# 'Oasis of The Seas' - merged threads



## david freeman (Jan 26, 2006)

Today Thursday 16 Oct 2014, I have just finished my scan of the Daily Telegraph. Within the paper there is a photgraph of the new vessel 'Oasis of the SEAS' which was visiting Southampton Yesterday.
I have some questions to pose to any of you out there as to your views on this august passenger ship.
My observations are, with respect to the angle of the photograph:
1/ She looks wrong and not such an easy seagoing vessel, in times of angry seas.
2/ The postioning of the Nav Lights port and starboard look to be higher than the regs as I knew them, from sea level (all though I suspect at bridge level)
3/ The lifeboats if the vessel is damaged and lists to 15 degees either port or starboard, can they be launched-Another factor is it is a most peoples instincts to reach for a higher deck in times of emergency, and there appears no promanard decks on the starboard side (As shown) with ladders to and from each upper deck to access the lifeboats on the lower deck level. How are the lifeboats accessed?
4/ Should a major fire occurr on the uppermost decks: What is the structural fire protection Passive(FIRE DIVISIONAL BULKHEADS AND SMOKE DETECTION) or active with sprinker systems- (Wet or Dry). Should a sprinker system be employed or designed how is the stability of the vessel, calculated, And how is the release of water over large deck area controlled -Controlled, to prevent listing, and posiblle lack of stability. Or in fact considered on troop ships when going through Suez, if all the passengers congregated on the upper decks and to one sde- to hail; passing ships friends, there were I believe counter balanacing water ballast tanks abobe the Margin line? WHAT HAPPENS HERE ON THIS VESSEL IF PASSENGERS AND CREW ARE REQUIRED TO CONGREGATE ON ONE SIDE OF THE VESSEL FOR ANY REASON?
5/ The length/breadth ratio looks ackward, and wrong, what is the speed of the vessel, and is it fitted with stablisers?
6/ From the angle of the photograph there appears little underwater hull- Draft for such a high built superstructure. She must have a lot of permanent ballast in some form or another within the lower hull? Fuel out water in will not make this ballast/ stability problem go away?
7 I forgot does this ship sink on an even keel? with respect to trim and heel- Remember the unforseen and the 'Titanic' in 1912.
8/ She looks an ugly ducking, and in engineering parlance what looks wrong generally is wrong?B\)
I trust I am spouting rubbish!!!
I see from 'wikapedia the ship has been at sea since 2010, so maybe I am spouting out of my backside-Apologises_ However the recent photo does the vessel no justice!


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Come on David, she was designed and built using CAD/CAM what could possibly go wrong? CAD/CAM does not take beautiful lines into account, just pack them onboard to make max profit.


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

David

As you have observed, Oasis of the Seas is not new. She was launched in November 2008 and delivered to Royal Caribbean International in October 2009. She has a sister, Allure of the Seas delivered a year later, her maiden voyage on 1st December 2010. Both are 225,282gt, with around 5,400 passengers and 2,384 crew.

Oasis of the Seas is the largest cruise ship to visit Southampton. I have posted two pictures of her passing Cowes in the gallery. She is in our neck of the woods because she has been in dry dock in Rotterdam for her first major refit. I think Rotterdam is the only port to have a dry dock large enough. She called at Southampton yesterday on a 13 day transatlantic cruise from Rotterdam to Port Everglades where she is usually based. Her next port is Vigo, but when she crosses tthe Atlantic she could run into Hurricane Gonzalo, which I am covering in Cruises & Cruising, so that could be interesting (EEK)


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## Philthechill (May 8, 2007)

*Do they never learn?*

I've just seen a picture of that "Oasis of the Seas" and one thing struck me above all the "biggest this", "biggest that" litany of "facts-and-figures".

She only has NINE lifeboats per side!

Considering she carries a total of 8592 passengers-and-crew a simple calculation (8592/9) means that if she has an accident and is in danger of sinking, with a list, she would need to cram 955 people into every boat!!!

Or do they look at the chances of the ship having an "Abandon ship!" accident, with total cynicism, and work on the principle of, "Oh come on! WHAT are the chances of THAT happening?".

A similar "none-event", I suppose, as the flooding, by that tsunami, of the below ground-level emergency generators at that nuclear power-plant in Japan!

You can just imagine, during an "Emergencies-which-may-happen" meeting, prior to the building of the Plant-----"Just supposing there was a tsunami and the emergency generators were flooded and couldn't be used. Then there would be no cooling-water to the reactors and there would be a melt-down!".

The doomsayer, who came up with this "gem", would be laughed-out of the Meeting.

