NCAAbbs

Largest cruise ship squeezes under Danish bridge

By JAN M. OLSEN, Associated Press Writer Jan M. Olsen, Associated Press Writer – Sun Nov 1, 9:23 am ET
KORSOER, Denmark – The world's largest cruise ship cleared a crucial obstacle Sunday, lowering its smokestacks to squeeze under a bridge in Denmark.

The Oasis of the Seas — which rises about 20 stories high — passed below the Great Belt Fixed Link with a slim margin as it left the Baltic Sea on its maiden voyage to Florida.

Bridge operators said that even after lowering its telescopic smokestacks the giant ship had less than a 2-foot (half-meter) gap.

Hundreds of people gathered on beaches at both ends of the bridge, waiting for hours to watch the brightly lit behemoth sail by shortly after midnight (2300GMT; 7 p.m. EDT).

"It was fantastic to see it glide under the bridge. Boy, it was big," said Kurt Hal, 56.

Company officials are banking that its novelty will help guarantee its success. Five times larger than the Titanic, the $1.5 billion ship has seven neighborhoods, an ice rink, a small golf course and a 750-seat outdoor amphitheater. It has 2,700 cabins and can accommodate 6,300 passengers and 2,100 crew members.

Accommodations include loft cabins, with floor-to-ceiling windows, and 1,600-square-foot (487-meter) luxury suites with balconies overlooking the sea or promenades.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091101/ap_o...ruise_ship

"We're gonna need a bigger boa....Never mind."

It's another Royal Caribbean Pig/Floating Hotel that would get owned by a real Ocean Liner like the QM2.

I wish it fair seas in its crossing. It'll need 'em.

It is to be based at Ft. Lauderdale, FL so we can run out to see it next time we are in town.

How many Evinrude 75s does that thing have hanging off the back? I imagine it would take 4 or 5 to make that big sucker move.

Don't know how big the engines are on that thing, but I'm guessing it has 12-14 cylinder engines. I've seen some with cylinders that were 3-4 feet across. Check out this bad boy.....Really big engine