Coronavirus pandemic delays construction of world's largest cruise ship
Construction efforts for the Wonder of the Seas have been paused for the foreseeable future
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}No smooth sailing here.
Royal Caribbean International has delayed the construction of the world’s largest cruise ship as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
“The construction of Wonder of the Seas has been delayed due to the impact of shipyard operations. Royal Caribbean had to delay the deployment of Wonder from China,” a spokesperson for the cruise line told Fox News on Monday.
“We look forward to the arrival of the Wonder and can’t wait to return to sailing.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A rendering of the Wonder of the Seas ship, which had been set to sail from Shanghai, China in 2021. (Royal Caribbean International)
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The ocean liner was being built in France, and was set to sail from Shanghai in 2021, per Cruise Industry News. The cruise line did not release a date when the 5,448-passenger ship might ultimately hit the high seas.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Royal Caribbean previously declared that the Oasis Class vessel would "introduce a new era of cruising" as the "world's largest cruise ship,” the company said in a statement. The ocean liner's physical construction began in the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire in October 2019.
Workers in St. Nazaire, France lower the Wonder of the Seas keel in October 2019. (Royal Caribbean International)
“Royal Caribbean is known for its innovation and constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and an Oasis Class ship in China is proof of that,” Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley said of the Wonder, which had been set to sail the Asia Pacific. “Wonder of the Seas will redefine the ultimate vacation and be revolutionary in her own right, and she marks one of Royal Caribbean’s most exciting chapters to come.”
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In the latest official update, the Miami-based cruise company has suspended sailings until Oct. 1 amid the coronavirus health crisis.