The world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, set off on its maiden voyage from Miami: what is amazing about this floating city

The world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, which boasts the world's largest swimming pool and $100-a-week "ideal family townhouse," has set sail on its maiden voyage, reports Boingboing.

Photo: IStock

Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's newest ship, is the largest cruise ship in the world. On Saturday, January 27, he set sail on his maiden voyage from Miami, a seven-day cruise to the Caribbean. All tickets for the cruise were sold out.

On January 25, the captain of the Argentina national football team that won the World Cup, Lionel Messi, took part in the launching ceremony of the ship.

The giant ship, which cost $2 billion to build, is 365 meters long. The vessel's displacement is 250 tons. This is about five times larger than the Titanic. The walk from one end of the ship to the other takes about six minutes - and that's without stopping to chat with the incredibly friendly crew members on board.

Unique floating city

The ship can carry 7600 guests and 2350 crew members. On board the ship there is:

• 7 swimming pools.
• 20 decks.
• The water park, with an area of ​​15 square meters, is the largest water park on the ship.
• 6 water slides, including the highest slide in the sea (14 m).
• The first air routes among sea vessels.
• The first suspended infinity pool among marine vessels.
• The highest waterfall.
• The largest swimming pool among sea vessels (15000 l).
• The largest ice arena on a ship.
• Your own lush green space with thousands of real plants, restaurants and live music.
• 50 artists, including musicians and comedians.
• First sea performance of The Wizard of Oz featuring flying monkeys. The production feels like a Broadway-caliber show, from the actors levitating above the audience to the fake snow falling from the ceiling and more impressive special effects.
• Onboard dog Rover.
• Royal Caribbean's first ship-to-pool bar.
• More than 40 onboard restaurants, bars, lounges.

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship has new cabin categories, new areas and views never seen before.

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Over 82% of all rooms aboard Icon of the Seas sleep 3 or more guests, and over 70% of all rooms aboard Icon of the Seas have a balcony.

In total, there are 2805 cabins on the liner:

• 179 suites.
• 1815 cabins with balcony.
• 276 ocean view cabins.
• 535 interior cabins.

28 types of accommodation: from 14 square meters of interior cabins (from $2600 per week for 2 people) to a 3-story family townhouse - “with a private terrace, cinema, outdoor hot tub and a spiral slide between decks. It costs an average of $100 per week and sleeps eight people.”

The ship has a large, spherical, pearl-shaped object that has caught the attention of cruise fans. The Pearl is the centerpiece of the Royal Promenade. You will see it first when you enter the ship.

Pearl has special panels that can create all sorts of effects.

The Pearl is 14m high and 15m in diameter, with 578 aluminum exterior panels. The glass surface, five stories high, is lined on the inside with more than 3000 tiles.

Other interesting facts about The Pearl:

• 14 km of cables for power and lighting.
• 400 m of air conditioning ducts.
• Steel mounting frames inside.
• It took two tugs to deliver the object to the shipyard.
• A crane with a lifting capacity of 5600 tons lifted it into place.
• It took 45 labor hours to build the sphere.

The liner is divided into 8 “districts”: AquaDome, Central Park, Chill Island, Royal Promenade, Surfside, Suite Neighborhood, The Hideaway, Thrill Island.

They help passengers easily navigate the ship.

New generation power

Icon is the first of three ships the cruise line runs on LNG (liquefied natural gas).

LNG and modern green applications such as shore power will improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

Traditionally, cruise ships run on diesel fuel. The advantage of LNG over diesel is that it is more energy efficient and reduces fuel consumption and emissions.

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Royal Caribbean says Icon of the Seas is 24% more energy efficient than the International Maritime Organization requires for modern ships.

However, some environmentalists were not impressed. Environmentalists have criticized this type of fuel, saying that its use leads to the release of methane into the atmosphere. They warn that a ship powered by liquefied natural gas will release harmful methane into the air. Methane is a much more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

“This is the wrong move,” said Brian Comer, director of the maritime program at the International Council on Clean Transport (ICCT). “According to our estimates, the use of LNG as a marine fuel will result in 120% more greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere over the life of the ship than if it were powered by conventional marine gas oil.”

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