The credit crunch-busting 225,000-tonne leviathan Oasis of the Seas was shown to the media and public live on American breakfast TV at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, by American company Royal Caribbean.

Until now, the inside of the 1,187ft long ship, which can carry 6,296 passengers, has been a closely guarded secret as it travelled through the Baltic and across the Atlantic for its launch.

It even made a brief stop in the Solent earlier this month, but no one was allowed a sneak preview.

The launch has seen a few stars shipped in. Pop singer Rihanna performed a concert on board last night and two of the godmothers for the ship are British actress Jane Seymour and pop star Gloria Estefan.

The £800m vessel is 40 per cent bigger than any other cruise ship afloat and it has a "Central Park"- style open air space aboard about size of a football pitch with its own micro-climate and trees.

It means that guests can have the option of a sea or tree view and 254 rooms with balconies overlook the park.

In addition, there is a bar called Rising Tide that moves between three of the 16 passenger decks.