Icon of the Seas: World's largest cruise ship completes maiden voyage

Departing from Miami, Florida at 1pm Eastern Time, the cruise ship measures 1,198 feet in length, boasting a displacement weight of over 275,000 tons. The ship's 20 decks house facilities that can accommodate more than 7,500 passengers, who have 2,800 rooms available to them.

"Icon of the Seas" inaugural voyage is a seven-day tour of tropical islands. The journey kicked off on January 27th, 2024, and concluded on February 3rd, 2024, as reported by the cruisemapper.com portal. On offer for guests are seven pools, whirlpools, a climbing wall, a surfing simulator with a man-made wave, night clubs, an ice rink, a zip line park, basketball and volleyball courts, and a wide range of gastronomic options. However, the main attraction is presented as the largest water park at sea encompassing six giant slides.

An exclusive segment of the ship is the AquaDome: a gargantuan dome made of glass and steel. Serving as a relaxation spot for passengers during the day, it transforms into a locus for fountain shows and AquaTheatre diver performances in the evening. Moreover, "Icon of the Seas" features nightclubs, an ice rink, a park filled with trees, and theaters.

The latest addition to the Royal Caribbean's fleet is being championed as the ship providing the premier family vacations at sea. Ready to take guests from Miami on seven-day tours of the Caribbean, "Icon of the Seas" is equipped to satisfy any desire that might arise during the journey. Powered by compressed natural gas (LNG) and fuel cell technology, the ship is also capable of waste heat recovery. The operator has further chosen to implement other modern technologies, like waste heat recovery systems and air lubrication.

Jon Erlichman, a Bloomberg columnist on platform X, noted that "Icon of the Seas" is five times the size of the Titanic.

As the Royal Caribbean representatives explain, guests will have the opportunity to relish those forms of entertainment they enjoyed in the past on other ships within the fleet. The climbing wall, ice rink, and mini-golf, which have always been crowd favorites, will be presented in new layouts and adapted to new spaces.

Every area you step into from the moment you board has been designed to give guests the best vacation experience possible, whether on land or at sea. With "Icon of the Seas," we're taking this to the next level - said Jason Liberty, CEO of Royal Caribbean Group.

The cruises are scheduled to depart from Miami, Florida, roaming the waters of the Caribbean Sea. The itinerary includes a visit to the Bahamas' private islands owned by Royal Caribbean.

Starting ticket prices for "Icon of the Seas" cruises are $1,737 per person (equivalent to about 7 thousand zlotys), peaking up to $5,050 (over 20 thousand zlotys). According to the company, the cruise ship will be able to accommodate approximately 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew members for each journey.