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Royal Caribbean Signs Letter of Intent to Build New Generation of Ships


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They are exactly the same GRT as the Freedom class @ 158,000 !

 

Wrong :).....look up the facts;)

 

Freedom Ship Facts:

 

Maiden Voyage: June 4, 2006

Passenger Capacity: 3,634 double occupancy; 4,375 maximum

Godmother: Katherine Louise Calder

Gross Tonnage: 154,407

Length: 1,112'

Max Beam: 183.4'

Draft: 28'

Cruising Speed: 21.6 knots

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Freedom Ship Facts:

 

Maiden Voyage: June 4, 2006

Passenger Capacity: 3,634 double occupancy; 4,375 maximum

Godmother: Katherine Louise Calder

Gross Tonnage: 154,407

Length: 1,112'

Max Beam: 183.4'

Draft: 28'

Cruising Speed: 21.6 knots

 

What's interesting is that the same shipyard is building NCL's two new ships. They are going to hold 4000 passengers at 143,500 gross tons.

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What's 4 tons when you're discussing hundreds of thousands of tons? Not much... It's probably safe to say it's going to be about the same size as the Freedom class, according to the available info.

 

It will be interesting to see how they make it different!

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Didn't RCI have an option for 1 or 2 more Freedom Class ships? :confused: I wonder how similar these ships will be to Freedom Class.

 

There is a person that works for STX shipyard and he posts on a small cruise board. He stated that RCI never took up the option for a fourth Freedom class. Also he stated that since the Freedom class was designed there were a lot of advances in technology and the ship would have to be redesigned anyway. This may be that redesign.

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Didn't RCI have an option for 1 or 2 more Freedom Class ships? :confused: I wonder how similar these ships will be to Freedom Class. I'm no mathematician, but just enclosing the Solarium might make 158,000 GT. Just a thought.

 

Exactly. The tonnage is so close that it's essentially the same structure.

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I just hope that they don't name the first ship Sunshine of the Seas.:rolleyes:

 

I understand the need to keep things intersting but I really hope that all of these new builds and one ups-man-ship doesn't do the cruise lines what it did to the old classic lines of the past.

 

They didn't called Oasis 'genesis of the seas' and that would have been a good name. Sunshine of the seas does sound lame though!! lol

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I am pleased with this including the fact that Meyer Wirft built the Radiance class ships - probably the most liked in the RCL fleet.

 

http://www.meyerwerft.de/page.asp?lang=e&main=1&subs=0&did=741

 

I have been very impressed with the design and build quality of the Jewel of the Seas! If they can translate their ideas that made them great into a larger ship that would be super. Good luck with this RCCL and RCL!!

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I am pleased with this including the fact that Meyer Wirft built the Radiance class ships - probably the most liked in the RCL fleet.

 

http://www.meyerwerft.de/page.asp?lang=e&main=1&subs=0&did=741

 

I have been very impressed with the design and build quality of the Jewel of the Seas! If they can translate their ideas that made them great into a larger ship that would be super. Good luck with this RCCL and RCL!!

 

The germans are known for being quality freaks;)

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There is a person that works for STX shipyard and he posts on a small cruise board. He stated that RCI never took up the option for a fourth Freedom class. Also he stated that since the Freedom class was designed there were a lot of advances in technology and the ship would have to be redesigned anyway. This may be that redesign.

 

Remember the day we first heard about a 6000 passenger ship called Project Genesis...and then the year or so of speculation, discussion, and anticipation before we saw a draw-up? Well, today marks that day all over again. Here we go..... ;):D

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Not really. They can build more than one ship at a time.

 

It would probably make economic sense too. It may also be much more cost effective to hire tradesmen and have them move from one project over to the other as they finish their work not to mention the savings in buying raw materials in greater bulk.

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RCI's website used to list the Freedoms at 160,000 gross tons [which we all know is a measurement of interior volume rather than weight]. The official tonnage is 154,407 [slightly smaller than Norwegian Epic at 155,873] and the RCI website now accurately lists that figure. These "Sunshine" class vessels at 158,000 will therefore be slightly larger than Freedom class ships.

 

What bothers me [if the news story is accurate] is that the Sunshine class will carry 4100 guests based on double occupancy. The Freedoms carry 3634. That means 13% more passengers in a ship only 2.3% larger -- sounds like a formula for crowded to me.

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RCI's website used to list the Freedoms at 160,000 gross tons [which we all know is a measurement of interior volume rather than weight]. The official tonnage is 154,407 [slightly smaller than Norwegian Epic at 155,873] and the RCI website now accurately lists that figure. These "Sunshine" class vessels at 158,000 will therefore be slightly larger than Freedom class ships.

 

What bothers me [if the news story is accurate] is that the Sunshine class will carry 4100 guests based on double occupancy. The Freedoms carry 3634. That means 13% more passengers in a ship only 2.3% larger -- sounds like a formula for crowded to me.

 

Those numbers do, but I have to trust that they are punching out these numbers also and will make it pleasureable.

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It would probably make economic sense too. It may also be much more cost effective to hire tradesmen and have them move from one project over to the other as they finish their work not to mention the savings in buying raw materials in greater bulk.

 

This shipyard is going to be busy. They are finishing up the Celebrity Silhouette. Just laid the keel for the Disney Fantasy. Next up is the Celebrity Reflection, two NCL ships and now two RCI ships. This does not include the new ships that they are building for Aida. Seems one shipyard has taken just about all the new orders. Wonder what kind of deal they're offering??????:)

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Didn't RCI have an option for 1 or 2 more Freedom Class ships? :confused: I wonder how similar these ships will be to Freedom Class. I'm no mathematician, but just enclosing the Solarium might make 158,000 GT. Just a thought.

Well we are starting to confuse gross tons with weight. But that aside, I heard somewhere that they wanted to enclose the solarium on the Freedoms but couldn't afford the weight that high up. Maybe they can figure out a way to balance it out this time, but I am relatively sure they are not going to add weight on top without some compensation somewhere else.

 

OK, I admit it, I love the technical stuff.

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