All aboard the world’s largest cruise ship!
The Icon of the Seas — a behemoth of a vessel measuring nearly 1,200 feet from bow to stern and with a capacity to carry nearly 10,000 people — will begin its maiden voyage Saturday evening.
The Royal Caribbean’s latest cruise ship is set to depart for its inaugural seven-day Eastern Caribbean round-trip journey from PortMiami at 5 p.m.
The latest addition to the tourism giant’s fleet was officially christened on Tuesday with the help of soccer superstar Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates in a ceremony hosted by Emmy-winning TV host Mario Lopez.
“We did it! After seven years of pursuing the bold vision to create a one-of-a-kind vacation for every type of family and adventurer, Icon of the Seas has become a reality,” Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, said at the ceremony.
Described as the “ultimate multigenerational family vacation” the ship has seven swimming pools, six waterslides, an ice-skating rink, a theater, and more than 40 restaurants and bars.
Divided into eight “neighborhoods” across 20 decks, the vessel can carry up to 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members.
“Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of dreaming, innovating and living our mission — to deliver the world’s best vacation experiences responsibly,” Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty said in a news release.
The first vacationers to experience the company’s record-breaking entertainment will “island-hop in the tropics” departing from South Florida.
The sold-out cruise will sail to Perfect Day at CocoCay, St. Thomas, and St. Kitts & Nevis before returning to PortMiami on Feb. 4.
When the $2 billion ship was first revealed, in October 2022, Royal Caribbean saw its single largest booking day and the highest volume booking week in the company’s then 53-year history.
“She is the ultimate multigenerational family vacation, forever changing the status quo in family travel and fulfilling vacation dreams for all ages on board,” Liberty said.
