World's biggest cruise ship floated

TURKU, Finland, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- The largest cruise ship in the world has been launched at a shipyard in Finland.

Oasis of the Seas, with a displacement of 220,000 tons, was built for the U.S. cruise line Royal Caribbean. The vessel is still under construction at the STX Europe yard in Turku, The Aberdeen Press and Journal reported.

The vessel's drydock was filled with water Friday to float the Oasis, a process that took 15 hours.

The ship is 1,178 feet long and can carry 6,296 passengers. Its funnel is retractable to allow it to pass under bridges.

The Oasis is being designed with some unique features. One is a sort of mini-park the size of a football field with its own micro-climate and another is a bar called the Rising Tide that can move among three decks on the ship.