<p>Cruise passengers anxious to invoke bragging rights for sailing on the world's largest cruise ship, the <em>Oasis of the Seas</em>, are paying more than double what they'd pay to sail on another ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet.<br /><br />Cabins on Royal Caribbean's 5,400-passenger vessel are running over $1,000 per person for an inside stateroom to around $4,500 and up for a suite. That's expensive for a weeklong Caribbean cruise, especially considering cruise lines have slashed prices across the board to stir demand during a weak economy.<br /><br />Demand for the vessel, set to arrive at Port Everglades Nov. 11 or 12, is strong enough that people without reservations can forget about sailing on the 7-night inaugural voyage in December, travel agents say. Most cabins are booked through spring 2010, they say.<br /><br />Consultant Rod McLeod of Coral Gables-based McLeod Applebaum &amp; Partners says the massive ship is likely eating away at sales of other Royal Caribbean vessels and chomping into those of competing brands.<br /><br />"With the brand awareness around this ship, I would be dumbfounded if it weren't taking away some sales," McLeod said.<br /><br />The premiums that <em>Oasis</em> is commanding bodes well for the entire industry, which can hope to raise its prices, he said. But rivals will still price below the top of the market, offering more perceived value to consumers, McLeod said.<br /><br /><em>Oasis</em> is fetching $140 more per day than other ships in the Royal fleet, said Steven Hattem, vice president of marketing for CruiseOne and Cruises Inc.<br /><br />How? Because with seven distinct neighborhood themes, <em>Oasis</em> will offer passengers a number of "firsts" at sea: loft suites, an amphitheater with elaborate poolside performances, zip-lining, an artisan carousel and a Coach store bigger than those at some major malls.<br /><br />"Consumers are asking for the ship by name and they are willing to pay the extra price to get on," Hattem said.<br /><br />As the arrival of the ship draws near, agents say they've also seen an uptick in interest.<br /><br />"In the past three months, we're seeing twice as many bookings and leads than in the previous three months," said Uf Tukel, co-president of WMPH Vacations in Delray Beach.<br /><br />Tukel said his company is trying to spur sales and interest in <em>Oasis</em> through social media Web applications such as Facebook and Twitter.<br /><br />"Any time we do a Twitter update or a Facebook update about <em>Oasis</em>, people get really excited," he said. "We're trying to jump on the Royal Caribbean bandwagon" to get buzz going, and help to generate business for other Royal ships and for other brands.<br /><br />Jeffrey Sherota, vice president of CruisesOnly in Fort Lauderdale, said the ship is generating more talk than some of the most-anticipated cruise ship debuts to come to Port Everglades in recent years, including Cunard's Queen Mary 2.<br /><br />"There's really nothing comparable," Sherota said. "It's hard to articulate the uniqueness of the ship -- and I haven't even seen it yet."<br /><br />Jaclyn Giovis can be reached at 954-356-4668 or jmgiovis@sunsentinel.com.</p>