The vessel that is set to become the world's largest cruise ship has been floated out in France as construction continues on the 72-metre-high liner.
Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas was tugged into port by seven boats on Saturday at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in France's Saint-Nazaire. The ship does not yet have her engines, so had to be towed into position. Construction on the 230,000-gross tonne vessel will now continue at the port before her delayed delivery to cruise operator Royal Caribbean.
Initially scheduled for completion in Spring 2021, Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas is now not set for completion until 2022 because of delays arising from the global pandemic.
When the ship does finally does set sail, it will depart from a new year-round home base in Shanghai, China.
Dubai sailing delayed
The mega cruise ship had also been scheduled to sail to Dubai in 2021 as part of its initial season at sea. Those plans for the 5,448-guest cruise ship have been temporarily shelved due to the pandemic.
Royal Caribbean is billing the gargantuan vessel as its boldest design yet and the Oasis-class ship will feature seven different neighborhoods, one of which is set to be a New York-style Central Park. The cruise liner will give travellers "thrilling experiences, imaginative dining, unparalleled entertainment and the latest technology," the cruise operator said in a statement.
The Symphony of the Seas, also operated by Royal Caribbean, is currently the largest cruise ship in the world. The 18-level ship has a similar neighbourhood design as the one touted for Wonder of the Seas, and also offers passengers access to giant swimming pools, a zip-line, water park, laser tag and Broadway-style performances.
Some sailings scheduled for mid-2021 on the Wonder of the Seas will now be operated by other cruise liners owned by Royal Carribean, including the Spectrum of the Seas and the Voyager of the Seas. The ships will depart China to cruise to several ports in Japan next year.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
AIR
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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