These days, of course, 88,000 tons is nothing exceptional in terms of size.

It's interesting that of 52 vessels scheduled for delivery between now and 2005, 35 are of greater than 80,000 gt. In fact, the average tonnage of all 52 ships is 81,308 gt, with an average lower berth passenger capacity of 1,912 and average newbuilding cost of $347 million.

The largest vessel to be delivered this year, also for Royal Caribbean will be Adventure of the Seas. This third ship in a series of five Voyager-class cruise ships for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line was docked out on Friday, January 5, from the newbuilding dock of Kvaerner Masa-Yards' Turku New Shipyard.

At around 140,000 gross tons, 311 m long and with a breadth at the bridge wings of 48 m, the Voyager-class ships are currently the world's biggest cruise ships. The height to the top of the stack is a giddying 63 m—and passengers can scale to almost this height on the ship's rock climbing wall!

Adventure of the Seas has a passenger capacity of 3,840 passengers accommodated in 1,557 staterooms, almost 50 percent with balconies. The crew capacity is 1,180 and the number of crew cabins is 667. The cruise ship features a four deck high horizontal promenade, the Royal Promenade.

The length of the promenade is almost half the ship's length, and it has an 11 deck high atrium at each end. Almost 10 percent of the staterooms face the Royal Promenade with bay windows. The ship's total power output, provided by a diesel-electric power station based on six Wärtsilä 12V46C diesels is 75,600 kW, with total propulsion power being 42,000 kW. Propulsion is by three 14 MW Azipods, two azimuthing, one fixed. Other mega ships due for delivery this year include the 109,000 gt Golden Princess for P&O Princess from Fincantieri.

Carnival Corporation won't be taking delivery of any post-Panamaxes this year, its next ship in its Destiny series, the 110,000 gt Carnival Conquest is scheduled for 2002 delivery from Fincantieri. Overall, Carnival Corporation currently has 16 new vessels with an estimated value of $7 billion scheduled for delivery over the next five years. These include seven vessels for its Carnival Cruise Lines unit, five for Holland America Line and three for Costa Crociere. Other interesting deliveries this year include the second newbuilding for Norwegian Cruise Lines (now owned by Star Cruises) from Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven. The hull has been completed at Aker MTW in Wismar and is now being fitted out at Lloydwerft Bremerhaven for delivery in August. Star Cruises itself will this year take delivery of the 91,000 ton SuperStar Libra from Meyer Werft.

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