it you flew into Helsinki? If so how far is it from Turku and how did you get from Helsinki to Turku? I was thinking maybe to take a train if it’s not too far.:confused:

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, Bild 'Em. First of all Turku itself is delightful, especially in summer (though it was gorgeous with the first snowfall of the season, too). I like the Radisson SAS Marina hotel -- it's right on the River Aura, lovely setting.

 

I'm actually on the train now :) -- promised myself I would do holiday shopping on the train trip and here I am working again, LOL. It's easy. There's an express train from Helsinki to Turku once an hour (and the reverse applies); it drops you in the middle of town on both ends.

 

It's about 70 - 80 euros depending on which train you get. I like the Bandolino best.

 

Carolyn

[Cruising89143]

Photos courtesy of STX Europe

 

She floats. :)

 

 

 

[pk1_efc]

Those latest pics are fab! At least we know she definately floats!! LOL :D

 

If only January 2nd 2010 was 2 months away, and not 14 months.