Cruise line’s Genesis of large ships

[Jason]

Cruise line's Genesis of large ships

By Associated Press

MIAMI - Royal Caribbean Cruises has ordered a second 220,000-gross-ton ship at the cost of about $1.4 billion, which would give the company the world's two largest cruise ships by 2010.

The ship, part of the Royal Caribbean International brand's "Project Genesis," will hold 5,400 passengers, the Miami-based company said. The ship will be built at Aker Yards in Finland and will become the 24th vessel in the Royal Caribbean International fleet when delivered by the projected date of August 2010.

Royal Caribbean announced last year it was building its first Project Genesis ship, with delivery projected in fall 2009. That ship will become the largest in the world when completed -- bigger than Royal Caribbean's 160,000-gross-ton Freedom class vessels: the Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Independence of the Seas.

The Freedom of the Seas already is sailing a Caribbean itinerary. The Liberty of the Seas is set for delivery in May, while the Independence of the Seas is set for delivery in May 2008.

The cruise industry has 34 ships on order for delivery by the end of 2011, adding more than 80,000 berths at the cost of more than $15 billion.

[sailingrose]

When is this big too big? Unless I was going for free, I wouldn't set foot on a ship this size. I won't go on the Freedom class ones either. I wish RCI would build more middle size ships as these large ones just can't dock at many ports limiting the itineraries.