MS Freedom of the Seas
At anchor off Coco Cay ( Bahamas) on September 24, 2012
IMO no. 9304033
The Freedom of the Seas is one of the largest passenger ships in the world. The cruise ship was the first of a new series for the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.. , The world's second largest cruise company. The new series is based on the so-called Voyager - class (hence the development name " Ultra - Voyager " ) but one fire area longer ( 9 %). The Freedom of the Seas was built at the Aker Yards in Turku (Finland) and undocked on 20 August 2005. It replaced with 154 407 GT and a passenger cabin number of around 1800, the Queen Mary 2 ( 148 528 GT, 1200 cabins) as the largest passenger ship in the world from. This title she kept until the commissioning of the Oasis of the Seas in 2009. She is the lead ship of a series, to which her sister ships Liberty of the Seas ( delivery spring 2007 ) and Independence of the Seas ( delivery 2008),.
Background
The Freedom of the Seas has left Turku Hamburg on 13 April 2006. Due to a defective Azipod last remaining works were done from 17 to 22 April at the dry dock (dock 17) at Blohm Voss. After undocking on 22 April at 23.07 clock and a short successful test drive on the North Sea they already put on 23 April at 13.30 clock in Hamburg at the cruise terminal ( Grasbrookhafen ) in HafenCity.
On Monday, 24 April 2006, the Freedom of the Seas was officially handed over to the shipping company at the cruise terminal as part of a big celebration.
On April 25, at 10 clock, she joined her maiden voyage from Hamburg to Oslo, where she broke in on April 26 to 14 clock. From there came the Freedom of the Seas April 27, by 16 clock driving in the UK to Southampton, where she arrived on 29 April at 9.30 clock. After the transatlantic journey came the Freedom of the Seas on May 10 at 7:30 clock (local time) in New York.
The naming ceremony took place in Cape Liberty (New York) on 12 May 2006. The godmother was Katherine Louise Calder from Oregon, which has raised as a foster mother in the last 27 years, more than 400 children. She was chosen by the viewers of NBC's Today Show Morning America. There were no prominent women this time for debate, but only women with large social commitment.
Since June 2006, the ship with its up to 4,370 passengers on a week-long route through the western Caribbean in use. With the commissioning of the Liberty of the Seas this took over the former route of the Freedom of the Seas. Since 6 May 2007, the Freedom of the Seas is used in two week-long routes that lead alternately in the western and eastern Caribbean. Output port of the cruises is Port Canaveral in Florida.
After the Sovereign of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and the Explorer of the Seas Freedom of the Seas, the fourth new building of the shipping company, they could up to the launch of the Oasis of the Seas the title of " the world's largest cruise ship" claim for themselves.
Rear of the Freedom of the Seas
Equipment
The ship has 18 decks, 15 of which are accessible to passengers. The passenger capacity is nominally 3,600 people. At full occupancy can accommodate up to 4,370 passengers on board space. The passengers will be accommodated in 1,817 cabins, of which 242 are outside cabins without balcony (about 15 m²), 842 cabins with balcony (about 19 m² ) and 733 inside cabins ( of which 172 are overlooking the promenade ).
The ship has a four- deck high, 9 m wide and 135 m long shopping promenade. Additional information is found on board a theater with 1350 seats, an ice rink with 800 seats in the auditorium rank, a climbing wall (about 169 m² ), a so-called "Flow Rider" ( surf simulator with "permanent wave" for surfing ), a 2200 m² large bath - and experience landscape, a boxing ring, a basketball court in original size and a nine -hole miniature golf course
Special events
When a cruise ( November 26 to December 3 2006) erupted a norovirus. It affected 338 passengers and 46 crew members on the virus that leads to nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. According shipping a single passenger had brought the virus on board. Until the return of the Freedom of the Seas is not only the patients were treated, but also door handles, balcony railings, etc. regularly disinfected to prevent further spreading of the disease. Also on the following cruise ( 3 to 10 December 2006) it was contrary to expectations for renewed disease among 97 passengers. For this reason the ship in the port of Miami was cleaned intensively for two days and disinfected.
On 9 October 2011, the Freedom of the Seas ran into a storm. In this case, the ship rocked on such items from the shelves that fell as well as public areas and cabins were damaged. The shipping company stated violations of human, but not to have been severe. The cruises were continued, a Dockaufenthalt was not necessary for the repairs.