The world’s largest cruise ship just had its trial run and is all set to sail on Caribbean waters early next year. The ship, Icon of the Seas, will join the fleet of Royal Caribbean International, in January 2024.
The Icon of the Seas is a massive vessel, measuring 1,200 ft (365 metres) in length and weighing 250,800 tonnes. It has the capacity to hold over 7,960 people, which will translate to 5,610 passengers or 2,350 crew members, when it sets sail in January 2024. The number of people onboard could go up too. The ship boasts a record-breaking six water slides, named Category 6. It furthermore, has seven pools and nine whirlpools.
According to Royal Caribbean, Icon of the Seas is 6 per cent bigger and 10 ft longer than the Wonder of the Seas, which is currently the biggest ship.
The ship was in the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, from where it embarked on the trial run. The ship has been there ever since the construction started in April 2022. The first voyage will set out from Miami on January 27, 2024. The ship will be based there through at least April 2025, and make 7-night cruises to the Caribbean.
ICON OF THE SEAS FEATURES, ITINERARY
The world’s biggest ship has an array of features including water park, areas dedicated to families, revamped pool decks, an aqua dome area, an aqua theatre area, huge floor-to-ceiling windows, offering 220-degree views, a park including thousands of real plants, a swim-up bar, an infinity pool and more.
When the Icon of the Seas is fully complete, it will be 20 decks high.
The biggest highlight of the Icon of the Seas is the Category 6 water park with six water slides, including an open free-fall slide, family raft slides and two mat-racing slides. All adventures within Category 6 will be complementary.
When the ship enters service, she will offer weeklong Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Passengers of the ship will also be able to enjoy the Private Day at CocoCay, a private destination exclusively for Royal Caribbean guests in the Bahamas.
The 7-night Eastern Caribbean trip will include Miami, Phillipsburg, Charlotte Amalie, and Perfect Day at CocoCay, while another will include Basseterre, St Kitts & Nevis, Charlotte Amalie, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
The 7-night Western Caribbean will include Miami, Roatan, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
ICON OF THE SEAS ROOMS
The ship would have 28 different types of cabins. More than 82 per cent of all rooms will accommodate three or more guests, and more than 70 per cent will have a balcony.
ICON OF THE SEAS TRIAL RUN
It said that in its sea trials, Icon of the Seas travelled hundreds of miles, during which the main engines, hull, brake systems, steering, noise, and vibration levels were all tested. There were more than 450 specialists who helped run the four-day tests on the ship’s technical areas.
As many as 2,000 specialists put in more than 350 hours of work in the Icon of the Seas between its preparation for the trials and the tests themselves. The company will conduct another set of trials later in the year, where the Icon of the Seas’ abilities will be pushed further, before it joins the fleet of the Royal Caribbean.
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