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New Royal Caribbean cruise ship will be world’s largest

Royal Caribbean on Wednesday confirmed that a cruise ship it has on order for delivery in 2016 will be the largest ever built.

February 26, 2015

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​The line says the third vessel in its Oasis Class Series, to be called Harmony of the Seas, will measure 227,000 tons, eclipsing its two record-size sisters by more than 1,700 tons.

The 16-deck-high cruise ship will hold a record 5,479 passengers at double occupancy, nearly 100 more than the two earlier Oasis class vessels, the line says.

The first two Oasis class ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, made waves in the cruise industry when they debuted in 2009 and 2010, respectively, and are by far the largest cruise ships currently afloat. Chock full of dozens of eateries, bars, showrooms and deck-top fun zones, they each measure 225,282 tons and carry 5,400 passengers at double occupancy.

Royal Caribbean on Wednesday also confirmed that Harmony of the Seas would have giant, multi-deck water slides -- a first for Royal Caribbean. Currently under construction at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, Harmony also will be the first Oasis class ship with a "bionic bar" where the drinks are served by robot bartenders -- a concept that first debuted in October on Royal Caribbean's new Quantum.

Royal Caribbean says Harmony will have larger cabins than Oasis and Allure in some categories. In addition, windowless "inside" cabins will be outfitted with Royal Caribbean's exclusive Virtual Balconies, which offer a real-time view of the outdoors -- a concept that first debuted in 2014 on the line's Navigator of the Seas. Suite passengers also will have exclusive new areas to enjoy including a suite lounge, a private suites-only restaurant called Coastal Kitchen and a full-service Suite Sun Zone sun deck.

Like Oasis and Allure, Harmony will be built around seven distinct neighborhoods: Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone.

Among the restaurants on Harmony will be a version of the whimsical Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine eatery that first debuted on Quantum of the Seas. Also planned is Sabor, the modern Mexican restaurant that Royal Caribbean just added to its nine-year-old Freedom of the Seas.

The three water slides planned for Harmony are clearly visible in several new artist's drawings of the ship added this week to Royal Caribbean's website (click through the carousel above to see them). Royal Caribbean says they'll twist and turn over the ship's tree-lined Central Park area 10 decks below. One of the slides also will feature a champagne bowl that swirls passengers around as they make their approach to the end of the ride.

Harmony is scheduled to debut in April 2016. The line says it'll announce itineraries for the ship in March.