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Just off Oasis....it's going to China

extremecolors

By extremecolors,
in Royal Caribbean International

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Big_G

Big_G

Posted
Posted
I heard they're moving the Caribbean to China too.:rolleyes:

 

A Facebook friend of mine who's a house cleaner for a guy whose brother is a waiter in a restaurant where the cousin of a ship's entertainer frequents on turn around day said Oasis is towing it there. ;)

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BillB48

BillB48

Posted
Posted
Interesting, so the "hard" numbers on the Panamax website are not hard at all? It says there in black and white 205' is the absolute max at the lowest tide... there's not another 20' to play with :confused:

 

As an aside, I've posted in other threads and in my NoS review... Capt Srecko Ban and the head administrator of the new canal were sitting at Capt's table on Vision last Nov 2013. Sapt Srecko was unsure about a Voyager Class get under the bridge and chancing it, clearances doesn't seem right. Head administrator of the new canal also agreed. On NoS I spoke quite a bit to Capt Claus Anderson, he assured me he was 100% positive Voyager can go through and I was truly confused by that. I told him about my dinner with Capt Srecko & the new canal admin, but still said Voyager would be fine. We then talked about the Radiance first sailing to Tampa and how close the clearance was when he sailed her under the bridge. I am really confused... the number just don't match up for me on paper and those who would likely know for sure have given me different opinions.

 

My conclusion is that the clearances would be so very tight, and even if the sailing were to go ahead the ship would have to wait for the perfect low tide situation.. and PAY for that specific slot through the locks to the Panamanian authorities to go through the locks at that specific time.

 

 

 

 

Didn't think so, not even with the most recent drydocks. Thx Bob :)

 

Actually the limits quoted are not all that hard in terms of allowing passage to a vessel that is outside the limits. Take for example the published limit for Panamax is 965'x106'... however there are times when something that needs to transit and exceeds those limits, it is evaluated case by case. Ships as wide as 108' in beam and 975' in length transited the Canal. (The 108 and 975 dimensions were not on the same ship) Before the SS United States was removed from service studies were underway for her to transit the Canal at 990'! Of course that transit never occurred.

 

Getting back to the Bridge, I honestly don't know how much of a clearance would be needed both for the Canal people and Royal to feel comfortable to make such a transit doable. Looking over at Tampa Bay and the Sunshine Skyway, ships that have an air draft of 175' are able to pass under the Bridge. If I remember correctly the actual clearance to the water is 180.5', giving 5.5' of clearance. Using that as a guide for clearance there are only a few times during the year where there would not be a significant window where 5.5' clearance would not be obtainable during the two daily low tides. I used the 208' figure for Voyager/Freedom air draft.

 

For sure they would have to cast the date and tide in concrete for such a transit. In fact I don't think it would be unreasonable to have the transit one day, spend the night docked in Balboa with passage under the Bridge the following day. Besides, Panama has never been bashful about charging for services!

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fairymum

fairymum

Posted
Posted
Just got off Oasis yesterday and I was told by our waiter that Oasis is going to China in March 2016. Not sure if this is known info but that I would post just in case.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

I was also told this by some of the entertainers not When though just that it was going there.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

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BillB48

BillB48

Posted
Posted

The Oasis will fit in the new locks as long as some of the wider portions of the ship are high enough. The expansion locks are going to be 1400'x180' and as of right now vessels of 1200'x160' are going to be the size limit. There has been some discussion on this and other threads as to whether or not she can get under the Bridge of Americas.

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seasearider

seasearider

Posted
Posted (edited)

Just how many Asian ports can handle a ship the size of Oasis? There certainly are very few in the Caribbean. Please keep in mind that this ship's population is way to big to even consider tendering. Is RCI going to drudge ports and build piers and infrastructure to be able to handle this big boy? They did it at Port Everglades, Nassau, Labadee and Falmouth Jamaica but that process took years. Are they currently doing similar projects that will be ready in 1 1/2 year?

 

Just curious.

Edited by seasearider
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MADflyer

MADflyer

Posted
Posted
Just how many Asian ports can handle a ship the size of Oasis?

 

Just curious.

 

RCI has several port deals in the works. They have announced investment on Penghu Island in Taiwan and are part of a 3 cruise ship project in Malaysia. They have not indicated that these ports are specifically for Oasis class vessels, but one could assume this to be the case.

