The biggest cruise ship ever built is about to touch water for the first time
The biggest cruise ship ever built will hit a major construction milestone this weekend.
Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas will touch water for the first time as it's "floated out" from a dry dock at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, where it has been under construction for more than a year.
The 18-deck-high vessel -- the latest in the line's giant Oasis Class of ships -- will transfer to a "wet dock" where finishing work will continue into next year.
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Wonder of the Seas had been scheduled to debut in 2021, but Royal Caribbean recently said the vessel's debut would be pushed back by around 10 months, citing the coronavirus pandemic. That would push its arrival into 2022.
The early stages of the construction of a cruise ship take place in a dry dock facility. Once the exterior of a vessel is complete, the dry dock is flooded and the ship is floated to a wet dock facility where construction continues. It's considered a significant turning point in the building of a vessel.
It may seem odd that cruise lines are continuing to build new ships even as most of their existing ships aren't sailing due to the coronavirus crisis. But cruise companies expect the cruise industry to resume growing at a significant pace once the crisis has passed, resulting in demand for additional vessels.
Related: The ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean ships and itineraries
While lines have been permanently retiring some older ships in recent months in anticipation of a slow restart to cruising, the leaders of the biggest cruise companies have said they have no plans to cancel orders for new ships. They've said they would rather keep the new ships and eliminate older ships if they need to cut capacity in the short term.
The float out of Wonder of the Seas is scheduled to take place around 7 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, according to French media outlet Ouest France.
Wonder of the Seas will be the fifth vessel in Royal Caribbean’s groundbreaking Oasis Class series of ships, which are more than 20% bigger than any other cruise ships afloat.
The four existing Oasis Class vessels include the 228,081-ton Symphony of the Seas — the current size leader in the cruise world. Eighteen decks high and nearly 1,200 feet long, it can hold up to 6,680 passengers at maximum occupancy.
The vessel and its sisters resemble megaresorts on land with dozens of restaurants and bars, Broadway-style entertainment, casinos and lots of deck-top attractions. Symphony of the Seas has three pool areas, giant waterslides, rock climbing walls, surfing simulators, a miniature golf course and even an ice skating rink.
Related: How to book a cruise with points and miles
While Royal Caribbean has been coy as to just how big Wonder of the Seas will be, a top executive at Royal Caribbean hinted to The Points Guy last year that the newcomer (and another Oasis Class ship on order for 2023) are likely to set new size records.
“It’s certainly a moniker that Royal Caribbean owns,” Royal Caribbean’s vice president for product development, Laura Hodges-Bethge, told TPG. “When you look at Symphony, it was, I don’t know, a couple metric tons [bigger than its predecessor]?” For these new ships, she said, “I can’t imagine that wouldn’t be the same thing.”
Every Oasis Class ship that has rolled out has been a little bigger than the last.
Planning a cruise for the coming year? These stories will help:
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.