Central Park in the Cruise Ship

The secretiveness around the world's largest cruise vessels, Project Genesis, was partly unveiled recently in Aker Yards' Turku shipyard. For the first time the press could see how the building of the giant floating resort is proceeding. And saw the huge Central Park with two hotel towers to take shape. Aker Yards, Turku has in its orderbook two colossal luxury cruise vessels of the Genesis class to be delivered for Royal Caribbean in 2009 and 2010. They will be the world's largest cruise vessels taking an enormous step into the future with their bold design, daring innovation and technological advancements.

Central Park is a revolutionary design in which the centre of the ship opens to the sky. On each side rise six-story hotel towers including 334 staterooms overlooking the park, 254 with balconies. With the length of a soccer field, some 110 metres and a width of 19 metres the park will have growing lawn, trees and other vegetation. Sun will be shining to this unique open outdoor space surrounded with restaurants, shops and cafés.

When designing Central Park, there have been many structural challenges. E.g. the two hotel towers on both sides of the park have been under strict analysis and calculations, so have the logistics on the large park area. "Bringing the land to sea has involved interesting challenges, tells the Project Manager for the Project Genesis in Aker Yards, Mr. Toivo Ilvonen. Testing how much soil is needed, how to incorporate irrigation and drainage systems.... And how to avoid the park not to be too windy, when the vessel is speeding at 20 knots, or on the other hand not too hot in port conditions."