Sunday, April 18, 2010

Talking with the Captain and Hotel Director of Oasis of the Seas








Many ships have held the title of world’s largest cruise ship in recent years. With numerous new ships coming out of the shipyards, the title has changed hands seemingly every few years. However, it is unlikely that any ship will take the title away from Oasis of the Seas for some time. She is half again larger than the ships that held the title before her and aside from her sister ship Allure of the Seas now under construction in Finland, there is nothing being built that will come anywhere near to her in size.

However, for Captain Thore Thorolvsen, master of the Oasis, size is the wrong focus. A reflective man who has been with Royal Caribbean began, the Captain considers all the talk about Oasis’ size to be almost a distraction from what makes the ship unique. To him, the contents of the ship are what makes it great.

Having served with Royal Caribbean so long, Captain Thorolvsen was also able to place Oasis in context. Yes, Oasis is a revolutionary ship. However, that does not mean that the rest of the ships in Royal’s fleet are now obsolete.

My conversation with Captain Thrololvsen appears at: http://www.beyondships.com/RCI-OOS-art-captain.html

Raimund Gschaider, the Hotel Director of Oasis, was intimately involved in the construction of Oasis of the Seas. As a result, he is able to talk about what Royal Caribbean was seeking to achieve when it built this ship.

In addition, as the Hotel Director, he is involved in the actual operation of the ship. He knows who the ship appeals to. He can also explain how a ship that carries 6,000 passengers - - more than a thousand more than any other cruise ship - - is able to operate with no significant lines or crowding.

My conversation with Mr. Gschaider is at: http://www.beyondships.com/RCI-OOS-art-HD.html


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