Hold tight – it’s a thrilling ride.
You can now go on an eye-popping tour of Royal Caribbean’s new ship, Odyssey of the Seas, thanks to amazing newly-released POV hyperlapse footage.
The camera dips, dives and swoops above and through the mega-ship, showcasing the likes of the 360-degree vista from the North Star observation capsule – which is 91m (300ft) above sea level – before hurtling towards the simulated skydiving experience, RipCord by iFly.
The video begins with drone footage panning over Odyssey of the Seas, giving a bird’s eye view of the top deck
Odyssey of the Seas, pictured, measures 41m (135ft) wide and 347m (1,138ft) in length
The video begins with drone footage panning over the ship, giving a bird’s eye view of the top deck’s amenities, and then gliding around the starboard side of the cruise liner.
A surfer is seen riding the waves on the FlowRider surf simulator before the camera travels to the ‘gravity-defying’ SkyPad virtual reality bungee trampoline experience.
Children are shown playing in Splashaway Bay, as the camera offers a glimpse of Odyssey’s two open-air pools and four whirlpools.
The spoils of the Seaplex – ‘the largest indoor and outdoor activity complex at sea’ – then come into sight, with the camera spinning past bumper cars and arcade games and landing at Zone Zero – a free-roaming 4D virtual reality adventure.
Both the kids’ club, Adventure Ocean, and the ‘exclusive venue for teens’, Social 180, are also seen in the POV footage.
The camera then whizzes through a shopping pavilion housing boutiques and cafes such as a Starbucks and a Regalia jewellery store.
In the video, a surfer is seen riding the waves on the FlowRider surf simulator
The spectacular main dining area and its colourful installation comes into view
Next up? The tour guides you through some of the ship’s bars and eateries, such as the Bionic Bar, where robotic arms whip up cocktails, and The Lime & Coconut Bar.
Diners are seen feasting in Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, billed as the ship’s ‘signature trattoria’, and in El Loco Fresh, which serves ‘insanely delicious’ Mexican fare, according to Royal Caribbean.
The spectacular main dining area in the central atrium eventually comes into view, with a colourful installation hanging over the seating area.
The late-night entertainment is covered, too. The camera darts towards Two70, where ‘immersive technology, unparalleled special effects and world-leading performers and aerialists take the stage alongside six agile Roboscreens for a multidimensional live show’.
Seaplex features in the eye-popping video, as the camera spins past the activity centre’s bumper cars (pictured)
The Music Hall and the Royal Theater also feature on the spectacular tour, which finishes with a view of the ship’s exterior.
Odyssey of the Seas, built in Meyer Werft, Germany, is Royal Caribbean’s third Quantum-class ship.
It measures 41m (135ft) wide and 347m (1,138ft) long – and weighs a whopping 167,704 gross tonnes. Guests can roam 16 decks – eight of which have balcony staterooms overlooking the sea. The ship can accommodate 5,498 guests in total, and there are 1,550 international crewmembers onboard.
The camera whizzes through a shopping pavilion with boutiques and cafes (pictured)
Pictured is the ship’s simulated skydiving experience, RipCord by iFly
The ship, which can cruise at 22 knots, intended to make her maiden voyage on July 3, but it was postponed when eight crew members tested positive for coronavirus.
It finally set sail on July 31 from Port Everglades, Florida, on an eight-day cruise around the southern Caribbean, stopping off in Dutch Antilles and CocoCay in the Bahamas.
Odyssey will sail on six and eight-night cruises to the Caribbean from her home port of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the summer of 2022 before heading to the Mediterranean, where she will call at Barcelona, Spain and Rome.
A June 2021 picture showing Odyssey of the Seas arriving at her homeport of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for the first time