Quantum-class Cruise Ship

The ''Quantum'' class is a class of cruise ships from Royal Caribbean International, previously known by the code name ''Project Sunshine''.

History

''Quantum'' class

On 11 February 2011, Royal Caribbean announced that they had ordered the first of a new class of ships from Meyer Werft, scheduled to be delivered by Fall 2014. At the time, the project was code-named "Project Sunshine". Later that year, two 20.5-megawatt ABB Azipod XO propulsion units were ordered for that ship. On 29 February 2012, the company announced that a second "Project Sunshine" ship had been ordered and would be delivered by Spring 2015, and ordered identical Azipod propulsion units shortly thereafter. Just under a year later, on 31 January 2013, steel cutting was performed for the first ship. The same day, Royal Caribbean announced the official name of the new class of ships, ''Quantum'' class, as well as the names of the first two ships in the class, ''Quantum of the Seas'' and ''Anthem of the Seas''.

''Quantum of the Seas'' was delivered on 28 October 2014. ''Quantum of the Seas'' spent its inaugural 2014–2015 season sailing from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey. Beginning late June 2015, the ship began sailing three- to eight-night itineraries year-round from Shanghai to Japan and South Korea.

''Anthem of the Seas'' was delivered to Royal Caribbean on 10 April 2015. The ship spent its inaugural 2015 season sailing from Southampton, Hampshire, UK.

On 30 May 2013, Royal Caribbean announced that they had signed a contract with Meyer Werft for a third ''Quantum''-class ship for delivery in mid-2016. On 18 September 2014, the name of the third ''Quantum''-class ship was announced to be ''Ovation of the Seas''. ''Ovation of the Seas'' was delivered to Royal Caribbean on 8 April 2016. The ship was originally planned to homeport in Tianjin to sail in Asia, but moved to Sydney in June 2016 to begin cruising in Oceania seasonally. She debuted in Alaska in the summer of 2019.

''Quantum'' Ultra class

On 7 May 2015, Royal Caribbean entered into an agreement with Meyer Werft for a fourth ''Quantum''-class ship for delivery in 2019, subject to financing and other conditions. Royal Caribbean announced on 26 April 2017, that the fourth ''Quantum''-class ship would not only be designed and based in the Asia-Pacific region; but will also be based on a new ''Quantum'' Ultra-class design.
In June 2018, it was revealed that the fourth ship would be ''Spectrum of the Seas''. It can accommodate 4,246 guests at double occupancy and 1,551 international crew members.

On 3 November 2015, Royal Caribbean entered into an agreement with Meyer Werft for a fifth ''Quantum''-class ship, also a ''Quantum'' Ultra-class ship and the sister ship to the first ''Quantum'' Ultra-class ship. Scheduled to be delivered in April 2021, it was given the name, ''Odyssey of the Seas'', on 1 February 2019. She is the first ''Quantum''-class ship to be homeported in South Florida, at Port Everglades.

Design

The ''Quantum'' class represented a different direction for Royal Caribbean. The and designs evolved into the , which was considered the pinnacle in terms of scale and facilities. By contrast, the ''Quantum''-class lineage is closer to that of the , which was designed for cruising in cooler climates. The ''Quantum'' class is smaller than the preceding ''Oasis'' class, just as the ''Radiance'' class is smaller than the preceding ''Voyager'' class. Nonetheless, despite not being Royal Caribbean's largest class of ship, the ''Quantum'' class has pioneered several new innovations to the cruise line.

Staterooms

''Quantum''-class ships have 16 passenger-accessible decks, 8 of which feature balcony staterooms overlooking the ocean. All balcony staterooms above the lifeboats are recessed into the superstructure and do not look down directly at the ocean. There are a total of 2,090 staterooms: 1,570 balcony staterooms, 147 ocean-view staterooms, and 373 inside staterooms. Of those staterooms, 34 are wheelchair accessible and 28 are studio staterooms for single travelers (including 12 studio staterooms with balconies). All aft-facing staterooms are 2-story "loft" suites. All interior staterooms feature a floor-to-ceiling, 80-inch high-definition TV screen showing live views from the outside of the ship, which Royal Caribbean calls a "Virtual Balcony". On average, staterooms on the ''Quantum'' class are 9 percent larger than those on the preceding ''Oasis'' class.

Features

A new feature on the ''Quantum'' class is "RipCord by iFLY", a skydiving simulator set in a recirculating indoor recreational vertical wind tunnel. Another innovation on the ''Quantum'' class is the "North Star" observation tower, located at the forward end of the top deck. It uses a glass-walled capsule on the end of a crane arm to lift groups of up to 14 guests up and over the edge of the ship, reaching heights of up to above sea level.

Royal Caribbean introduced the first escape room experience on a cruise ship on the ''Anthem of the Seas'' in partnership with Puzzle Break, billed the "Escape from the Future." ''Spectrum of the Seas'' was the first ''Quantum''-class ship to install Sky Pad, a virtual reality experience with a trampoline and bungee ropes for guests to undergo different simulations and play interactive games.

Like the earlier and ''Oasis-class'' ships, the "Sports Court" on the aft of deck 15 features a complimentary Wave Loch Flowrider surf simulator and a rock-climbing wall. Other complimentary outdoor features are located on deck 14, including an outdoor pool with a large video screen, an indoor pool with a retractable roof, an indoor "Solarium" with an adults-only pool, and the "H2O Zone" kids' water park, featuring the first wave pool on a cruise ship, and at least four whirlpools. Throughout the ship, staples included on recent Royal Caribbean ships that are also in ''Quantum''-class ships include a Spa and Fitness Center on decks 15 and 16, the "Adventure Ocean" kids club on decks 11 and 12, a Broadway-style "The Royal Theater" on decks 3–5, and a casino on deck 3. Unlike the earlier ''Voyager'', ''Freedom'', and ''Oasis'' classes, ''Quantum''-class ships do not feature a Viking Crown Lounge or ice skating rink, and the Royal Promenade mall down the center of the ship is replaced with the two-story "Royal Esplanade".

Engineering

''Quantum''-class ships are powered by two Azipod XO thrusters that have a capacity of and four bow thrusters with a power output of each. The diesel-electric propulsion system powers the ships for a cruising speed of . Wärtsilä provides the two scrubbers on each ship that enable a reduced sulfur emission output and a cleaner exhaust. ''Quantum''-class ships use an air lubrication system (ALS) to reduce the friction in the water in order to improve the performance of the vessel during cruising.

Ships

References

External links

Meyer Werft Ship Yard
official website.

Royal Caribbean
official website.

{{Royal Caribbean Cruise International Ships

Ships built in Papenburg
Cruise ship classes
Royal Caribbean International