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Up to six of their Voyager and Millennium-class vessels will be the first cruise ships ever powered by General Electric's gas and steam turbines instead of diesel engines.

Richard D. Fain, chairman of RCI, says:

"We have designed these to be the most environmentally-sensitive cruise ships in the world. This technology introduces a new era in cruise-ship design and marks the first partnership between a major American technology company and foreign-flagged cruise lines."

Each of the 85,000-ton ships, being constructed in France and Germany,will be equipped with a pair of GE Marine Engines' LM2500+ aeroderivative gas turbines and a single steam turbine instead of the four or five huge diesel engines used on modern cruise ships. The turbines are adapted from the same family of commercial aircraft engines that power Jumbo Jets.

On a cruise ship, gas turbines will drive generators which, in turn, provide electricity to propeller motors. Then a steam turbine recovers heat from the exhaust, providing energy for heating water and other electrical needs such as lighting.

Royal Caribbean, actively looking at turbine technology for several years, has worked alongside General Electric to develop a cruise-ship application. GE Marine Engines' LM 2500 has performed successfully on a variety of cruisers, frigates, destroyers and patrol boats for more than two dozen internationalnavies. The US Navy has used gas-turbine technology for propulsion since the 1970s.

Gas turbines use a more expensive fuel than diesel, but the environmental benefits of gas turbines outweigh the added fuel costs to a cruise line.

Passenger benefits include reduction of noise and vibration. Since themachinery is very compact, much less space is required to house and maintain the turbines and related equipment. Those space savings could translate into additional public rooms and activity areas.

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