World's largest cruise liner has a twin

[unhappycamper]

World's largest cruise liner has a twin
By MATTI HUUHTANEN, Associated Press Matti Huuhtanen, Associated Press – Fri Oct 29, 9:40 am ET

HELSINKI – The second in a pair of the largest cruise liners in the world — an extravagant behemoth spanning nearly four football fields, with a 3-D move theater, an open-air central park and room for 8,300 people — set sail Friday for its new home port in Florida.

The Allure of the Seas, which cruised out of the shipyard in Turku, southwestern Finland where it was built, faces its first big test Saturday, when it must squeeze under a Danish bridge, just one foot (30 centimeters) taller than the ship — even after its telescopic smokestacks are lowered.

The gigantic vessel is the sister ship of the Oasis of the Seas, which was also delivered to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines last year with a price tag of about $1.5 billion. The Allure of the Seas is in the same price range, said Juha Heikinheimo, managing director of STX Finland, which constructed the vessel.

Like its twin, the Allure of the Seas spans 1,200 feet (360 meters) from bow to stern, and its height from sea level is 236 feet (72 meters). It weighs 600 tons — 12 times more than the Eiffel Tower.

It can accommodate 6,300 passengers and some 2,000 crew, and has dozens of restaurants, cafes and bars along a promenade shopping street that includes a park with living trees and numerous plants. The ship boasts a two-deck high dance hall, a 1,380-seat theater and an ice skating rink, numerous pools, spas, gyms and a rock climbing wall.



unhappycamper comment: In contrast, the $1.68 billion dollar LPDs we own can put 800 US Marines on shore to invade a country. And we own $8.4 billion dollars of them already.

[Odin2005]

1. More decadent luxury for the well off while the poor and homeless suffer.

:puke:

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. I say we dock those ships and turn them into homeless shelters.

[ishaneferguson]

4. Temporary Disaster Housing

There is a FEMA-DHS plan to lease these super sized ships for use as temporary housing after a major disaster. After Katrina the Carnival Cruise Line ships Ecstasy, Sensation and Holiday provided temporary housing for the newly homeless and for recovery workers.

[petronius]

3. Hope they have an accurate tide table when they reach that bridge

That will indeed be pucker time...

[Octafish]

5. Does the reporter mean 60,000 tons?

"600 tons" is what my kids says I weigh.

[Posteritatis]

6. Maybe it's made out of aerogel. (nt)