Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas is completing its 15th year of service after being delivered on October 28, 2009.
Then the largest cruise ship ever built, the 225,000-ton vessel was constructed at the STX Europe shipyard in Turku, Finland.
According to the shipyard at the time, the construction of the Oasis, along with its sister ship, the Allure of the Seas, required 12,000 man-years of labor.
As the first in a new series of ships, the Oasis introduced various new features and designs, including 24 different eateries, 37 bars, and seven distinct “neighborhoods.”
One of the most iconic features introduced by the 5,400-guest ship is Central Park, a park with over 12,000 live plants.
The vessel also debuted the Rising Tide Bar, a full-size bar that acts as an elevator, rising or descending slowly between three decks.
After crossing the Atlantic with no guests onboard, the Oasis of the Seas arrived in Fort Lauderdale on November 13, 2009.
The ship then underwent final preparations before welcoming its first guests onboard six days later for a pre-inaugural celebration that included a private performance by pop music artist Rihanna.
After a series of festive sailings, the Oasis of the Seas was finally named while docked at Port Everglades on December 1, 2009.
The ceremony featured seven godmothers: Gloria Estefan, Daisy Fuentes, Shawn Johnson, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Michelle Kwan, Jane Seymour and Dara Torres.
During its maiden season, the ship offered a series of seven-night cruises to the Eastern Caribbean, featuring visits to Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in Haiti, Labadee, as well as Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas, Nassau in the Bahamas and Philipsburg in St. Maarten.
After completing a summer season in the Mediterranean, the Oasis returned to the Caribbean in late October for six- and eight-night cruises out of Fort Lauderdale.
Later joined by five sister ships, the Oasis of the Seas underwent a $165-million refurbishment in 2019 as part of the Royal Amplification refit program.
