The Incredible Hull

The cabin comes complete with its own piano. This is the Royal Loft stateroom — a large split-level apartment.

Oasis of the Seas has 25 of these split-level apartments, each with its own balcony. They also boast 52-inch LCD televisions, two bathrooms, "fog-free" mirrors and limestone tiles. The Royal Loft suite sleeps six and has a video projector so you can watch films in bed, a bar, a Jacuzzi, a library and an 843-square-foot balcony.

Mammoth achievement

The Oasis is so long that you cannot take it in a single glance. There is no doubt that Royal Caribbean is out to dazzle. As soon as the Oasis arrived in Fort Lauderdale last week, armies of Floridians caused gridlock by driving to Port Everglades, the ship's home port, just to see the staggering size of the vessel.

But it is fair to say that not everyone is so delighted with the Oasis. Having weathered a storm in the middle of the Atlantic en route from the Finnish shipyard where it was built, the Oasis arrived late in Fort Lauderdale to find itself being tossed about in a tempest of opinions.

But Royal Caribbean is once again tearing up the cruise-ship record books. In recent years, the company has produced a succession of vessels, each bigger and better than the last.

Looming anxiety

But in the online debate about the Oasis, the name that appears alongside it with predictable regularity is that of the Titanic — although the chances of the Oasis encountering an iceberg in its Caribbean cruising grounds are fairly remote. However, many lists of "amazing facts" about the ship point out that the Oasis is five times bigger than the Titanic.

At the heart of many of the adverse remarks about the ship being "too big" is irritation at the fact that this is the most determined effort till date to attract first-time cruisers.

Dedicated cruising fans feel their private club — in Britain, cruising accounts for just 10 per cent of all holiday plans — is under threat. They fear barbarian cruise virgins are about to storm the gangplank.

Driving up from Miami to Fort Lauderdale last Monday, I was still several miles away when I caught my first glimpse of this behemoth. It was like a hefty chunk of the main strip at Torremolinos floating at harbour.

Intimidating size

The Oasis could hardly be described as pretty — it's the sheer size that grabs your attention. As the largest cruise ship on the planet, it towers 20 storeys over the waves and stretches 1,187 feet from bow to stern. When you board, the most impressive aspect is the width of the ship. With a breadth of 208 feet, the Oasis is wider than the wingspan of a Boeing 747. This has allowed designers to open up the middle of the vessel with several atriums.

Although the ship can carry 6,296 passengers and 2,296 crew, there is plenty of room for everyone — not just in the large cabins but also in the public spaces. There is, for example, a 1,300-seat theatre (larger than some on Broadway) and an ice rink.

A delight for all

For couples, there is an adults-only zone; there are also cavernous kids' clubs. The ship is divided into seven "neighbourhoods". In addition to the Youth Zone, there is the Boardwalk, which is in the style of a traditional American seaside resort; the Royal Promenade, a bigger version of Royal Caribbean's traditional indoor shopping mall; Entertainment Place, the venue for the night-time activities; and Central Park, an indoor-outdoor space with real grass and trees. The ship also boasts a Vitality At Sea Spa and Fitness Centre, and the Pool and Sports Zone.

The Oasis has 20 eateries. Twelve of the cafés and restaurants on-board levy an additional fee. The ship's Pinnacle Chapel, which has room for 50 people, will be available for on-board weddings.

There are so many things to see and enjoy: two enormous rock-climbing walls, a full-size basketball court and a nine-hole mini golf course. You board the ship aware that you will never be able to enjoy everything it has to offer in seven nights.

Rich man's cruise

There can be no doubt that the ship, which will be joined next year by Royal Caribbean's similarly vast Allure of the Seas, is an expensive gamble. Costing more than $800 million (Dh2,939 million), the Oasis will have to have instant success to justify the investment. There is still availability on the maiden voyage next month — but if the cabins had sold out too quickly, it would have suggested the Royal Caribbean had priced them too cheaply.

My recommendation? If you have not tried cruising before, try the Oasis. Combine a week in Orlando with a week's Caribbean cruise for an unforgettable holiday. Big, incredible theme parks mixed with big, incredible cruising — a holiday made in heaven.

Oasis facts

II The Central Park is the first park at sea, with 12,175 plants, 62 vines and 56 trees.

II The ship has the only original, handcrafted carousel at sea, forming the centrepiece of the Boardwalk neighbourhood.

II The Rising Tide bar is the first moving bar at sea. Passengers can enjoy there as they move between the Royal Promenade on Deck 5 and Central Park on Deck 8.

II There's also an 82-foot-long zip line in the Sports Zone.

II The Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray will be the first full Broadway show on a cruise ship.

II The AquaTheatre is the first aquatic amphitheatre on a cruise ship, where performers arrange nightly shows. The AquaTheatre pool, 17.9 feet deep, is the deepest at sea.

II The first beach pool at sea, on the deck, has a sloped entry so guests can wade in.

II The ship has the longest jogging track at sea, with one lap being 0.43 miles.