History tells a different story!!!

However getting back to the lack of lifeboats on the "Oasis of the Seas". 

I suppose they work on the principle that the chances of such a total-loss situation, (of the ship), is so miniscule the lack of lifeboats isn't even worth considering.

(How does that prayer go again? "Oh Lord! Thy sea is so big and my boat is so small").

Actually I don't think those ARE lifeboats----more like "passenger-transferring-tenders"!

Jobs comforter----Moi! As if! Salaams, Phil(Hippy)


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## Pete D Pirate (Jan 8, 2014)

'
Phil,
Check the existing thread on Ship Research.

Cheers,
Pete.


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

As people are aware RN vessels carry high manning levels on their vessels to cover the extra 'equipment' they carry. They have never counted the ships boats as part of the lifesaving equipment because they could be damaged in battle. The lifesaving equipment is based on the various sorts of rafts that have been developed and tested over the years. 8 and 20 man inflatable use to be the size along with Lifejackets. The craft on this vessel look more like Tenders than Lifeboats. It would appear that they are also relying on automatically inflated Life rafts to cover the number of people onboard if the vessel sank.The rafts would be herded and tied together by those lucky enough to grab a seat in the motorised Tenders, I would suggest that is the plan anyway.


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

I have merged the two threads. My son went across to Southampton to see Oasis of the Seas close up, and could not believe how huge she is.


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2013/1...is-of-the-seas-prepare-to-become-a-navy-seal/

According to this site each life boat carries 354 passengers + 16 crew to operate each boat. The remaining crew are to slide down 60 feet long 'tunnels' into inflatable life rafts per the attached image from this site.

Attached:

Oasis Chute and Raft -2Emergency Chute 3(1).jpg (98.1 KB)

Greg Hayden


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

As I have said in another thread, it is an awful long way from the top to the boat deck - or is that term redundant in this instance. As to the number of people in a lifeboat, I was once told by an RNLI Inspector a few years ago that the numbers on the sides of RNLI boats .....87-001 etc..... means 87 persons. This was virtually an open boat and he said that if you were number 88 you'd find somewhere !!!!

I thought that the call at Vigo meant they were trying to avoid the worst of the weather, but as Pompyfan says.....we shall see. I certainly would not like to be in a big sea on that.

David
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## Alfred Ford (Aug 5, 2010)

Besides, aren't those lifeboats/tenders rather close to the water as per photo in #9? What could/would happen to them in heavy seas (hurricane Gonzalo)? Damaged/washed away?


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## vinnie05 (Apr 25, 2009)

Having spent almost 50 years working on the design of various vessels, I looked at the photos in yesterdays newspapers and the my first thought was, thats one ship I would not use! I'm sure that all the safety rules have been implemented but the idea of hitting a real storm is simply beyond believe. If something serious happens, how do you evacuate over 7000 people in a short timespan. Simply impossible.


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

HAL Captain Albert

http://www.hollandamericablog.com/2014/10/17/17-oct-2014-at-sea/

On a cruise ship that just came out of the shipyard deadheading to her first passenger loading port. Describes their shipboard fire fighting drill, that they were able to do with a realistic situation including blinding smoke, since there were no passengers on board. I find it very interesting. 

Greg Hayden


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## ben27 (Dec 27, 2012)

good day kewl dude.sm,17th oct.2014.05:28.#8re:'oasis of the seas-merged threads,great link about life boat construction and capability.you would like to think they would act as shown in a true situation.great post,regards ben27


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## TC2 (May 31, 2011)

david.hopcroft said:


> As I have said in another thread, it is an awful long way from the top to the boat deck - or is that term redundant in this instance. As to the number of people in a lifeboat, I was once told by an RNLI Inspector a few years ago that the numbers on the sides of RNLI boats .....87-001 etc..... means 87 persons. This was virtually an open boat and he said that if you were number 88 you'd find somewhere !!!!
> 
> I thought that the call at Vigo meant they were trying to avoid the worst of the weather, but as Pompyfan says.....we shall see. I certainly would not like to be in a big sea on that.
> 
> ...


The numbers on the side of an RNLI Lifeboat refer to the length of the boat and to the number of boats of that type. IE 12-34
is a 12 metre Mersey class and the 34th boat in the class. I think RNLI Inspector was pulling your leg.(Jester)


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Yes TC, I remember now. We were talking - a good while ago - about an Oakley, 37-10 . It was largely an open boat and I think he said it was ranked at 80 something capacity. Having been invited to join an exercise trip, I found difficult to reconcile so many people on such a small space. That was when he said about 'finding somewhere'

David
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