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OSUZorba

OSUZorba

Posted
Posted
Interesting, so the "hard" numbers on the Panamax website are not hard at all? It says there in black and white 205' is the absolute max at the lowest tide... there's not another 20' to play with :confused:

 

As an aside, I've posted in other threads and in my NoS review... Capt Srecko Ban and the head administrator of the new canal were sitting at Capt's table on Vision last Nov 2013. Sapt Srecko was unsure about a Voyager Class get under the bridge and chancing it, clearances doesn't seem right. Head administrator of the new canal also agreed. On NoS I spoke quite a bit to Capt Claus Anderson, he assured me he was 100% positive Voyager can go through and I was truly confused by that. I told him about my dinner with Capt Srecko & the new canal admin, but still said Voyager would be fine. We then talked about the Radiance first sailing to Tampa and how close the clearance was when he sailed her under the bridge. I am really confused... the number just don't match up for me on paper and those who would likely know for sure have given me different opinions.

 

My conclusion is that the clearances would be so very tight, and even if the sailing were to go ahead the ship would have to wait for the perfect low tide situation.. and PAY for that specific slot through the locks to the Panamanian authorities to go through the locks at that specific time.

 

 

 

 

Didn't think so, not even with the most recent drydocks. Thx Bob :)

 

You must also remember the Panama canal is fresh water, so the water draft is higher and air draft lower. The published numbers are all for salt water. Been awhile since I've looked into it so I don't remember the actual ratio.

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BillB48

BillB48

Posted
Posted
You must also remember the Panama canal is fresh water, so the water draft is higher and air draft lower. The published numbers are all for salt water. Been awhile since I've looked into it so I don't remember the actual ratio.

 

Even though the majority of the Canal is freshwater, the problem Bridge is over the Pacific entrance... saltwater. So no help from that angle.

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UNV-IT!!!

UNV-IT!!!

Posted
Posted
RCI has several port deals in the works. They have announced investment on Penghu Island in Taiwan and are part of a 3 cruise ship project in Malaysia. They have not indicated that these ports are specifically for Oasis class vessels, but one could assume this to be the case.

 

There is also the new mega port being built in China in which they used the oasis class ship in the pictures

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CitygirlSF

CitygirlSF

Posted
Posted
Oasis still shows on the FLL schedule through the first week in May 2016, but then disappears. Allure shows through May, so Oasis is going somewhere else that they haven't announced yet;)

 

Royal most likely won't release their summer '16 itineraries until March. This is both what I've been told and what they have done in the past.

 

Oasis going to China could mean that one of the new Oasis class ships will replace it in south Florida.

 

As China is a new and untapped market it seems Royal is jumping to be the first and biggest there. At a recent travel agent conference centered around Cruising, Carnival, Princess, Norwegian, MSC and other lines all said they are "researching", "doing their due diligence", or the like, basically saying they are letting Royal test it for them... If things with Quantum go well, you can bet a lot more ships will be headed there too!

 

This could mean higher prices for us here in the US. If many ships go that will limit supply and increase demand.

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LMaxwell Great Review Rare

LMaxwell

Posted
Posted
At a recent travel agent conference centered around Cruising, Carnival, Princess, Norwegian, MSC and other lines all said they are "researching", "doing their due diligence", or the like, basically saying they are letting Royal test it for them... If things with Quantum go well, you can bet a lot more ships will be headed there too!

 

Norwegian is owned in part by Genting, who own Resorts World and Star Cruises; the third biggest cruise company in the world behind Carnival Corp and RCCL. Star Cruises is the biggest in Asia and they've got two 150K ton ships on order. In the US NCL seems to be getting the customer base that RCI wants - Young families with kids and a dramatically enhanced suite experience for those willing to spend the big bucks. I'm not sure Norwegian will rush to send ships over while their sister brand does so well there. Norwegian has a couple of mega-builds on the books. I actually see them as having the most opportunity to take advantage of current trends.

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Dave85

Dave85

Posted
Posted
In the US NCL seems to be getting the customer base that RCI wants - Young families with kids and a dramatically enhanced suite experience for those willing to spend the big bucks.

 

And, apparently, young professionals. Much higher representation on my cruise last week on Breakaway than what I've seen recently on Royal. DW and I happen to fall into that category ourselves and were very favorably impressed with the NCL product which, frankly, we were not expecting.

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  • 1 month later...
ButterBeanMcGee

ButterBeanMcGee

Posted
Posted
Just how many Asian ports can handle a ship the size of Oasis? There certainly are very few in the Caribbean. Please keep in mind that this ship's population is way to big to even consider tendering. Is RCI going to drudge ports and build piers and infrastructure to be able to handle this big boy? They did it at Port Everglades, Nassau, Labadee and Falmouth Jamaica but that process took years. Are they currently doing similar projects that will be ready in 1 1/2 year?

 

Just curious.

 

 

Well the the new cruise port in Shanghai to be opened this year will be the Asia's largest cruise port. And they have also opened a huge cruise port in Hong Kong and Singapore. Google it. They put Terminal 18 to shame at Port Everglades. There's obviously a market for the mega-ships.

 

Quoted from the Shanghai Daily:

 

"Shanghai set to have Asia's largest cruise ship port next year By Yang Jian | May 22, 2014, Thursday

SHANGHAI'S Wusongkou port is expected to become Asia's biggest home port for cruise liners next year, officials said today after another top cruise company chose to base at the Shanghai port.

The Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal in Baoshan District has been home to five major cruise lines, while a total of 217 cruises with over 1 million passengers will berth at the port by the end of this year, said Fang Shizhong, governor of the district.

"The world's major cruise liner market has moved to the east to China, while Baoshan will become the top cruise line harbor of China," Fang said as the 115,000-ton Sapphire Princess set its maiden voyage from its new home port in Baoshan today.

Some 70,000 passengers, mostly Chinese, will take the cruise in the next four months to South Korea and Japan.

So far, the heaviest cruise ship in Asia, Royal Caribbean's 138,000-ton Mariner of The Seas, and the world's major luxury cruise line Princess have made Wusongkou a home port.

The Wusongkou Port will surpass Singapore in 2015 to become Asia's biggest cruise line home port, said Lu Guangyuan, general manager of the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal Development Co Ltd.

The port will launch a major expansion in September. After the renovation, the terminal can berth two 200,000-ton super-sized cruise vessels at one time.

The development of the cruise economy also brings opportunities to other businesses in the area. Baoshan plans to build recreational facilities, luxury hotels, shopping malls and a marina in the area, said Fang.

Developed by Baoshan District and Shanghai Yangtze Shipping Corp, Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal is the biggest cruise liner terminal in Asia and cost 870 million yuan (US$142.7 million). The depot is shaped like a giant silver shell, symbolizing the "eye of the Yangtze River."

Compared with the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal on the north Bund, the Wusongkou terminal features the advantages of deeper water and a better location, which saves six hours on an international trip.

Also, only cruise liners weighing less than 70,000 tons can berth at Shanghai Port due to height restrictions to clear Yangpu Bridge. Wusongkou has no such restriction."

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Charger2008

Charger2008

Posted
Posted
Well the the new cruise port in Shanghai to be opened this year will be the Asia's largest cruise port. And they have also opened a huge cruise port in Hong Kong and Singapore. Google it. They put Terminal 18 to shame at Port Everglades. There's obviously a market for the mega-ships.

 

Quoted from the Shanghai Daily:

 

"Shanghai set to have Asia's largest cruise ship port next year By Yang Jian | May 22, 2014, Thursday

SHANGHAI'S Wusongkou port is expected to become Asia's biggest home port for cruise liners next year, officials said today after another top cruise company chose to base at the Shanghai port.

The Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal in Baoshan District has been home to five major cruise lines, while a total of 217 cruises with over 1 million passengers will berth at the port by the end of this year, said Fang Shizhong, governor of the district.

"The world's major cruise liner market has moved to the east to China, while Baoshan will become the top cruise line harbor of China," Fang said as the 115,000-ton Sapphire Princess set its maiden voyage from its new home port in Baoshan today.

Some 70,000 passengers, mostly Chinese, will take the cruise in the next four months to South Korea and Japan.

So far, the heaviest cruise ship in Asia, Royal Caribbean's 138,000-ton Mariner of The Seas, and the world's major luxury cruise line Princess have made Wusongkou a home port.

The Wusongkou Port will surpass Singapore in 2015 to become Asia's biggest cruise line home port, said Lu Guangyuan, general manager of the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal Development Co Ltd.

The port will launch a major expansion in September. After the renovation, the terminal can berth two 200,000-ton super-sized cruise vessels at one time.

The development of the cruise economy also brings opportunities to other businesses in the area. Baoshan plans to build recreational facilities, luxury hotels, shopping malls and a marina in the area, said Fang.

Developed by Baoshan District and Shanghai Yangtze Shipping Corp, Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal is the biggest cruise liner terminal in Asia and cost 870 million yuan (US$142.7 million). The depot is shaped like a giant silver shell, symbolizing the "eye of the Yangtze River."

Compared with the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal on the north Bund, the Wusongkou terminal features the advantages of deeper water and a better location, which saves six hours on an international trip.

Also, only cruise liners weighing less than 70,000 tons can berth at Shanghai Port due to height restrictions to clear Yangpu Bridge. Wusongkou has no such restriction."

 

I know the Quantum is going there but we have reservations on the Oasis for next year, February 20, 2016 out of Fort Lauderdale

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