Quantum of the Seas

Key Particulars

Gross Tonnage: 168666

Net Tonnage: 154078

Displacement: 78130 design

Deadweight: 11113 design

Designer: Meyer Werft (overall); Jaime Lemus (newbuild program manager); Uwe Wulff (project manager); Henning Luhmann (technical design manager); Wilson Butler Architects (general planning and interiors); CallisonRTKL (Izumi, spa, and fitness center)

Classification: DNV-GL + 1A1

Length: 347.10m / 1138.78ft oa; 320.20m / 1050.52ft pp

Breadth: 48.90m / 160.43ft max; 41.40m / 135.83ft mld

Draught: 8.80m / 28.87ft max; 8.50m / 27.89ft design; 8.10m / 26.57ft min

Air draught: 62.90m / 206.36ft flues extended; 58.20m / 190.94ft flues retracted

Depth: 11.55m / 37.89ft mld

Decks: 20 (14 passenger)

Complement: 5680 (4180 pax dbl occ, 1500 crew); 6405 (4905 pax max occ, 1500 crew)

Cabins: 2090

Yard Data

Meyer Werft GmbH S.697

Timeline

2009

Development work begins on Project Sunshine, a new class of ships for Royal Caribbean International.


early 2010

At this stage of the design process, Project Sunshine resembles a smaller version of Oasis of the Seas.


summer 2010

The design team had shifted the project's focus, now using Celebrity Solstice, from sister company Celebrity Cruises, as the source vessel from which the new ship would be derived.  In the end, Project Sunshine would be a fairly similar vessel in terms of general layout, structural components, and architectural features.


11 February 2011

Contract signed between Meyer Werft GmbH and Quantum of the Seas Inc. for the construction of yard number S.697 at a cost of 725,000,000.  This contract was dependent on parent company Royal Caribbean International's ability to finance the project.


8 June 2011

A group of banks signed an agreement with Royal Caribbean International to provide 80% of the contract value for the first two ships of Project Sunshine.


spring 2012

Draft designs for Project Sunshine show forward-facing balconies and a ropes course, and the North Star observation arm and skydiving simulator had yet to be incorporated into the design.


31 January 2013

Steel cutting ceremony for S.697.


2 August 2013

The first block of S.697 is lowered into place in Hall 2 at Meyer Werft, officially signaling the start of the block assembly process.


9 August 2014

Quantum of the Seas is floated out of Hall 2 at Meyer Werft, bow first.


early autumn 2014

This is likely when the Meyer Werft Head Office toured the ship and discovered it lacked a TV broadcast room.  These spaces are essential to ensuring a proper flow of programming to the TV sets throughout the ship, and to serve as the central technical hub for that system.  One was eventually added on Deck 1, replacing several crew cabins, as that was the convergence point for most of the existing fiber optic lines.


15 October 2014

Quantum of the Seas conducts sea trials in the Skagerrak Strait, between Norway and Denmark.  She was helped to attain her maximum speed as she was the first cruise ship fitted with an air lubrication system.  This pumps microscopic bubbles under her hull to reduce the water friction against the underside of the ship.  This system alone is credited with reducing the ship's fuel consumption by 4%.


28 October 2014

Quantum of the Seas is completed by Meyer Werft.  She is notable as the 'tallest' cruise ship to date, with her North Star observation arm extending her air draught to a maximum of 95.00m / 311.68ft.


late October 2014

Royal Caribbean International, through their subsidiary Quantum of the Seas Inc., takes delivery of Quantum of the Seas.  The ship was valued at $935,000,000 at the time of her delivery.


30 October 2014

Quantum of the Seas is christened.


2 November 2014

Quantum of the Seas sets sail on her maiden voyage.