• The Miami Herald, Wednesday, April 16, 2008 10:08 AM

Under the code name Project Genesis, Royal Caribbean is building the world's two largest cruise ships. A pivotal feature of the ships will be a huge space called Central Park that's the size of a football field, with tropical gardens, pathways, shops and restaurants.

Cruise enthusiasts can track progress on the first ship, which is slated for completion late next year, at www.royalcaribbean-genesis.com. Its Central Park, located on Deck 8, will be 62 feet wide by 328 feet long. Five decks with 334 staterooms, including 254 with balconies, will overlook the open-air park. ''It's certainly very different and certainly very pretty,'' says Stewart Chiron, CEO of Cruiseguy.com, a Miami-based cruise marketing company.

The cruise line, which has led the industry with over-the-top features such as ice-skating rinks and rock-climbing walls, says Central Park will be but one of seven ''neighborhoods'' on the massive vessel. Among the more far-out features: A bar called Rising Tide will slowly move up and down through three levels of public space, reaching Central Park at its highest point.

Read the whole story at The Miami Herald »