By Michael ColemanÂ
An unnamed vessel, soon to be the largest cruise ship in the world, will feature its own onboard park complete with serene pathways, seasonal flower gardens and canopy trees.
Central Park, in fact, will be just one of seven neighborhoods aboard Royal Caribbeans latest architectural marvel, dubbed Project Genesis. The line renowned for introducing rock climbing walls, skating rinks and surf parks at sea is now outdoing itself: bringing the best of land to sea.
When the 220,000-ton vessel launches in late 2009, it will be the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world, spanning 16 decks and carrying 5,400 guests in some 2,700 staterooms.
Building such a large vessel allowed us to add even more of the choices and amenities that our guests value and Central Park is a dramatic addition to our already extensive array of exciting features, said Richard Fain, the lines chairman/CEO.Â
Added Adam Goldstein, Royal Caribbeans president/CEO: Our brand identity is founded in innovation and on delivering the best cruise vacation through ËœWOW experiences. Central Park is a true evolution of cruise ship design and allows us to provide our guests with not only a more varied selection of balcony accommodations, but also a stunning public venue that will be a central element of the ship, both during the day and at night.Â
Central Parks central piazza will be the ships town squareÂ. It will evolve from a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere during the day to a gathering space for alfresco dining and entertainment in the evening, complete with concerts and street performances. The neighborhood will be lined with balcony staterooms rising six decks, offering views of the Park below and the sky above.
Look for an array of restaurants with choices ranging from fine dining to casual chic. Passengers will have the option of an elegant dinner at the new 150 Central Park or a picnic lunch from the more casual Central Park Cafe.Â
Other dining choices will include Giovannis Table, an Italian restaurant; Vintages wine bar; and Royal Caribbeans signature Chops Grille steakhouse. Several bars will be scattered throughout the Park, including the Canopy Bar and Rising Tide bar – the first moving bar at sea. The venue will span three decks and will allow passengers the opportunity to enjoy a cocktail as they slowly ascend into Central Park.Â
Located on deck 8, the Park will also feature stylish boutique shops, showcasing a selection of upscale merchandise. The sophisticated neighborhood will include 334 staterooms overlooking the Park, 254 with balconies.
Look also for quiet reading corners; a Chess Garden with large-scale pieces; the Pergola Garden, an interpretive spot featuring vegetation from a host of Caribbean locales; and a Sculpture garden, highlighting work by international artists.
The ship will offer roundtrip Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale. In 2010, Royal Caribbean will launch a sister-ship.
