On board the Explorer of the Seas

NZ Herald

12 Jan, 2016 08:47 PM2 mins to read

The super-sized cruise ship first docked at Princes Wharf in Auckland in December last year. Photo / Greg Bowker

Super-sized cruise ship Explorer of the Seas has returned to Auckland.

The megaliner first cruised into port on the 6th of December after visiting Milford Sound, Dunedin, Picton and Wellington.

Today, kids living with cancer will get to try their hand at living a life of luxury on the high seas as they spend the day on board ship.

If stood vertically bow to stern, Explorer of the Seas would be almost as tall as the Sky Tower.

The 311-metre-long ship has a 1350-seat theatre, surfing simulators, on-board ice skating and rock climbing facilities -- and charity Camp Quality kids will get to commandeer the sports deck, trying their hand at rock climbing, surfing and more.

This is the third cruise season in which Royal Caribbean -- the boat's owner -- has worked with Camp Quality, an organisation catering for children living with cancer, holding fun days on board cruise ships in ports around New Zealand.

Explorer of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's newest and largest megaliner based in this region. It can carry almost 5200 passengers and crew, weighs 137,308 tonnes and is 38m wide.

Explorer of the Seas can carry almost 5200 passengers and crew.

If stood vertically bow to stern, it would be almost as tall as the Sky Tower and is about 5cm longer than sister ship Voyager of the Seas.

It has 15 decks, 10 pools and whirlpools and 15 bars and restaurants -- including a three-deck main dining room, which is the largest restaurant in Australasia, seating almost 2000 people at a time.

The ship this year had a $122 million overhaul in Spain and Royal Caribbean estimates that in its five-month stint in New Zealand it will inject an estimated $23.5 million into the economy in passenger spend.