Freedom-class cruise ship
{{Short description|Group of Royal Caribbean cruise ships}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
| infobox caption = }} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:Freedom of the Seas (ship, 2006) Docked in Grand Cayman - April 24, 2025.cropped.jpg | Ship caption = Freedom of the Seas, the lead vessel, docked at George Town, Grand Cayman on 24 April 2025 }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Builders = Aker Finnyards Turku Shipyard, Finland | Operators = Royal Caribbean International | Class before = {{sclass|Radiance|cruise ship|4}} | Class after = {{sclass|Oasis|cruise ship|4}} | Subclasses = | Built range = 2004–2008 | In service range = 2006–present | Total ships building = | Total ships planned = 4 | Total ships completed = 3 | Total ships cancelled = 1{{Citation needed|date=June 2012}} | Total ships active = 3 | Total ships laid up = | Total ships lost = | Total ships retired = | Total ships preserved = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Cruise ship | Ship tonnage = {{GT|154,407}} | Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|1111|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on|disp=flip}} | Ship beam = *{{convert|126|ft|8|in|m|1|abbr=on | disp=flip}} at waterline
| disp=flip}} bridge wings
| Ship height = {{convert|209|ft|m|1|abbr=on|disp=flip}} above water line | Ship draught = | Ship draft = {{convert|28|ft|m|1|abbr=on|disp=flip}} | Ship depth = | Ship decks = 18 total, 15 passenger | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship sail plan = | Ship power = 6 × Wärtsilä 12V46 diesels each rated at {{convert|12.6|MW|hp|abbr=on}} driving electric generators at 514 rpm | Ship propulsion = 3 × ABB Azipod podded electric propulsion units, two of them azimuthing, one fixed. 4 additional bow thrusters. | Ship speed = {{convert|21.6|kn|lk=in}} | Ship capacity = 4,370 passengers (double occupancy) | Ship crew = 1,300 (average) | Ship notes = Extended version of second generation Voyager class }} |
The Freedom class is a group of three cruise ships for Royal Caribbean International. The first ship of the class, {{MS|Freedom of the Seas||2}}, was the largest passenger ship in the world, and the largest ever built in terms of passenger capacity and gross tonnage, when it was built in 2006. These two records were then shared by all three ships until the construction of {{ship||Oasis of the Seas}} was completed in November 2009.
Freedom of the Seas left Aker Finnyards Turku Shipyard, Finland on 24 April 2006 and started regular sailings out of Miami the next month. The second ship of the class, {{ship||Liberty of the Seas}}, sailed on its maiden voyage on 19 May 2007. The third ship of the class, {{ship||Independence of the Seas}}, was delivered and started work out of Southampton in April 2008.
Design
File:Freedom-Class Comparison.jpg
The Freedom-class ships are similar in design and layout to the earlier second-generation {{sclass|Voyager|cruise ship|4}}, including an ice skating rink and a {{convert|136|m|ft|abbr=on|adj=}} central atrium{{Cite web |title=Freedom of the Seas - Cruise Ship |url=https://www.ship-technology.com/projects/freedomofthesea/ |access-date=11 September 2022 |website=Ship Technology |language=en-US}} named the Royal Promenade, featuring a pub, shops, arcades, bars, and a 24-hour Cafe Promenade. New features added to the Freedom class include the FlowRider surf park, cantilevered whirlpools, and the H2O Zone waterpark.
The first ship, Freedom of the Seas, is estimated to have cost US$800 million.
Future
In March 2008, Aker Yards and Royal Caribbean announced a memorandum of agreement for a fourth ship in the class, subject to board approval and finalization of terms and conditions, but no actual order for the ship was ever announced.{{cite web |url=http://www.akeryards.fi/?page=580&xml=A/134984/PR/200803/1197215 |title=Possible Fourth Freedom Vessel To Be Built By Aker Yards |accessdate=3 March 2008 |date=3 March 2008 |format= |publisher=Aker Yards press release |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080417010148/http://www.akeryards.fi/?page=580&xml=A%2F134984%2FPR%2F200803%2F1197215 |archive-date=17 April 2008 |url-status=dead }} In 2011, Royal Caribbean announced that it had ordered two ships from the similarly sized {{sclass|Quantum|cruise ship|4}}, making an order for a fourth Freedom-class ship unlikely.{{Cite web |url=http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsarticle&id=1528198 |title=Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD. : Investor Relations : Press Releases |access-date=10 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413014621/http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsarticle&id=1528198 |archive-date=13 April 2013 |url-status=dead }}
Ships
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/class/home.do?shipClassCode=FR&br=R Royal Caribbean webpage for the Freedom class]
{{Royal Caribbean Cruise International Ships}}