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The Freedom class is a group of three cruise ships for Royal Caribbean International. The first ship of the class, Freedom of the Seas, 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 Oasis of the Seas was completed in November 2009.
 Freedom of the Seas in Oslo, 2006.
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Aker Finnyards Turku Shipyard, Finland |
| Operators | Royal Caribbean International |
| Preceded by | Radiance class |
| Succeeded by | Oasis class |
| Built | 2004–2008 |
| In service | 2006–present |
| Planned | 4 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Cancelled | 1[citation needed] |
| Active | 3 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Cruise ship |
| Tonnage | 154,407 GT |
| Length | 338.8 m (1,111 ft 6 in) |
| Beam |
|
| Height | 63.7 m (209 ft) above water line |
| Draft | 8.5 m (28 ft) |
| Decks | 18 total, 15 passenger |
| Installed power | 6 × Wärtsilä 12V46 diesels each rated at 12.6 MW (16,900 hp) driving electric generators at 514 rpm |
| Propulsion | 3 × ABB Azipod podded electric propulsion units, two of them azimuthing, one fixed. 4 additional bow thrusters. |
| Speed | 21.6 knots (40.0 km/h; 24.9 mph) |
| Capacity | 4,370 passengers (double occupancy) |
| Crew | 1,300 (average) |
| Notes | Extended version of second generation Voyager class |
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, Liberty of the Seas, sailed on its maiden voyage on 19 May 2007. The third ship of the class, Independence of the Seas, was delivered and started work out of Southampton in April 2008.
Design
edit
The Freedom-class ships are similar in design and layout to the earlier second-generation Voyager class, including an ice skating rink and a 136 m (446 ft) central atrium[1] 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.[1]
Future
editIn 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.[2] In 2011, Royal Caribbean announced that it had ordered two ships from the similarly sized Quantum class, making an order for a fourth Freedom-class ship unlikely.[3]
Ships
edit| Ship | Year built | Entered service with Royal Caribbean |
Gross tonnage | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom of the Seas | 2006 | 4 June 2006 | 156,271[4] | Largest cruise ship in the world, 2006–2009. Refurbished January 2015. Underwent amplification in early 2020. | |
| Liberty of the Seas | 2007 | 19 May 2007 | 155,889[5] | Originally named Endeavor of the Seas before construction started.[6] | |
| Independence of the Seas | 2008 | 2 May 2008 | 155,889[4] | Refurbished April 2013 and April 2018. |
References
edit- ^ a b "Freedom of the Seas - Cruise Ship". Ship Technology. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
- ^ "Possible Fourth Freedom Vessel To Be Built By Aker Yards". Aker Yards press release. 3 March 2008. Archived from the original on 17 April 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
- ^ "Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD. : Investor Relations : Press Releases". Archived from the original on 2013-04-13. Retrieved 2013-04-10.
- ^ a b "2016-2017 Royal Caribbean Fleet Guide" (PDF). Royal Caribbean International. 26 February 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
- ^ "Liberty of the Seas (26180)". Vessel Register for DNV. DNV. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
- ^ "Endeavor of the Seas Trademark Information". Trademarkia. Retrieved 22 April 2018.