Can they make them any bigger?

When Royal Caribbean released its Freedom Class ships, with the wave simulator, ice skating rink and boxing ring, we couldn’t believe ships could get much better. Well they have.

Their new announcement of the Oasis of the Seas — which will sail around late November or early December of 2009 — will be 16 decks high! The ship will feature seven neighborhoods — Pool Zone, Sports Zone, Spa, Fitness, Royal Promenade, Central Park and Boardwalk. The ship will accommodate 5,400 guests, 2,700 staterooms based
on double occupancy.

For the kids, the H20 zone will feature a giant octopus with slides and water spraying tentacles.

There will also be a dedicated infant and toddler pool, featuring adult and child-size lounge chairs. The ship will also offer the first beach pool, which offers a sloped entry, where guests can wade into the water as if they were at the ocean. Beach chairs will be available where the water runs underneath.

The adult dedicated area, Solarium, will give you the sensation of floating on air from the two-deck-high glass paneled enclave designed with seating on various “islands” surrounded by water. This area will also offer four cantilevered whirlpools suspended 136 feet above the ocean. The sports pool will offer morning lap swimming and then in the afternoon it will feature sports such as water polo, basketball and badminton.

This ship will also have two flowrider surf simulators, each larger then the one on the Freedom class ships. It will also feature an enormous rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, boxing ring and self-leveling pool tables. A nine-hole miniature golf area will be featured along with a sports court offering basketball and volleyball. Guess what? A Zip-Line will be a main attraction, yes a Zip- Line expanding over an area the size of a football field!

A feature never offered before is the area called Central Park, featuring 300 staterooms that rise six decks above to overlook the area. You will see a tranquil outdoor space, open to the sky, with three themed garden spaces. A steakhouse, Italian restaurant, indoor/outdoor gourmet market, wine bar, upscale specialty gift store, art gallery and portrait studio will also be offered.

Think you have heard it all? Think again, in the new Boardwalk area you will find an Aqua Theatre, which is the first amphitheater ever offered at sea.

At night it will feature theatrical performances featuring acrobatics, synchronized swimming, water ballet, professional high diving and fountain shows synchronized to music and lights.

The Boardwalk area will also offer, for the first time ever, a carousel for the young. There are plenty of games, amusements and attractions, such as Johnny Rockets, a seafood shack, coffee and a doughnut shop, a candy shop and an ice-cream parlor as well as a kids and teens retail shop, a novelty photo shop, a psychic and a tattoo parlor!

Let’s not forget the Royal Promenade area offering a pizzeria, coffee bar, Latin bar, champaign bar, men’s salon, a fine jewlery shop, photo gallery and the Rising Tide Pub. I have to mention that the Rising Tub is a levitating bar that ascends and descends over three decks, decks five to eight. It’s amazing!

Royal Caribbean will offer 37 room categories aboard this ship, including two level “loft” style cabins with floor to ceiling double height windows.

I feel one of the most popular categories will be the Boardwalk Balcony cabins where you overlook the boardwalk area but you can also see out to the ocean; it’s the best of both worlds.

So if you think you have experienced cruising, you better think again, as it just got a whole lot bigger and better.

I can’t wait to get aboard this cruise ship and experience it myself and as such, we will be offering some great group rates. Start planning now!

Sheri Mercier is the owner of Accent Travel in Culpeper. She can be reached at 727-8871 or .