MS Allure of the Seas leaving STX shipyard, Turku, Finland, 29 October 2010
Career
Name:	Allure of the Seas
Owner:	Royal Caribbean International
Operator:	Royal Caribbean International
Port of registry:	Nassau, Bahamas
Ordered:	February 2006
Builder:	STX Europe, Turku, Finland
Cost:	USD 1.2 billion (EUR 800 million)
Yard number:	1364[1]
Laid down:	2 December 2008[2]
Launched:	20 November 2010
Maiden voyage:	1 December 2010[3]
Identification:	Call sign: C6XS8 IMO number: 9383948 MMSI number: 311020700
Status:	in active service, as of 2012[update]
General characteristics [4]
Class and type:	Oasis-class cruise ship
Tonnage:	225,282 GT 242,999 NT 19,750 DWT
Displacement:	approximately 100,000 tons[5]
Length:	360 m (1,181 ft)
Beam:	47 m (154 ft) waterline 60.5 m (198 ft) extreme
Height:	72 m (236 ft) above water line
Draught:	9.3 m (31 ft)
Depth:	22.5 m (74 ft)
Decks:	16 passenger decks[6][7]
Installed power:	3 × Wärtsilä 12V46D (3 × 13,860 kW/18,590 hp) 3 × Wärtsilä 16V46D (3 × 18,480 kW/24,780 hp)
Propulsion:	3 × 20 MW ABB Azipod, all azimuthing 4 × 5.5 MW Wärtsilä CT3500 bow thrusters
Speed:	22.6 knots (41.9 km/h; 26.0 mph)
Capacity:	5,400 passengers (lower berths) 6,300 passengers (all berths)[1]
Crew:	2,384[8]
Notes:	50 mm (2.0 in) longer than Oasis[9]

MS Allure of the Seas is a cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. Together with her sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, she holds the record for the largest passenger ship ever constructed, although the Allure is 50 millimetres (2.0 in) longer than the Oasis, making her technically the largest despite the fact that both ships have identical superstructures.^[9] Designed under the name "Project Genesis", she was ordered from Aker Finnyards in February 2006 and her construction began at the Perno shipyard in Turku, Finland, in February 2008.^[10] She was named in May 2008 after a contest was held to name her and her sister.^[11] The keel of the Allure of the Seas was laid on 2 December 2008, shortly after the shipyard had been acquired by STX Europe.^[2]

History

She left the Turku shipyard on 29 October 2010, at 05:45 UTC, heading directly to her future home port of Port Everglades, near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.^[12] The ship is equipped with telescoping funnels to pass under bridges such as the Storebaelt Bridge, which she passed on 30 October 2010. While media has reported that there was only 30 centimetres (12 in) of clearance, the truth is that at the mean water level it was closer to 2–3 metres (6.6–9.8 ft) and the much-advertised squat effect, whereby vessels traveling at speed in a shallow channel will be drawn deeper into the water, did not have significant effect on the draft of the vessel.^[9]

On 11 November 2010, at approximately 09:30 EST, Allure of the Seas arrived at her home port of Port Everglades, Florida. She was greeted by thousands of fans waiting on the shore.

The ship was formally named by her godmother Princess Fiona on 28 November 2010.^[13]

Technical details

While the design length of the Allure of the Seas is the same as that of her sister, 360 metres (1,181 ft),^[4] she is actually some 50 millimetres (2 in) longer than the Oasis of the Seas. According to the shipyard, this is not intentional and such small differences in length may occur simply due to the temperature of the steel in a ship as big as this.^[9] The gross tonnage of the Allure is 225,282 and her displacement — the actual weight of the ship — is equal to that of the Oasis, which is estimated to be around 100,000 metric tons, slightly less than that of an an American Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.^[5] Her steel hull alone weighs roughly 54,000 tons.^[9]

The ship features a two-deck dance hall, a theatre with 1,380 seats, and an ice skating rink.^[14] Many of the ship's interiors were extensively decorated by muralist Clarissa Parish.^[15]

Engine Fire

Shiptracker dot com reports passengers were alerted by a bang on 7.45 p.m. on Apr 20, 2012, followed by development of smoke. Soon afterwards fire instructions were given to the crew. Shortly thereafter the captain informed the passengers that there had been an incident in the engine and that all watertight bulkheads had been closed. The entire section 6, apparently the section that includes Viking Crown Lounge, was evacuated. Some passengers on board were shocked, however, no one was injured. The ship drifted between one and two hours before continuing with the only one functioning machine left after the small and short-lived engine fire was extinguished by using the ship's high fog system which had been immediately activated to contain the fire. The ship was sailing from St. Maarten to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. The ship is expected back in Port Everglades on Apr 22. The ship arrived back in Fort Lauderdale early in the morning of Apr 22 as scheduled. In the engine room 2 fire nobody was injured, and the next sailing started on time in the evening. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. During the fire the ship had to change course briefly on its way from St. Maarten to Fort Lauderdale to keep smoke from blowing back inside the vessel. Black smoke had been billowing out of the top stacks. However, there was no visible smoke in passenger areas. Persons dining at the Chefs Table at the time were asked to move from the area for about 20 minutes, whilst the extract fans did their job. There was no panic around the ship, only a couple of youngsters showed concern, and some parents went to meet up with family members. Auxiliary power was running as at no time did the power, lights, air conditioning or water go out.^{[citation needed]}

Gallery

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  Allure of the Seas leaving Port Everglades

• 

  Allure of the Seas passing under the Storebaelt Bridge, 30 October 2010

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Allure of the Seas (ship, 2009)

• AllureoftheSeas.com
• Allure of the Seas at RoyalCaribbean.com

v t e Royal Caribbean International fleet Sovereign class Monarch of the Seas Majesty of the Seas Vision class Legend of the Seas Splendour of the Seas Grandeur of the Seas Rhapsody of the Seas Enchantment of the Seas Vision of the Seas Voyager class Voyager of the Seas Explorer of the Seas Adventure of the Seas Navigator of the Seas Mariner of the Seas Radiance class Radiance of the Seas Brilliance of the Seas Serenade of the Seas Jewel of the Seas Freedom class Freedom of the Seas Liberty of the Seas Independence of the Seas Oasis class Oasis of the Seas Allure of the Seas Former ships Song of Norway Nordic Prince Sun Viking Song of America Viking Serenade Empress of the Seas Sovereign of the Seas