OpenAire Sets Sail with Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship, Anthem of the Seas
The second of Royal Caribbean ships to feature OpenAire’s retractable roof systems launches with great success.
OAKVILLE, ONTARIO – August 31, 2015 – OpenAire has made a breathtaking contribution to Royal Caribbean International’s new Quantum-class ship, Anthem of the Seas, with two sleek glass enclosures for either side of the ship’s upper-deck pool, patio, and bar area. These modern lean-to enclosures feature a roof that retracts into a central core and wall panels that slide down to railing height; creating a truly outdoor atmosphere for passengers. In colder or inclement conditions, both of these 3,706-square-foot structures close automatically and silently, letting guests continue enjoying all of the ship’s amenities. The design has brought extremely positive reviews for both Anthem of the Seas and OpenAire.
The enclosures on Anthem of the Seas mark the second time that OpenAire has worked with Royal Caribbean on one of their ships. Quantum of the Seas, the first of the world-renowned cruise line’s ships to feature an OpenAire installation, launched late in 2014 and is currently sailing out of Asia. Building atop a massive cruise ship with no land support was a challenge for OpenAire’s designers and installers, but led to a hugely effective design that has been replicated on Anthem of the Seas very successfully.
“Our design and engineering team have delivered their best for our projects with Royal Caribbean Ships,” says Mark Albertine, President and CEO of OpenAire, “The pool enclosure on Anthem of the Seas represents some of our most innovative mechanical and architectural work. I’m proud that the design has been well-received with passengers and is cost effective for Royal Caribbean.”
Whenever guests decide to swim, they can enjoy unobstructed views of the open sky and ocean thanks to the glass retractable enclosures. The design will also create significant future operational savings for Royal Caribbean as the thermally-broken aluminum framing is maintenance-free and resistant to corrosion caused by an outside atmosphere of salt air and the moist chemical aquatic inside environment. By allowing the ocean’s sunshine and breezes into the pool area, it also reduces HVAC energy use by 27% compared to a traditional enclosure.
The 168,666-tonne ship launched from Southampton, UK early this spring and can carry up to 4,180 passengers. The glass pool enclosures are just one of the ship’s many attractions, which include 18 restaurants, a “bionic bar” with robotic bartenders, the Flowrider surf simulator, RipCord by iFly indoor skydiving simulator, the North Star which takes guests 300 feet above the ocean to deliver awe-inspiring 360-degree views, bumper cars, a roller rink, circus school, and much more.
This is only the first half of OpenAire’s work with Royal Caribbean International. After launching Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, OpenAire will complete work on a retractable enclosure for Royal Caribbean’s upcoming Ovation of the Seas ship this fall. These remarkable designs are sure to make an impact on the Royal Caribbean experience for years to come.