The Hopeful Traveler: Keeping A Cruise Ship Afloat: Oasis of the Seas

The Oasis of the Seas docks in Port Everglades where every Saturday
by 6am, semi-trucks unload 750 pallets of food, flowers and supplies.

Entertainment deck
(all photos: Barbara P. Fernandez/WSJ)

The Wall Street Journal published an interesting article about keeping 6,300 people fed, housed and having the time of their life while on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Here's some info about and what it takes to operate the Oasis of the Seas operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Five times as large as the Titanic.
Population during a seven-day Caribbean sailing is larger than many American small towns.
More than 8,600 are on board when fully booked including staff.
As long as five Airbus A380 airplanes.
Includes a small-scale imitation of New York's Central Park surrounded by some of the ship's 24 restaurants.
Three smokestacks can retract to pass under the bridges.
Includes a helicopter landing pad for emergencies.
The ship has a jail where lawbreakers are held until the ship can reach port.
Entertainment options includes a carousel.
700 tons of new supplies are loaded each Saturday.
Guests consume about 20 gallons of maraschino cherries and 80,000 bottles of bear.
Activity spots include two rock climbing walls, a zip line and surf machines.
Competitor Carnival Corp compares the ship to the Mall of America.
The ship is too big to dock in popular spots such as Venice and Bermuda.
The outdoor Aqua Show is cancelled about once a week due to rough seas.
Dozens of people and 18 robots wash windows each day.
The laundry room hums 24-hours a day with 34 crew members.
20,000 pieces of linen such as towels, table cloths and sheets are washed daily.
Three doctors are on board.
An intensive care unit can keep one peers at a time on life support.
One of ship's doctor reports that ever few weeks a passengers has a heart attack.
During a seven-day sailing, the medical staff dispenses about 2,000-3,000 meclizine (a drug that treats seasickness).
200 crew members are dedicated to entertaining passengers.
26 kitchens feed the thousands on board.
Each Saturday trucks unload about 750 pallets of food, flowers and supplies on to the ship.
Supplies are fluctuated: When more Germans are on board, extra pork is ordered; Americans tend to favor chicken and beef; in the summer when lots of families sail, more ingredients for Caesar salad is needed.
To prevent disease, food storage, food preparation and actual cooking are done in separate areas.
Weights 225,282 tons.
Three Azipods (giant propellers) under the ship's belly can rotate 360 degrees.