In Las Vegas, the $8.5 billion CityCenter, North America's largest privately funded construction project, will launch a multi-tiered grand opening with the unveiling of the Vidra Hotel and Spa, one of four hotels at the 67-acre complex. Meanwhile in Florida, the Oasis of the Seas – the largest cruise ship ever built at 225,282 tons – is embarking on its first cruise, shoving off from its custom-made berth in Fort Lauderdale for Royal Caribbean's private beach, Labadee, in Haiti.
Travelers who prefer the isolation of the high seas to the bustle of the craps table can hop aboard the $1.4 billion Oasis of the Seas and lose themselves among the nearly 6,300 guests and 2,165 crew members on board. The ocean liner is 1,187 feet long, has 16 decks, 21 pools and Jacuzzis, 2,706 rooms divided among seven "neighborhoods," a park, a carousel, a zip line and a Broadway play.
All told, the boat, part of the Royal Caribbean fleet, more closely resembles a floating metropolis than the quiet retreat its name suggests.
But along with a more reasonable price tag – fares range from $729 to $1,749 for a seven-night trip for two – the Oasis may have another edge over CityCenter when it comes to staying afloat financially. Visitors to Las Vegas are down nearly 5 percent this year, but so far the recession hasn't done much damage to the market for seafaring vacations. In the second quarter of 2009, North American cruise bookings were actually up 1.5 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
