One month after the world’s largest cruise liner set sail, there is a new biggest ship in the works.
Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas will be the largest in the world when it takes to the ocean in 2024. It will claim the title from its sister vessel Wonder of the Seas, which had its maiden voyage from Florida to the Caribbean on March 4.
The next Oasis Class cruise ship was revealed at a steel cutting ceremony in France this week, where construction also officially got under way.
When complete, the bow of the 362-metre ship would reach the top of New York's Empire State Building if the vessel was standing vertically.
With plans for nearly 3,000 cabins on board, and a capacity for close to 10,000 passengers, it will ferry almost 3,000 more passengers than its largest sister ship.
It will also be powered by natural gas (LNG) propulsion, a welcome move as cruise lines step up efforts to make the industry more sustainable.
Details on where the ship will sail and for how long have yet to be revealed by Royal Caribbean. The original order for the vessel was placed in 2019.
All Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships feature a split structure, with multi-deck central areas where travellers can find tropical gardens, shops, restaurants and other attractions. The cruise line is known for offering unique, mega-resort-style ships with previous vessels having aquatheatres, flowboards, bumper car pavilions and some of the largest water parks at sea.
The company also offers a wide range of accommodation options on board its ships. Some have as many as 34 categories of cabins with everything from windowless interior cabins to multi-room, double-deck luxury suites that come with private overseas balconies.
The existing five Oasis Class vessels are all ranked as the world’s largest passenger ships and Utopia of the Seas will be included once it sets sail.
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What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
