NORTH STAR: A NEW VIEW OF THE WORLD

There's been a lot of buzz around the "North Star" observation pod on Quantum of the Seas. Join these guests as they experience what the buzz is all about:

HOW TO ENGINEER A 360-DEGREE VIEW AT SEA

We're written about many of the "WOW" features aboard Quantum of the Seas, but one that stands out is the "North Star" -- the observation bubble that will give passengers unique, 360-degree views at sea. This week's video from Royal Caribbean offers a fascinating glimpse into the engineering that went into making it happen.

'NORTH STAR' WILL OFFER BIRD'S EYE VIEWS

As details emerge for Quantum of the Seas, you can tell the execs at Royal Caribbean can hardly contain their excitement. Any why not? We expected Oasis of the Seas to be a hard act to follow. But guess what? The cruise line known for innovation has delivered another "WOW" in spades with this ship. 

Before we get to the features, a few basics:

-- Quantum will sail out of New York harbor and home port at Cape Liberty.

-- Initially, she will offer 7 to 12-night voyages for the late 2014/2015 season

-- It has 18 decks, 2,090 staterooms and will accommodate 4,180 guests

-- It's 167,800 gross tons

-- Reservations open to the general public June 4, 2013.

Now check this out:

North Star. Ever wonder what the view is like from high over the ship? Now's your chance. North Star is a glass-enclosed observation capsule that lifts passengers 300 feet above the ship for a view even the captain doesn't have. Roll video: