This is the life on the ocean wave - Oasis of the Seas

I know I talked about Oasis of the Seas last time, and I’m going to do so again. It’s partly because Oasis of the Seas seems to be one of the most exciting things happening within the world of cruising at the moment, and all thanks to Royal Caribbean. It’s the biggest and most expensive cruise liner ever built, costing more than £800 million, and carrying more than 5,400 passengers, with a crew of more than 2,000. The ship is 360 metres long, which makes it longer than four city blocks.

Not only is the ship impressive in terms of size, but it includes some amazing features, many of which are a first in terms of cruise ship design, with a 750-seat Greek-style amphitheatre, a shopping mall, an ice rink, a 1,300 seat indoor theatre, and the previously mentioned open-air park with real trees and plants.

The best suite available is the Royal Loft Suite which can accommodate a group of six. This suite has 141 square metres of floor space, and has a baby grand piano, indoor and outdoor dining rooms that seat eight, a private wet bar, a library and a 78 square meter balcony with its own LCD television, entertainment area and jacuzzi. The Royal Loft Suite can be connected to a Crown Loft Suite for additional room to accommodate a total of ten guests, providing192 square metres of space!

Talk about pushing the boat out!

Oasis of the Seas has its very own Central Park

There is something lovely about a garden, and even lovelier when you find the garden in an unusual, unexpected place. I remember how impressed I was when I came across my first London roof garden. So I for one was completely amazed and impressed to hear that Royal Caribbean’s soon-to-be-launched Oasis of the Seas will have its very own on board park.

Generally, much as cruise ships are great fun, the one thing they tend to lack is gardens and greenery – until now. This Central Park will be the size of a footie pitch and have flowers, shrubs, bushes, trees, grass and pretty winding pathways. And the lucky inhabitants of 254 rooms will have balconies that overlook the park area.

Oasis of the Seas will embark on her maiden voyage this December, sailing from her home port of Port Everglades, Florida. She has sixteen decks, 2,700 staterooms, of which 28 are new loft suites, and she will be able to carry some 5,400 passengers. Oasis of the Seas will be the first ship to use Royal Caribbean’s new neighbourhood concept with seven distinctly themed areas, including Central Park, Boardwalk, and the Royal Promenade.

So if you want to give this new ship a go, you’ll be happy to hear that there are plenty of cruise bargains to be grabbed, and the cost may not be as steep as you think.

For an active cruise, it's Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean was the first cruise line to put a rock climbing wall on one of its ships, and these walls have now become a popular feature of the Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Overall, the line prides itself on having plenty of vigorous activities available for its passengers, so Royal Caribbean is the perfect cruise line for holidaymakers who like to be active and to have plenty to do.

Some Royal Caribbean ships have basketball courts, allowing enthusiasts to perfect their game while sailing from one exciting port to another. If you are a keen runner or jogger then you will be pleased to hear that some ships have running tracks, where you can keep up that regular running habit. Golf enthusiasts are not forgotten either – you don’t have to wait until the ship puts into port before you can get a game of golf, as the ships have exciting golf simulators, and some even have a small golf course!

If surfing is your activity of choice then you don’t have to wait to find a coastline to find some good surfing waves - only Royal Caribbean offer you the chance to do some surfing on board ship with a FlowRider that creates a permanent water wave. If you want to get a view of your ship from aloft, then some ships feature a zip line where you can soar from one end of the ship to the other like a bird.

Of course Royal Caribbean ships are great if you just want to laze, graze and relax too, with plenty of bars, restaurants, lounges and entertainment.

One of the greenest ships ever - Celebrity Equinox

One of the greenest ever cruise ships has just set sail on her maiden voyage. Flying the Maltese flag, the Celebrity Equinox is one of the most environmentally-advanced cruise ships ever built.

A real beauty of a ship, the Celebrity Equinox is now in the Norwegian Fjords, and later will be bound for the Med, for a series of cruises in the eastern part of the Mediterranean. In the late autumn she will then cross the Atlantic, and be doing winter cruises in the warm Caribbean.

So what is it that makes this ship so green? For starters she has over 200 solar panels collecting energy from the sun, the hull has a special silicon coating that reduces the resistance as the ship moves through the water, and hence reduces fuel consumption. The construction of the ship makes use of special glass to reduce heat transfer, and there is an advanced waste water purification system.

The ship is owned by Celebrity Cruises which is part of Royal Caribbean, and as well as all these green considerations, the ship provides wonderful facilities for its passengers with veranda staterooms that have flat screen TV’s, and a two level spa where you can receive facials, acupuncture and numerous other health and beauty treatments. There is wireless internet access throughout the ship, so no problems getting online with your laptop. And just in case you miss terra firma, there is even a proper grass lawn!

So if you want to cruise in a manner that shows due care for the environment then Celebrity Equinox is a good choice of ship for your cruise.