Yahoo News 
World's largest cruise liner, the Oasis of the Seas, sails from Southampton after UK stop-off
Weighing in at 225,282 tonnes, the gargantuan cruise liner is longer than London’s The Shard is tall, and is 40 per cent larger than any other vessel to have ever docked on British shores
The largest cruise ship in the world sailed into the UK this week for the first time ever.
The spectacular ‘Oasis of the Seas’, a mammoth 1,187ft, £800m ship, cruised into Southampton on Wednesday morning.
Weighing in at 225,282 tonnes, the gargantuan cruise liner is longer than London’s The Shard is tall, and is 40 per cent larger than any other vessel to have ever docked on British shores.
It can house 5,400 passengers, along with 2,394 crew on its 16 decks - not forgetting the 10,000 square metres of shopping space, 37 bars and over 20 restaurants.
Passengers boarded the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship on the south coast before it set sail for Vigo, Spain and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, later this week.
The restaurants and bars are just the start on the enormous ship.
Oasis of the Seas also boasts a 750-seat arena, sued machines, an ice rink, an elevating bar and a high-diving performance area.
It took three years to build in Finland and was launched in 2009.
Another Royal Caribbean ship will also be docking in the UK in the coming months.
The Quantum of the Seas is expected to dock in just over two weeks, before setting off for New York on November 2.
Speaking when Oasis of the Seas docked in Southampton, Dominic Paul, the senior vice president of Royal Caribbean International, said: 'Today is an important milestone in the global expansion of the Royal Caribbean International business.
'We are marking a significant step change in our investment into growth markets around the world.
'The welcome of Oasis of the Seas to Southampton is followed next year by sister ship Allure of the Seas sailing outside the Caribbean for the first time during a summer 2015 season based in Barcelona.
'These investments highlight our commitment to deliver the most innovative and architecturally advanced ships to Europe and are part of our ongoing effort to redefine the cruise sector.
'Our extensive investments into new ships, new technology and new ideas are increasing the appeal of the cruise sector around the world.'
