Florida and New Jersey are no longer the only states in the union that are home to one of the Royal CaribbeanOasis-class ship – the largest cruise ship in the world.
As of this week, Texas also has one.
Royal Caribbean’s giant Allure of the Seas, one of five ships in the record-breaking series, will begin weekly Caribbean voyages out of Galveston, Texas, on Sunday – the maiden voyage of one. Oasis-class ships from the port of Texas.
The huge ship, which can hold up to 6,780 passengers, will sail to ports like Roatan in Honduras, Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico.
Allure of the Seas was originally scheduled to begin sailing out of Galveston in 2021. However, its arrival in the Lonely Star State has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ship is launching alongside the opening of a new $100 million cruise ship terminal in Galveston that has also been halted during the pandemic.
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The station, which opened on Wednesday, is the only one in Port Galveston capable of receiving a vessel as large as the Allure of the Seas.
With a tonnage of 225,282 tons, the Allure of the Seas is the fifth largest yacht in the world. Launched in 2010, it is only slightly larger in size than Royal Caribbean’s four other Oasis-class vessels, ranging from 226,838 tons to 235,600 tons.
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Each of the five ships, in turn, is at least 4% larger than any other cruise ship floating. The series includes a recently announced part wonder of the seaCurrent size leader in the cruise world.
Related: 6 types of Royal Caribbean ships, explained
The arrival of the Allure of the Seas in Texas is an important milestone in the history of excursions from the state. The 18-deck, 1,187-foot-long vessel is 40% larger than the previous largest cruise ship that left Texas harbor (Royal Caribbean’s 3,798-passenger Liberty of the Seas).
So far, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships have mostly sailed out of Florida’s major cruise hubs such as Port of Miami and of Fort Lauderdale Port Evergladesas well as select ports in Europe.
One of the ships, the Oasis of the Seas, is based, for part of the year, in Bayonne, New Jersey – one of the New York area’s cruise ports.
Related: Royal Caribbean Ultimate Guide
Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley said the new terminal development at the Port of Galveston and the deployment of Allure of the Seas to the port will allow Royal Caribbean to increase passenger capacity on ships out of Galveston by 50%.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic brought excursions to a halt in 2020, excursions out of Galveston were booming. More than 1 million cruise passengers passed through the port in 2019, up from 641,650 just five years earlier. Cruise calls during the same period increased from 181 to almost 300.
The Port of Galveston is currently the fourth busiest port for cruise ships in North America, after PortMiami, Port Everglades and Port Canaveral in Florida.
Related: Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean cabins and suites
Designed for travelers who love the big, Super busy resortOasis-class ships have more attractions on deck and inside lounges, bars, restaurants and galleries than any other cruise ship.
Like its sisters, Allure of the Seas boasts three main pool areas; separate outdoor seating area for adults only; an outdoor “aqua park” with diving shows; an ice skating rink; two climbing walls; A basketball court; a massive spa; and an indoor promenade that resembles a mall with shops, bars and places to eat.
There is also a tree-lined outdoor area called Central Park with restaurants, bars and other upscale shops; Plus, it has one of the largest galleries at sea.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbean’s Loyalty Program
Allure of the Seas is expected to operate most of its 7-night itineraries in the Western Caribbean through October 2023. After that, the carrier will switch to 3- and 4-night itineraries.
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