20 decks and 365 meters long – the world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, has departed from the port of the American metropolis of Miami for its maiden voyage.
Waterfall and ice skating rink on board: The world's largest cruise ship left the port of the US metropolis of Miami on Saturday evening (local time) for its maiden voyage.
Icon of the Sea has 20 floors and is 365 meters long. The ship can accommodate 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew at full capacity. The first cruise is sailing to the Caribbean islands from the American cruise line Royal Caribbean International. Icon of the Seas was built by the Mayor Turku Shipyard in Turku and runs on liquefied natural gas.
World soccer legend Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates officially named the ship on Tuesday. The shipping company advertises it as the “largest water park at sea,” with “seven pools for every mood” and a special area for families called the Neighborhood. Environmental organizations criticize the megaship. “If you were really thinking about sustainability, not profit, you wouldn't build a cruise ship with nearly 10,000 people,” Marcy Keever of Friends of the Earth told the New York Times.
“Amateur coffee fan. Travel guru. Subtly charming zombie maven. Incurable reader. Web fanatic.”
More Stories
Martin Schulz: “I want more courage for the United States of Europe”
US reports first case of H5N1 bird flu virus in pigs
Polestar fears US sales ban