Nothing seems normal about the world’s largest cruise ship.
The new “Icon of the Seas” ship, belonging to Royal Caribbean, which sailed from the port of Miami in America on its maiden voyage before sunset on Saturday, is about 1,200 feet long and has a total weight of 250,800 tons.
The top of the ship, which looks like a multi-layered birthday cake, consists of seven swimming pools, orchards of tropical vegetables, and twisting water slides in green, pink, blue and orange.
When the $2 billion ship set sail for Miami, after crossing the Atlantic — with a stop in Puerto Rico — from the shipyard in Turku, Finland, where it was built, it was greeted by a cacophony of gunboat salutes. The disturbance brought traffic to a halt along the bridge leading to Miami Beach, which parallels the cruise ship channel.
Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi was present during the ship’s early hype as the “godfather” of the “icon of the seas,” christening the 20-deck ship on January 23.
The ship is officially the largest cruise ship in the world.
Passengers on board its maiden voyage, a seven-night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean, will be able to enjoy some luxurious and unique experiences.
It’s hard to find time to experience everything on board Icon of the Seas, which promises to keep passengers busy.
The ship can carry 7,600 guests at full capacity, along with 2,350 crew members.
Among the attractions is the ship’s 17,000-square-foot water park, currently the largest of its kind at sea and extending across decks 16 and 17, with six slides including the tallest slide at sea at 14 metres, and the first family catamaran slide into the sea.
The ship has the first infinity pool at sea, and the largest ice arena at sea (Absolute Zero, where guests can skate or watch shows).
About 50 musicians and comedians keep passengers entertained with bands including the largest orchestra at sea as well as the sea premiere of “The Wizard of Oz.”
Long before its arrival in Miami, photos of the ship circulating on social media platforms sparked an online uproar caused by excited vacationers, as well as the potential environmental impact of such a huge ship.
A Royal Caribbean spokesman said that the “Icon of the Seas” is 24% more energy efficient than what is required for ships designed today. The company plans to introduce a ship with a “net-zero carbon emission” concept by 2035.
The ship’s parabolic bow – a first for Royal Caribbean – is designed to help the ship move more easily through the water, and helps reduce fuel consumption and emissions, Comer explained, adding that it also helps the cruise line’s bottom line.
The ship produces more than 93% of its fresh water through reverse osmosis. Icon of the Seas also has the first microwave-assisted pyrolysis waste-to-energy system, which is used to convert waste on board into a gas that the ship can use as energy.
Exquisite engineering feats are on display everywhere on board Icon of the Seas.
An 82-foot-long “AquaDome” crowns part of the ship’s upper deck, houses a stage where divers perform, and forms a 55-foot curtain of water.
The spherical-shaped Pearl rises three stories high on the ship’s world-class promenade, providing structural support amidships and opening the area to expansive ocean views.
At a recent press conference on board the ship, Michael Bailey, Royal Caribbean’s president and CEO, told media that the ship “ticks all the boxes” the company was hoping to meet.
“It’s big, it’s bold, and it’s perfect for the Caribbean and our markets,” Bailey explained.
For his part, Royal Caribbean’s chief product innovation officer, Jay Schneider, stressed that “the ship was not designed to compete with other cruise ships, but rather it was designed to compete with any other family vacation that people want to take anywhere else on the planet.”
