STX's European unit delivers world's largest cruise ship

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's STX Group said Thursday that its
European unit has handed over the world's largest cruise ship to Royal Caribbean
Cruises Ltd, more than three years after it received an order to construct the
vessel.

The ship, built by STX Europe AS, was taken over by Royal Caribbean, the world's
second-largest cruise operator, at a shipyard in Turku, Finland, on Wednesday,
the group said.
The vessel, named Oasis of the Seas, is the world's largest cruise ship with the
capacity to accommodate 6,360 passengers and 2,100 crew. The ship also has a park
with live trees and grass, a surf simulator, a mini-golf course and a theater
that seats more than 1,300 people.
Valued at over 1.01 billion euros (US$1.48 billion), the ship is 65 meters high,
360 meters long and 47 meters wide. Royal Caribbean placed the order for its
construction in February 2006.
The vessel is scheduled to leave Finland on Friday when it will set sail for its
home port of Fort Lauderdale in the United States.
Its sister ship, Allure of the Seas, will be delivered around November of next
year, STX said.
sam@yna.co.kr
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