Majesty of the Seas (mini)
Encyclopedia
Morsbach, Moselle
Morsbach is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France....
, Moselle, France, by François Zanella, a 1949-born mine worker (now retired).
The vessel is a 1/8th scale model of Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International is a Norwegian and American cruise line brand based in Miami, Florida and owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.. With 42 ships in service under 5 different brands and one more under construction, it controls a 25.6% share of the world cruise market...
's 1992 cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
, Majesty of the Seas
Majesty of the Seas
MS Majesty of the Seas is a Sovereign-class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. She was built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, France, and placed in service on April 26, 1992...
(itself also built in France, by Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique is part of the South Korean STX Shipbuilding Group and one of the world's largest shipyards, based in Saint-Nazaire, France...
). The mini Majesty is 33.5 metres in length, with a width of 4.75 metres and a draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
of 1.06 metres. The model has a displacement of 90 tons. In addition to being a scale replica model, the mini Majesty is a fully functional canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
boat. The vessel's draft is small enough to permit admittance to most European canals, although in some cases the height of the ship needs to be, and can be, modified.
It has taken François Zanella 11 years to build the model, beginning in 1993. The model was built on land opposite his home in Morsbach, which he purchased specifically for the project. After construction was completed in June 2005, the model was transported to Sarreguemines
Sarreguemines
Sarreguemines is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is the seat of an arrondissement.-Geography:...
to be launched and christened. François Zanella's fame in France stems from the show Thalassa
Thalassa
Thalassa may refer to:* Thalassa , a primordial Greek sea goddess* Thalassa , a moon of the planet Neptune* Thalassa, a fictional planet in Arthur C...
on France 3
France 3
France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....
, which followed his activities during the construction period.
Chronology
- 1993 First blueprint.
- 1994 Construction starts.
- June 23, 2005 – ship launch in SarregueminesSarregueminesSarreguemines is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is the seat of an arrondissement.-Geography:...
and christening by navigator Maud FontenoyMaud FontenoyMaud Fontenoy is a French sailor known for her rowings across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.Most recently, she completed a sailing trip around the Antarctic alone, against prevailing winds. Departed from the Réunion island on October 15, 2006, she crossed the finish line on March 14, 2007,...
.
External links
- Le Républicain Lorrain special edition dated June 21, 2005
- François Zanella's boat
- The web site of Cindy, one of François Zanella's daughters
- Sarreguemines city official web site, describing the three-day travel of the Majesty of the Seas from Morsbach construction site to ship launching.