Does Size Matter?

So the countdown has begun! In a little over six months time the largest cruise ship ever constructed, Royal Caribbean’s ‘Harmony of the Seas’ will make it’s maiden voyage from Southampton to Barcelona. Harmony of the Seas will the third ship launched in the Oasis Class category and will be slightly larger than it’s sister ships Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

So here are some facts about this latest mega ship. The 16 deck vessel which has cost a mammoth $1.35 billion to build, weighs a colossal 227,000 gross tons and will measure 1,188 feet (385 meteres) from bow to stern. There will be 2,747 staterooms on board which can accommodate up to 6,360 passengers and 2,394 crew members.

With 20 dining options, culinary venues will include two new “concepts” – Izumi Hibachi & Sushi and the Sabor Modern Mexican – and a branch of Starbucks. It will also have the fastest internet connection at sea, the cruise line claims, robot bartenders (as can be found on its latest ship, Quantum of the Seas), and a “handcrafted” carousel. Harmony of the Seas will have three multi-story waterslides which will spiral over the Central Park area of the ship ten decks below, this amazingly will be the first water slides Royal Caribbean has put on a ship.

Like the two other ships in its class, Harmony will be divided into seven “neighbourhoods”: Central Park, the Royal Promenade, Boardwalk, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality (spa and fitness), Entertainment Place and Youth Zone. In addition the Harmony will have two rock-climbing walls, zip lines, an ice skating rink, a full-size basketball court and a miniature golf course.

It’s amazing to think that Harmony of the Seas is in fact five times the size of probably the most famous ship ever built – RMS ‘Titanic’. What is more amazing it was only a little over 10 years ago that Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 launched and held the distinction of being the longest and largest cruise ship at 148,528 gross tonnage. When Harmony sets sail in May 2016, Royal Caribbean will have an unbelievable nine of the top ten biggest cruise ships in operation, with only Norwegian Cruise Line ‘Epic’ bucking the trend.

So what’s next, will cruise ships continue to grow in size?

What are you views, does size really matter?