The world’s largest cruise ship is set to sail in the next few hours on its maiden voyage from the port of Miami.
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas measures 365 meters (1,200 feet) from bow to stern, nearly the height of New York’s Empire State Building.
The ship, which departs from South Florida on its first seven-day voyage through the tropical islands, was officially christened Tuesday at a ceremony featuring soccer star Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates.
“Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of dreaming, innovating and living our mission – to responsibly deliver the world’s best vacation experiences,” said Royal Caribbean Group president and CEO Jason Liberty. “It is the ultimate in multigenerational family vacations, forever changing the status quo in family travel and fulfilling vacation dreams for all ages onboard.”
The launch of Icon of the Seas in October 2022 resulted in the highest-volume day and week of bookings in Royal Caribbean’s 53-year history, according to the company.
The ship is divided into eight neighborhoods over 20 decks. It has six water slides, seven pools, an ice skating rink, a theater and more than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges. It has a maximum capacity of 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew.