Helsinki - The world's largest cruise ship Friday morning left the Finnish shipyard where it was built and embarked on its voyage to its home port in Florida, US. The 360-metre long "Oasis of the Seas" was built at the STX Finland shipyard in Turku operated by the South Korean group, STX.
During the initial stage of its voyage, the 47-metre wide vessel was to be assisted by tugboats as it negotiates its way through the Turku archipelago into the Baltic Sea.
The 16-deck cruise ship boasts some 40 restaurants and can carry 5,400 passengers, according to the owner US Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) that took delivery of the vessel on Wednesday.
It cost some 1.4 billion dollars, making it likely the most expensive ship in its category.
The ship features seven theme areas, including a central park, boardwalk, royal promenade, and a pool and sports zone aimed to cater to the interests of the passengers.
Some finishing touches like planting the trees and plants designated for the central park remain. This will be completed in Florida where the vessel will also be officially named.
A sister vessel is also to be built at the Turku shipyard.
