Did you know that Handling Specialty has designed, manufactured and installed the underwater stage lifts for all of the Oasis class Royal Caribbean Aquatheaters?
Our success in landing these contracts is due in part to the advanced underwater stage lifts we have engineered in the past for companies such as Cirque du Soleil and Franco Dragone. The Symphony of the Seas, being the fourth Oasis-class ship to include our underwater lifting system also speaks to the quality and dedication of our engineering, manufacturing and installation services.
So, what does it take to install a sophisticated system like ours for our client? Roughly three trips to St. Nazaire, France, where Royal Caribbean’s ships come to life.
The first installation trip will see 5-6 technicians travel to France to mechanically assemble all equipment and install the basic structure without all of the interconnections. The second trip will send the same number of technicians back to complete the installation of flooring, interconnections, any sensors, dive boards and trampoline bed and start up the HPU and control systems. The third trip is for sea trials, during which final testing and commissioning take place on open water, where our Parts & Services Installation crew can assess and make any final adjustments which may be required.
The crew of Handling Specialty technicians includes mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and general labour staff, plus a Project Manager who speaks French and another PM based at Handling Specialty’s Grimsby, Ontario head offices. Handling Specialty utilizes outside contractors for the final start-up, and tuning of HPU as well as controls integration which manages show operations of the lifts.
Before the fourth project for Royal Caribbean cruise lines can be dismantled, painted, packaged and delivered, vigorous testing of all of its capabilities, safety features and functionality are dutifully investigated for any and all potential fails. Handling Specialty prides itself on delivering and installing premium equipment for our clients, and though this is the fourth underwater stage lift system designed and manufactured for Royal Caribbean, there are no shortcuts to producing a quality product.
We provide a complete turnkey package with our offering, including a trio of underwater lifts, along with two diving board tilters and a trampoline rotator. The underwater lift system forms the stage area for the largest and deepest freshwater pool at sea. Throughout the day and evening, the lifts rise and lower to meet the needs of the performances. The system is comprised of two side lifts and a runway lift, with a total capacity of 90,000 lbs, covering an area of approximately 1,000 square feet. The hydraulically actuated lifts operate with non-toxic water glycol fluid. The stage platform is perforated with approximately 432,000 holes to allow the stage to travel through the 20-foot pool with minimum water displacement. The platform also includes mounting provisions for special effects provided by others, such as water cannons and lighting effects.
In order to slow the movement of water from side to side within the pool, the runway lift features a vertically telescoping platform. With a platform capacity of 10,000 lbs, the equipment can withstand an average of 10 kph horizontal “sloshing load”.
Handling Specialty is proud of the working relationship we’ve created with Royal Caribbean and look forward to many more aqua theater and related jobs with them in the future.
If you’re looking for an underwater stage lift system for your show, contact our offices.
