VESSEL REVIEW | Flirty Flamingo – Catamaran tourist shuttles to serve Royal Caribbean's private resort in the Bahamas

Cruise operator the Royal Caribbean Group has taken delivery of five new catamaran vessels built to shuttle guests between cruise ships and the company’s private resort destination on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

The 22-metre (72-foot) vessels Flirty Flamingo, Sassy Starfish, Coral Calypso, Twisted Turtle, and Lucky Lizard will run as part of a daily water taxi service to Royal Caribbean’s Royal Beach Club from the Nassau Cruise Port marina, for over 3,500 passengers up to eight hours a day. A single run will take approximately 40 minutes at 10 knots.

Construction of the vessels took place at the facilities of Wight Shipyard in the UK, while final outfitting was undertaken by Wight Shipyard's parent company OCEA in France. Design work on the vessels was provided by One2Three Naval Architects based in New South Wales, Australia.

“The vessels were specifically designed to suit multiple different boarding arrangements, including bow and side boarding, to cater for docking at the various required locations,” One2Three told Baird Maritime. “The vessel deck heights were set to facilitate ease of passenger transfer between the vessel and shore.

“The design is visually pleasing and has eye-catching decals, despite being of minimal and lightweight composition. The lightweight design also minimises fuel consumption and operating costs.”

Balance between comfort, operating speed and ease of use

One2Three said the design emphasised safety, guest comfort, ease of repair and maintenance, durability, and quality of build.

“The vessels will transport a larger number of passengers in a reduced time frame compared to current operations, which will result in a superior passenger experience.”

Each catamaran is powered by two Cummins QSL9 diesel engines that drive five-bladed fixed-pitch propellers via Twin Disc MGX5086SC gearboxes. A Lewmar bow thruster meanwhile provided additional lateral manoeuvrability, which is necessary in the enclosed marinas in which the vessels operate.

“A skeg provides protection to the propeller in the event of grounding or low water levels, which meant a larger diameter and more efficient propeller could be chosen,” said One2Three. “Variable propeller pitch strips were installed to tailor the pitch to the final passenger count and vessel loading condition and optimise fuel burn and performance.”

Due to the short route and protected harbour operations, a minimal console and electronic equipment design was utilised for each vessel.

Aluminium to minimise weight and costs without sacrificing durability

Each vessel is fitted with 10 mooring bollards to facilitate easy docking and secure the vessel for ease of embarkation and disembarkation. Lightweight aluminium benches provide ample seating options, and canvas clears were installed to protect passengers from adverse weather conditions.

A large space was deliberately left open at the bow to reduce embarkation times and assist passenger flow. Wide aisles are included between seats for ease of movement around the vessel.

One2Three said keeping the vessel design simple for ease of service and maintenance yet not losing focus on passenger comfort and experience while on board proved challenging during the design phase on the new catamarans.

“The vessel [also needed to be] as light as possible to reduce running costs and meet harbour draught restrictions,” the designer told Baird Maritime. “Lightweight but robust aluminium fabrication aided in satisfying this requirement.”

For One2Three, teamwork, clearly communicating with the client, and working collaboratively to find the best outcome for the vessel and passengers within the finite space on board are lessons that can be applied to future vessel construction projects.

“The vessel had to be in keep with the existing fleet, as well as showcase company brand values.”