Biggest Cruise Ships in the World

Allure of the Seas  (208 Ft.)

Allure of the Seas, the newest ship in Royal Caribbean's awe-inspiring Oasis class, is a captivating adventure unlike any other. Explore seven distinct neighborhoods filled with awesome new features —like the first Starbucks at sea, Broadway hit musical Chicago in the main theatre, and favourite moments with Shrek, Po the panda, and more friends in the DreamWorks Experience. Spice up your sailing with margaritas and Mexican-fare favorites at Rita's Cantina, or with prime cuts straight from the skewer at Samba Grill Brazilian Steakhouse. And there's still plenty more Oasis-class WOWs to be had, from the classic carousel on the Boardwalk, to aerial acrobats in the AquaTheater, Flow Rider surf simulators, plus zip line views over Central Park—a meandering garden lined with shops and fine restaurants. Learn more about all that Allure of the Seas has to offer, and join us soon onboard a world where innovation rules.

Oasis of the Seas (208 Ft.)

Experience the ship that revolutionized cruising, Oasis of the Seas— its groundbreaking design introduced seven distinct neighborhoods built for ultimate enjoyment. Hop on a classic carousel on the Boardwalk, then watch acrobats splash down in the AquaTheater, the first amphitheatre at sea. Let imaginations soar in the Youth Zone—the largest kids' area at sea—or at the Pool & Sports Zone, where you'll find FlowRider surf simulators and zip line views. Unwind with a stroll in Central Park—a meandering garden lined with shops and fine restaurants—or melt away stress at Vitality Spa. Jazz up your evening with Broadway hit Hairspray, or hit the Royal Promenade for memorable moments with DreamWorks Experience characters. Join us onboard the ship that changed cruising – a world where innovation rules.

Norwegian Epic (131 Ft.)

Norwegian Epic Cruise Line is the newest, largest and most innovative cruise ship ever. Voted "Best Cruise Ship" by Travel Weekly in 2011; Norwegian Epic is the ship of choice for those sailing to the Caribbean and Europe. In fact, we have literally changed the face of cruise line entertainment with the introduction of Blue Man Group at sea, and that's just the beginning. Norwegian Epic is offering world-class performers and a new wave of accommodations - from Studios, designed and priced for the solo traveller, to the private Haven. Add more than 20 different dining options and you'll understand why this is Freestyle Cruising on a truly grand scale.

Freedom of the Seas (184 Ft.)

Freedom of the Seas launched in May 2006 as the world's biggest cruise ship. The vessel introduced a new class of ship for Royal Caribbean, measuring just shy of 155,000 tons with a double occupancy capacity of 3,634 passengers (siblings Liberty and Independence of the Seas debuted in May 2007 and 2008, respectively). It surpassed Cunard's gargantuan Queen Mary 2 by 7,000 tons and carried 1,014 more passengers. (Of course, the Freedom-class ships have since been, err, belittled by Oasis of the Seas, the massive 225,282-ton, 5,400 passenger beast that debuted in fall 2009.)

Besides its size, Freedom of the Seas also made waves in other ways. It was the first ship to feature a surf simulator, a regulation-sized boxing ring, and an interactive water park for kids and even a barbershop. Yet in many ways, Freedom was merely an evolution, not a revolution, of the Voyager class that made its own headlines when it launched with biggest-at-sea status back in 1999. The layout is nearly identical and the promenade is back, as is the rock-climbing wall, the ice-skating rink, Johnny Rockets, the Promenade Cafe, Ben & Jerry's, etc. It is almost as if Voyager of the Seas was simply super-sized, and beefed up with innovative spaces and concepts.

Liberty of the Seas (184 Ft.)

The newly renovated Liberty of the Seas is packed with all the phenomenal onboard experiences you'd expect from our innovative Freedom class of ships, plus new offerings to stir your imagination. Share a high five with Shrek as part of The DreamWorks Experience. Put on your boogie shoes for hit Broadway musical Saturday Night Fever. Catch a first-run movie in the 3D theatre or poolside under the stars on the outdoor movie screen. And finish the evening with a selection of reds or whites at the renovated, now-more-intimate Vintages wine bar.

                                                      

Plus, enjoy all the revolutionary features Liberty of the Seas has always been known for – like the Flow Rider surf simulator, rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, Royal Promenade, cantilevered whirlpools, mini golf course, and much more.

Independence of the Seas (184 Ft.)

Meet Independence of the Seas a marvel of maritime engineering, packed with all the phenomenal onboard experiences you'd expect from our Freedom class of ships—including the Flow Rider  surf simulator, a rock climbing wall, ice-skating rink, cantilevered whirlpools, Royal Promenade, mini golf course, and much more. It's your most incredible vacation yet.

Queen Mary 2 (148 Ft.)

QUEEN MARY 2 is Cunard’s flagship and the most magnificent ocean liner ever built. A Transatlantic crossing to or from New York on this incredible ship is a holiday like no other but her cruises from Southampton are also very special.  She offers so much space on board and such an array of state of the art facilities including a 3D Cinema, planetarium and a superb Canyon Ranch Spa.

MSC Divina (124 Ft.)

MSC Divina is a cruise ship owned and operated by MSC Cruises. She was constructed from 2010–2012, and was originally called the MSC Fantastica until the company renamed her to honor actress Sophia Loren. She entered service in May 2012, and is handling cruises in the Mediterranean. She will service the Caribbean in November 2013. She is a Fantasia-class cruise ship, built after her running mates, MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia, and will be followed up by a new sister ship in 2013 called the MSC Preziosa. She is the twelfth ship in MSC's fleet, and is the largest of their ships at 139,400 tons. She can accommodate 3,959 passengers in 1,637 cabins; her crew complement is 1,325.

Navigator of the Seas (161 Ft.)

Gear up for adventure, right onboard—with plenty of time left for relaxation, fine dining, and beautiful ocean views. The incredible Navigator of the Seas is home to an array of innovations that give you whatever type of vacation you desire. Climb a rock wall that overlooks the sea, or challenge yourself on the basketball court, ice-skating rink or mini-golf course. Achieve perfect zen, poolside or at the relaxing Vitality Spa. Liven up your nights on the Royal Promenade, with parades, dancing, and duty-free shopping deals. And bring along some friends—with spacious public areas, enhanced staterooms, and a spectacular three-story dining room, this ship has room for your whole crew.

Mariner of the Seas (161 Ft.)

Mariner of the Seas is in the second generation of Voyager-class vessels. She is different from her sisters by the set up of the rear buffet (Windjammer) which extends further aft, and also includes "Jade", an Asian fusion buffet. She has glass balconies which her first generation sisters lacked. She is identical to the Navigator of the Seas, which shares the same design upgrades. Unlike Navigator, Mariner underwent a dry dock refit in April 2012 to receive "Royal Advantage" upgrades, including an outdoor movie screen, digital signage, ship-wide Wi-Fi, a new diamond lounge, and the changeover of the Cafe Promenade and Portofino restaurants to the Boardwalk Dog House and Giovanni's Table concepts first introduced on the Oasis class cruise ships.

As of 2012, Mariner of the Seas was sailing Mediterranean cruises based out of Civitavecchia, Italy. In November 2012, she departed for Galveston, Texas where she sails 7-night cruises servicing the Western Caribbean and Mexico. In the summer of 2013, Mariner of the Seas will be relocated to Asia servicing cruises out of Singapore and Shanghai, China.

 

 

Top University In The World

University of Oxford

 

Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and lays claim to nine centuries of continuous existence. As an internationally renowned centre for teaching and research, Oxford attracts students and scholars from across the globe, with almost a quarter of our students from overseas. More than 130 nationalities are represented among a student population of over 18,000.

