Royal Caribbean cruise ship nears debut
Friday, 28 Apr 2006 17:20
Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas visits Southampton on Saturday
Cruise holiday fans are just days away from getting their first taste of the world's largest cruise ship.
Cruise line Royal Caribbean International took delivery of
Freedom of the Seas earlier this week, kicking off the countdown to her naming ceremony in New York on May 10th.
The 160,000 tonne vessel, which takes the title of the world's largest cruise ship from Cunard's
Queen Mary 2, makes its debut in the UK on Saturday by visiting Southampton.
Among the ship's features are an on-board surf park, a full-size boxing ring and a 14-person family suite.
There is also a 445-foot long shopping, dining and entertainment boulevard that will host nightly street parades, and also features a traditional neighbourhood barber shop.
The art-deco style Arcadia Theatre, which holds 1,350 guests, features a range of shows, while cruise-goers who fancy performing themselves can head to the
Freedom's karaoke venue, which is equipped with state-of-the-art lighting, video cameras and a giant screen.
The ship is scheduled for seven-night western Caribbean cruise holidays from Miami, with calls at Cozumel, Mexico, George Town on Grand Cayman, and Montego Bay in Jamaica.