It's the length of four football pitches and it houses seven "neighbourhoods", but the sheer enormity of the much-hyped Oasis of the Seas ship can only be understood when one comes face to face with it.

It's staggering, if not a touch overwhelming.

Incomprehensibly spacious, the $1.5 billion vessel sits 16 decks high and can accommodate 6,296 passengers and 2,165 crew. There is 1,614,586 feet of area. Oh, and it sails too.

The brief for the architects and engineers was to create a ship that is one third familiar to their customers, one third evolutionary and one third revolutionary. They duly delivered: the Oasis of the Seas is mind boggling.

I've been granted a sneak preview of the liner via a three-day cruise from Fort Lauderdale. I was rendered speechless when the ship first came into view; then I stepped inside -- this isn't a ship; it's a floating city.

There's Central Park, the first park at sea, planted with trees, shrubs and tropical flower gardens, flanked by five decks of balcony staterooms and dotted with cafes and luxury boutiques.

Equally boundary-breaking is the San Diego-esque boardwalk, with carousel, ice-cream parlours and donut shops.

The entertainment line-up includes the Aqua Theatre, an amphitheatre-style space which serves as a pool by the sea and an oceanfront theatre by night, a Broadway production of Hairspray and a Caligulan array of nightclubs.

The fitness options are unparalleled: a sports deck with a zip line suspended nine decks high, allowing guests to race across the open air atrium; two surf simulators and an outdoor rock-climbing wall.

Elsewhere, there's Casino Royale, an ice-skating rink and a spa which offers everything from Pilates to Botox.

We all have preconceptions when it comes to cruise ships. The words conjure up images of dodgy cabaret shows, gaudy design and seas of septuagenarians, resplendent in gold shoes and gleaming veneers.

The Oasis of the Seas smashes all the stereotypes. Luxury and glamour are the watchwords here. It's white linen service and comfort all the way.

The inaugural guests raised the bar high. Rihanna was the first performer to take to the stage at the Aqua Theatre last week, while seven female celebrities -- Gloria Estefan and Jane Seymour among them -- have been named the ship's 'Godmothers', one for each neighborhood.

Another misconception people have about cruise ships is that they become wearisome. On the contrary -- it would be almost impossible to take in everything this ship has to offer during a week-long stay.

Today alone I've attended a yoga class, played in a poker tournament and visited the theatre. There were some forty other options...

My only criticism is the abundance of eating options, compounded by the all- inclusive deal. I ate three dinners last night, buoyed by the novelty of having anything (really, anything) without having to cough up a penny during the media tour.

I'll be rolling off this ship... contentedly.