The world’s largest cruise ship makes the Titanic look tiny!!!
Icon of the Seas has now reached its final and mammoth 365 meters length following years of construction in a Finnish shipyard. The enormous vessel has a projected 250,800 tonnes, which is the same weight as 2,758,800 average British men, making it five times that of the Titanic. Icon of the Seas is expected to be at sea for a week, while the shipyard tests some of its onboard systems.
The ship is a behemoth with 20 restaurants, 19 swimming pools, 11 bars, an ice rink, a Vegas-style casino, divers plunging from 60-foot-high boards, cocktails made by robots, and even boasts its own Boardwalk, based on the Coney Island attraction, and Central Park, an open-air venue with lots of greenery and places to eat and shop, according to the Royal Caribbean blog post.
Construction of Icon of the Seas
The cruise ship, which is the first of three ordered for the class was being built at Meyer Turku shipyard, one of Europe’s leading shipbuilders, in Turku, Finland. At an on-site press panel earlier this year, Royal Caribbean International president and chief executive Michael Bayley told media that the vessel was on track to join the Royal Caribbean fleet on October 26, ahead of its 2024 debut. In a statement, a Meyer Turku spokesperson said: “Sea trials are one of the most important milestones on a ship’s road to completion.”
The current title holder of world’s largest cruise ship is another vessel in the Royal Caribbean fleet, Wonder of the Seas, which made its inaugural voyage just last year and is a slightly teensier 1,188 feet in length, with a mere 18 decks to explore. When it hits the seas, Icon of the Seas will overtake Wonder of the Seas.
When it sets sail on Caribbean waters in 2024, it will comfortably hold some 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew and those lucky enough to find themselves on an Icon of the Seas cruise will have a huge amount to get stuck into, including more than 40 ways to dine, drink and be entertained. The Royal Caribbean also added that the ship will feature everything you possibly can imagine, “from the resort getaway to the beach escape and theme park adventure”.
The ship is being marketed as an expansion and advancement of the company’s popular amenities for passengers. It will feature eight different zones called neighborhoods that range from entertainment to sports and recreation and dining. Among the amenities revealed in the first announcement is the largest water park at sea, along with six record-breaking slides, and seven pools. This includes the largest pool at sea, one cantilevered at the top of the superstructure, and a dedicated area for adult passengers.
Accommodations will include an array of family staterooms and the family suite. They are also introducing their largest enclave area for suites along with a dedicated restaurant and lounge.
However, British tourists will have to travel to join an Icon of the Seas cruise as it’s expected to primarily be used for Caribbean itineraries.
The new ship will also be the line’s most environmentally-friendly, it’s first with fuel cell technology and powered by liquefied natural gas.
Royal Caribbean has already said they intend to build two sister ships by 2026.
The Price
This may be the world’s largest cruise ship, however, it is not the most expensive. That particular title current belongs to the Regent Seven Seas Mariner, the world’s first all-suite ship and the least expensive trip available on the Mariner starts at, wait for it, $100,000
As for the Icon of the Seas, the price is a lot more reasonable. The cheapest 7-day cruise you can book starts at $1,700 and it’ll take you to the Bahamas, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. Even the most expensive one is still sort of affordable, setting you back $1,900 for a 7-day journey to Mexico, the Bahamas and then back to Miami.