Oxford is a collegiate university, with 39 self-governing colleges related to the University in a type of federal system. There are also seven Permanent Private Halls, founded by different Christian denominations. Thirty colleges and all halls admit students for both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Seven other colleges are for graduates only; one has Fellows only, and one specializes in part-time and continuing education.

 

Harvard University

Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States, established in 1636 by vote of the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was named after the College’s first benefactor, the young minister John Harvard of Charlestown, who upon his death in 1638 left his library and half his estate to the institution. A statue of John Harvard stands today in front of University Hall in Harvard Yard, and is perhaps the University’s best known landmark.

Harvard University has 12 degree-granting Schools in addition to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. The University has grown from nine students with a single master to an enrollment of more than 20,000 degree candidates including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. There are more than 360,000 living alumni in the U.S. and over 190 other countries.

California Institute of Technology

 

Founded as Throop University in 1891 in Pasadena, California, and renamed the California Institute of Technology in 1920.

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a world-renowned science and engineering research and education institution, where extraordinary faculty and students seek answers to complex questions, discover new knowledge, lead innovation, and transform our future.

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is rich in history - its famous Colleges and University buildings attract visitors from all over the world. But the University's museums and collections also hold many treasures which give an exciting insight into some of the scholarly activities, both past and present, of the University's academics and students.

The University of Cambridge is one of the world's oldest universities and leading academic centres, and a self-governed community of scholars. Its reputation for outstanding academic achievement is known world-wide and reflects the intellectual achievement of its students, as well as the world-class original research carried out by the staff of the University and the Colleges.

Many of the University's customs and unusual terminology can be traced to roots in the early years of the University's long history, and this booklet looks to the past to find the origins of much that is distinctive in the University of today.

Imperial College London

  

 

Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research.

    Faculty of Engineering

    Faculty of Medicine

    Faculty of Natural Sciences

    The Business School

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century — whether the focus is cancer, energy, economics or literature

 

University of Chicago

“If the first faculty had met in a tent, this still would have been a great university,” said President Robert Maynard Hutchins, the University’s fifth president, in his 1929 inaugural address.

The first faculty assembled on Opening Day, 1892, were indeed an impressive bunch: lured from colleges all over the country, they had been drawn to Chicago by the idea of a community of great scholars. As Charles O. Whitman, who left Clark University to head the biology department at the new institution, enthusiastically put it, “The time has now come when we must recognize and live up to the necessity for greater organic unity among kindred sciences.”

Today, under the leadership of Robert J. Zimmer, the University’s 13th president, UChicago continues to evolve. Gothic architecture has made room for modern gems like the Charles M. Harper Center, home to the Graduate School of Business, and the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts. And the 400,000-square-foot Gordon Center for Integrative Science, which opened in 2006, can house 800 scientists, researchers, and students.

University of California, Berkeley

Founded in the wake of the gold rush by leaders of the newly established 31st state, the University of California's flagship campus at Berkeley has become one of the preeminent universities in the world. Its early guiding lights, charged with providing education (both "practical" and "classical") for the state's people, gradually established a distinguished faculty (with 22 Nobel laureates to date), a stellar research library, and more than 350 academic programs.

The University of California was chartered in 1868 and its flagship campus — envisioned as a "City of Learning" — was established at Berkeley, on San Francisco Bay. Today the world's premier public university and a wellspring of innovation, UC Berkeley occupies a 1,232 acre campus with a sylvan 178-acre central core. From this home its academic community makes key contributions to the economic and social well-being of the Bay Area, California, and the nation.

Yale University

 

Yale University comprises three major academic components: Yale College (the undergraduate program), the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the professional schools. In addition, Yale encompasses a wide array of centers and programs, libraries, museums, and administrative support offices. Approximately 11,250 students attend Yale.  

Columbia University

For more than 250 years, Columbia has been a leader in higher education in the nation and around the world. At the core of our wide range of academic inquiry is the commitment to attract and engage the best minds in pursuit of greater human understanding, pioneering new discoveries and service to society.