MS Mariner of the Seas

Mariner of the Seas at San Juan, Puerto Rico in April 2008.
History
Name: Mariner of the Seas
Owner: Royal Caribbean International
Port of registry: Nassau,  Bahamas
Builder: Kværner Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland
Cost: US$650 million
Yard number: 1348
Christened: 14 November 2003 by Jean Driscoll[1]
Completed: October 2003
Acquired: 29 October 2003[1]
Maiden voyage: 16 November 2003[1]
In service: November 16, 2003-present
Identification:
Status: In service
Notes: First of 5 Voyager-Class ships to get 'Royal Advantage' overhaul
General characteristics
Class and type: Voyager-class cruise ship
Tonnage: 138,279 GT[2]
Length: 1,021.40 ft (311 m)
Beam:
  • 127 ft (38.6 m) - Waterline[3]
  • 157 ft (48 m) - Max[4]
Draft: 29 ft (9 m)
Installed power: 6 × Wärtsilä 12V46 (6 × 12,600 kW)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) (service)
  • 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph) (maximum)
Capacity: 3,114 passengers
Crew: 1,185
Mariner of the Seas at Rhodes in June 2011.

MS Mariner of the Seas is one of five Voyager-class cruise ships from Royal Caribbean International.

Mariner of the Seas is in the second generation of Voyager-class vessels. It has a capacity for 4,252 passengers. The Mariner differs from similar vessels in that the rear buffet (Windjammer) extends farther aft, and also includes "Jade", an Asian fusion buffet. She has glass balconies which her first generation sisters lacked. She is identical to the Navigator of the Seas, which shares the same design upgrades. Unlike Navigator, Mariner underwent a dry dock refit in April 2012.

As of 2011, Mariner of the Seas was sailing Mediterranean cruises based out of Civitavecchia, Italy. On October 26, 2011, she departed for Galveston, Texas as a winter port. From there, she sailed 7-night cruises to the Western Caribbean and Mexico. In the spring of 2013, Mariner of the Seas relocated to Asia, making cruises out of Singapore and Shanghai, China.

Technical

Main propulsion

The ship has a diesel-electric powertrain using three Azipod azimuth thrusters. Each propeller is driven by a double wound 3-phase synchronous motor with 4-bladed fixed-pitch bronze propellers. The motors are mounted outside the hull directly on the propeller shaft inside the pod. The three propellers are arranged so that the center propeller is a pushing on–azimuthing Fixipod-type and the two wing ones are of pulling-azimuthing–type steering propellers.

Although the ship is equipped with anchors, because of the azipods, bow thrusters and GPS navigation the Mariner in good weather is capable of maintaining station without anchoring. Thus, in ports without berthing facilities such as Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the ship does not generally drop anchor, and maintains position automatically. This helps to reduce damage to coral that may lie at the bottom in bay waters.

Generators

Six Wärtsilä Diesel 12V46 generators producing 12,600 kilowatts each for a total of 75,000 kilowatts or 103,000 bhp. All gensets are monitored by the Wärtsilä CBM (Condition Based Maintenance) group by using Wärtsilä automatic data sending concept.

Fresh water production

The ship has three ways in which to produce fresh water—Two Alfa Laval Desalt Flash and Energy Recovery Evaporators and one Pall Rochem seawater desalination unit (reverse osmosis) "Rosmarin" 80404-50/300-A-SW

Staterooms

The Royal Promenade deck.

As a second-generation Voyager-class ship, the Mariner of the Seas' balconies are affixed outside the ship's superstructure, providing better views. All staterooms have a 2-bed configuration that can be converted into a queen-sized bed. Other amenities include private bathrooms, phone, TV, and air conditioning. Many of the ship's interiors were decorated by muralist Clarissa Parish.[6]

The Mariner of the Seas anchored on a cloudy day in Cabo San Lucas
Mariner of the Seas at Hakata port, 2013

Food and beverage

Additional Details (quantities given for a 7 day cruise)[7]
Beef: 20,000 lb Chicken: 12,000 lb Pork: 5,000 lb Lobster: 1,400 lb
Other seafood: 4,000 lb Salmon: 2,500 lb Fresh eggs: 28,000 Flour: 15,000 lb
Sugar: 4,300 lb Coffee: 1,500 lb Fresh fruits: 35,000 lb Fresh vegetables: 65,000 lb
Potatoes: 18,000 lb Fresh berries: 600 lb Ice cream: 8,000 gallons Milk: 1,500 gallons
Individual yogurts: 4,200 Cheese: 5,800 lb Slices of pizza: 18,000 Beer: 10,700 bottles
Beer: 8,500 cans Soda: 11,500 cans Wine: 2,900 bottles Whiskey: 200 bottles

The kitchen staff prepares over 105,000 meals every week to feed both crew and staff. As part of this, 300,680 desserts, 234,000 appetizers, and 69,000 steaks are consumed per week.

Upgrades added in 2012 included an outdoor movie screen, digital signage, ship-wide Wifi, a new diamond lounge, and the changeover of the Cafe Promenade and Portofino restaurants to the Boardwalk Dog House and Giovanni's Table concepts first introduced on the Oasis class cruise ships.[8]

References

Entering Lei Yue Mun
Mariner of the Seas cruising in the Caribbean, 2008
  1. 1 2 3 Mariner of the Seas christened
  2. ↑ "DNV Exchange - Mariner of the Seas". Retrieved 2009-05-08 updated 2012-07-09. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  3. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Takes Mariner of the Seas". Maritime Reporter and Engineering News. New Wave Media. March 2004. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  4. ↑ "Mariner of the Seas". Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  5. ↑ "Just how much fuel does a cruise ship burn?". Cruise Critic forum. April 21, 2008.
  6. ↑ www.clarissaparish.com Retrieved January 2012
  7. ↑ "Mariner of the Seas: Fun Facts"
  8. ↑ "NOW OUR BEST SHIP IS EVERY SHIP." (PDF). Royal Caribbean International. Retrieved 25 October 2012.

External links

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