Oasis has undergone some external changes the past few weeks. You may recall that when she first arrived in the states from Finland, she encountered some rough weather that resulted in some damage to one of the fowardmost lifeboats. It resulted in them actually having to sail the ship with out it, as it was damaged enough to need repairs. While going over the situation, it was determined that the fowardmost boats will be replaced with the added protection of a spray guard to handle rough weather better. You can see in the photos the added protection under the grate like area.
May 22, 2009 | May 22, 2009 | May 29, 2009 |
images from mortgagemobile.com |
The current lifeboat structure has never before been used. The ship features 18, 370 pax boats. Until then, IMO regulation only called for 150 pax boats max. These new boats (model number CRV55 for those interested) feature a catamaran, twin hull, design for stability and a three tier seating structure. Most notably, other than their enormous size, is their positioning. The davits are fixed in a way that allow the boat to be stowed in the launch position. The boats hang over ocean and against the side of the ship. All they have to do is be lowered straight down. See the assortment of press photos below for more details.
via Scat-Harding |
from flickr | from flickr |