About the World’s Largest Ship

Until now, people only knew about Titanic but even after that with the help of new technology many things have been created that truly deserve the “world’s biggest ship” tag. Icon of the Seas is considered the world’s largest cruise ship. What makes it “World’s Largest Cruise Ship”? This ship was built by Royal Caribbean International and is the first ship of the Icon Class. This class is truly considered a luxury class, and it is said that there will be three more ships in this class, such as “Star of the Seas” and “Legend of the Seas.”

Ship Construction

Icon of the Seas was built at the Meyer Turku Shipyard in the city of Turku, Finland. Meyer Turku is a famous shipyard known for building large cruise ships. This shipyard has built several cruise ships for Royal Caribbean International.

Icon of the Seas is equipped with LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) tanks. This ship is LNG-powered which enhances its environmental sustainability. LNG is a cleaner fuel that produces fewer pollutants compared to traditional marine fuels, such as sulfur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). This also reduces the ship’s carbon footprint.

Along with LNG, the ship also has Marine Diesel Engines which will be used as backup. The ship’s length is 1,196 feet its height is 248 feet and its width is 216 feet with 20 decks (floors), so you can imagine the vast size of its structure. The total cost to build this ship was around $2.5 billion.

Its weight is about 250,800 Gross tons, and it operates on 6 engines made by Wärtsilä. If all engines operate together, they can generate a total of 120,000 horsepower. This ship can carry 9,000 passengers at a time, including over 2,000 crew members, This is really amazing.

Unveiling Ceremony

The unveiling ceremony of this ship was held on January 23, 2024 where famous soccer player Lionel Messi also participated, as Royal Caribbean had announced Messi as their brand ambassador in 2023.

Maiden Voyage(First journey) of the Ship

Icon of the Seas made its Maiden Voyage on January 27, 2024, travelling from Miami Port to some popular Caribbean destinations, such as CocoCay (Royal Caribbean’s private island), Nassau (Bahamas) and other tropical locations.

Features of the Ship

• Royal Bay Pool – The largest pool ever seen on a cruise ship.
• Thrill Island, Chill Island, Aquadom – An adventure park offering water slides and other attractions.
• Cloud 17 – An exclusive, adults-only retreat with stunning views.
• Family Suites and Ultimate Suites featuring luxury amenities such as private balconies, entertainment systems, etc.
• Luxury dining experiences, multiple restaurants, spas, and fitness centers.

Ship Journey Costing

The per-person cost on this ship is approximately $2,500 – $3,000, but there are different classes, and pricing depends on them. For example:

• Sea Class: $5,000+
• Family Suites: $6,000+
• Luxury Family Suites: $11,000+
• Sky Class: $7,000+

Based on these classes, prices can vary and may change week by week, depending on the routes. The most expensive family suite is said to cost around $12,500.

In these family suites, there are amenities like a private pool, gaming, entertainment, and many other facilities.

Incidents Till Now :

1. In May 2024, a passenger tried to jump from the 20th deck (floor) of this ship and died. However, the person was rescued but his injuries were serious and he was declared dead.
2. On June 25, 2024, a fire incident occurred on Icon of the Seas while it was docked at Costa Maya, Mexico. The most important thing is that no serious injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
3. On September 23, 2024, Icon of the Seas experienced a technical difficulty. This issue caused the ship to travel at a slower speed and the scheduled port stop in St. Thomas on September 25th had to be canceled.