Oasis of the Seas

USPA NEWS - After a 2 year hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions, the cruise ship season in Atlantic Canada has returned bringing many ships to Halifax, Saint John, Sydney and Charlottetown.

This is met with great optimism within the tourism industry. The thousands of cruise passengers visiting the region and spending their vacation dollars will provide a big economic boost to many tourism operators, restaurants and small business that were drastically impacted by the pandemic.

The 2022 cruise season commenced in late April and has been off to a steady start. Tuesday's visit from the Oasis of the Seas will take the momentum up a notch. The Oasis of the Seas is 1 of 4 Royal Caribbean's "Oasis" class vessels and is the largest cruise ship to ever visit Atlantic Canada. During the inaugural season of the Oasis of the Seas, it was not only the largest cruise ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet, but also the largest cruise ship afloat. All though, there are larger ships sailing today, the Oasis remains the 4th largest cruise ship in the world.

Since the arrival of the Oasis of the Seas Tuesday morning, many people could be found along the Halifax Waterfront taking in the sight of this majestic floating city and many photographers could be seen searching for the perfect capture.

While the Oasis of the Seas creates a spectacular presence where ever it visits, let's take a look at the specs and amenities to help understand what a ship of this size has to offer. The Oasis of the Seas can accommodate 5,400 passengers in 2,700 staterooms, and 2,196 crew. The ship is 1,187 feet in length, 215 feet wide, and has 18 decks giving it a height of 236 feet above the waterline. Onboard amenities include: a basketball court, gym, an ice skating rink, a zip line, 2 rock climbing walls, surf simulators, 4 pools, 10 whirlpools and over 25 restaurants. A complete list of onboard activities, entertainment and dining options can be found on Royal Caribbean International website. Here are some other interesting facts about the Oasis of the Seas: The ship contains 3,300 miles of electrical cables which is approximately the width of the United States and has 7,000 works of specially commissioned art. There are 20 chefs, 222 cooks and 102 sanitation and cleaning culinary crew. All breads and pastries are made fresh onboard. The bakery has a machine that makes 4,000 rolls an hour. Each week 8,000 gallons of ice cream is consumed onboard the ship along with 45,000 pounds of fresh fruit and 18,000 slices of pizza.

Throughout the day, downtown Halifax was buzzing with cruise passengers seeking adventure in our vibrant city. Many of Ambassatours antique double decker buses filled with cruise ship passengers could be seen touring through out Halifax and the surrounding communities. Tours of Peggy's Cove is one of the most popular shore excursions along with the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, the Fairview Cemetery (Titanic burial site), and the Halifax Public Gardens. There is also no shortage of fine dining and unique shops for everyone to enjoy.

As I walked through downtown Halifax and the waterfront, I observed many cruise passengers and could sense their excitement and enthusiasm as they enjoyed the world class shopping and hospitality that Nova Scotia is famous for. Even though the past 2 cruise seasons had to be cancelled, Halifax restaurant owners, small business owners, hospitality professionals and tourism operators have bounced back stronger than ever and are embracing the thousands of tourists who have chosen to spend time in our region. Halifax has proven to be a port that can accommodate cruise ships large and small, and the hope is that these huge floating cities will continue to visit bringing passengers that will see the value of Nova Scotia's capital city as a vacation destination. All who visit will be met with a warm Maritime welcome and a sincere hospitality that will be remembered for a lifetime.