<p>This cruise season, Port Everglades will host naming ceremonies for the world&rsquo;s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean International&rsquo;s 5,400-guest Oasis of the Seas, and one of the world&rsquo;s most luxurious ships, Silversea Cruises&rsquo; new flagship, the 540-guest Silver Spirit. &ldquo;It is always an honor for a cruise port to host the naming of a new cruise ship, and this year we are doubly honored to host new ships that are already making headlines,&rdquo; said Port Everglades Director Phil Allen. Oasis of the Seas will be named in November and Silver Spirit in January. In addition, three new cruise ships will make their U.S. debuts at Port Everglades this winter cruise season, including MSC Cruises&rsquo; MSC Poesia, Seabourn Cruise Line&rsquo;s Seabourn Odyssey, and Celebrity Cruises&rsquo; Celebrity Equinox.</p>
<p><br />Port Everglades will also welcome another Seabourn ships, the Seabourn Spirit, for the first time on Nov. 27. In addition, Royal Caribbean is replacing Enchantment of the Seas with the larger 73,817-ton Grandeur of the Seas on April 19.</p>
<p><br />When it begins seven-night cruises on Dec. 5, the 225,282-ton Oasis of the Seas will span 16 decks and carry 5,400 guests at double occupancy. Oasis of the Seas will be the first ship with the new neighborhood concept of seven distinct themed areas, which include Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone. Oasis of the Seas will sail from Port Everglades every Saturday year-round. The second Oasis-class vessel, Allure of the Seas, is scheduled to begin sailing from Port Everglades every Sunday year-round beginning in fall 2010. Port Everglades has expanded a passenger terminal specifically designed to accommodate cruise ships of the size and scope of these Oasis-class ships. The new Cruise Terminal 18 is slated to open on Nov. 4.</p>
<p><br />The Silver Spirit, built at Fincantieri's Ancona shipyard, will be named at Port Everglades on Jan. 21. The 540-guest, 36,000-ton vessel is being designed by Italian architect Giacomo Mortola. Silver Spirit&rsquo;s interiors hint at a sophisticated 1930s Art Deco ambience. There will be several enhancements from the line&rsquo;s other ultra-luxury ships, including a new supper club, an Asian-themed restaurant and an expanded spa facility. With a total of 270 ocean-view suites, the new ship will increase the number of accommodations in the most popular suite categories -- 26 Silver Suites and 222 Veranda Suites. There will also be six Grand Suites and two Owner&rsquo;s Suites. All but 14 suites will have verandas.</p>
<p><br />Port Everglades expects to welcome more than 3.4 million passengers in 2010. Sixteen cruise lines and 49 ships will sail from the South Florida seaport this season, including Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebration Cruise Line, Celebrity, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Discovery Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Holland America Line, Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE), MSC Cruises, P&amp;O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, and Silversea. For more information, visit www.porteverglades.net.</p>