Royal Caribbean plans another giant cruise ship

[michaeljordan]

Royal Caribbean has confirmed plans for yet another record size cruise ship.

The line on Friday said it had reached an agreement with a French shipyard to build a fourth vessel in its groundbreaking, 5,400-passenger Oasis Class series. The as-yet-unnamed ship will debut in 2018.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2014/05/14/royal-caribbean-cruise-oasis/9040527/

[Phil English]

Not a new order as such. This is actually the declaration of an option that RCL held at the yard since placing their order for a third Oasis class in December 2012. Although contracts are signed, the deal remains subject to financing.

Brgds
Phil

[Malim Sahib]

Whilst they are impressive ships in a technical sense, the consequences of one of these behemoths foundering doesn't even bear thinking about. Circa 6000 passengers and just over 2000 crew with only a handful of professional seamen amongst them.
Even if they did manage to abandon ship with no casualties, there isn't a maritime nation anywhere in the world with the Search and Rescue capabilities to be able to recover and care for the survivors.
Naturally it will only take a major disaster for the regulatory authorities and bean counters to realise that.