Voyager-class cruise ship
{{Short description|Class of cruise ships owned by Royal Caribbean International}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
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{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:Voyager of the Seas Costa Maya 2023.jpg | Ship caption = Lead ship, Voyager of the Seas docked at Costa Maya, Mexico, on 23 August 2023 }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Builders = Kværner Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland | Operators = Royal Caribbean International | Class before = {{sclass2|Vision|cruise ship|4}} | Class after = {{sclass|Radiance|cruise ship|4}} | Subclasses = | Built range = 1998–2003[https://vesselregister.dnv.com/vesselregister/details/19902 DNV: Voyager of the Seas], retrieved 11 May 2024. | In service range = | Total ships building = | Total ships planned =5 | Total ships completed = 5 | Total ships cancelled = | Total ships active = 5 | 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|138,000}} | Ship displacement = 68,000 tons | Ship length = {{convert|1021.40|ft|m|disp=flip|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|157.50|ft|m|disp=flip|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship draft = {{convert|29|ft|m|disp=flip|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = | Ship decks = 15 | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship sail plan = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = | Ship speed = {{convert|22|kn|lk=in}} | Ship capacity = 3,114 passengers{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} | Ship crew = 1,185{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} | Ship notes = }} |
The Voyager class refers to a design of post-Panamax cruise ships owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. The Voyager-class ships were built at Kværner Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland.
There are two generations of Voyager-class ship which feature slight differences in design. The first generation ships, {{ship||Voyager of the Seas}}, {{ship||Explorer of the Seas}} and {{ship||Adventure of the Seas}}, were launched between 1999 and 2001. The second generation ships {{ship||Navigator of the Seas}} and {{ship||Mariner of the Seas}} were launched in 2002 and 2003 respectively.{{Cite web |title=Voyager-Class.com - Comparison between the first- and second-generation Voyager-class ships |url=https://voyager-class.com/design/process/comparison/comparison.html |access-date=11 September 2022 |website=voyager-class.com}}
History
File:Royal Promenade, Explorer of the Seas 01.jpg
The Voyager class was named Project Eagle prior to launch. The project began in 1995 after a series of marketing studies. Eagle aimed to attract cruisers who did not consider themselves "cruise ship people".{{Cite web |title=Voyager-Class.com - Design and building of the Voyager-class ships |url=https://voyager-class.com/design/process/story/story.html |access-date=11 September 2022 |website=voyager-class.com}}
Voyager of the Seas was the first of Royal Caribbean's ships to feature a large open space in the centre of the ship known as the Royal Promenade, which has become a staple of future Royal Caribbean International ships, as well as being adopted by other cruise lines in various forms. The Royal Promenade was inspired by Harri Kulovaara, who was VP of Quality Assurance at RCI in the 1990s, who designed a similar feature on a Silja Lines ferry.
Design
Voyager-class ships have a diesel-electric powertrain. They are powered by six Wärtsilä 46 diesel engines, giving a total output of {{convert|75,600|kW|lk=on}}.{{cite web |url=http://voyager-class.com/design/process/facts/facts.html |title=Voyager Facts |access-date=18 June 2016}} The generated electric power supplies power to the 14 megawatt ABB Azipod azimuth thrusters (two steerable and one fixed).
The Voyager class featured some world firsts for cruise ships when it debuted, including the first rock climbing wall[http://cruiseshipguide.com/ship-100004/ cruiseshipguide.com] Retrieved June 2016 (mounted on the funnel) and ice-skating rink at sea.
The class' architecture was assigned to different architects and firms, some of which had no previous cruise ship experience. For example, the 1,350-seat La Scala Theatre on Voyager of the seas was designed by architect Wilson Butler Lodge, inspired by the Milan Opera House and bringing cruise-first features of Broadway theatres. This is the first time Royal Caribbean used theatre planning and design consultants for its onboard theatres.{{Cite web |title=Royal Caribbean International – Voyager of the Seas, La Scala Theatre |url=https://fda-online.com/portfolio/royal-caribbean-international-voyager-la-scala-theatre/ |access-date=11 September 2022 |website=Fisher Dachs Associates |language=en-US}}
= First and second generations =
The first and second generations of the Voyager class differ slightly in design. Navigator of the Seas introduced wider glass balconies to the class. A number of public venues were changed, such as the retirement of the Aquarium Bar, Sports Bar and Island Grill and the introduction of Bolero's Bar, Vintages wine bar, Portofino, Chops Grille, Jade and the Plaza. The youth and teen areas were also reconfigured, the newer ships removing the children's pool area at the aft of the ship.
Modification history
In 2012, {{ship||Mariner of the Seas}} was modified to include an outdoor movie screen and new passenger lounges. These same changes were made to {{MS|Adventure of the Seas||2}} in 2014. {{MS|Navigator of the Seas||2}}, {{MS|Voyager of the Seas||2}}, and {{MS|Explorer of the Seas||2}} replaced their inline skating tracks with Flowrider surf simulators in 2014 and 2015.{{cite web |title=VOYAGER CLASS FLOWRIDER REFURBISHMENT |url=http://www.mobimar.com/news-voyager_class_flowrider_refurbishment |work=Mobimar.com |access-date=27 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307203825/http://www.mobimar.com/news-voyager_class_flowrider_refurbishment |archive-date=7 March 2014 |url-status=dead }}
Ships
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/class/home.do?shipClassCode=VY&br=R Royal Caribbean factsheet on the Voyager class]
{{Royal Caribbean Cruise International Ships}}