Did you know that the Icon of the Seas, a cruise ship built for Royal Caribbean International, is reportedly five times bigger than the Titanic, and it is the largest cruise ship in the world harbouring 7,600 passengers at maximum capacity?

In October 2016, Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku (a Finnish shipbuilding company located in Turku, Finland Proper) announced an order to build two ships under the project name "Icon". The ships are expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2023 and in 2025, and will be classified by DNV. Icon of the Seas will be the lead ship of the Icon class and is scheduled to enter service in early 2024 out of PortMiami in the United States. At 250,800 gross tonnage (GT), Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world. 

Royal Caribbean applied to register a trademark for "Icon of the Seas" in 2016, which was at the time suggested as an indication of the name of the first ship. Steel-cutting for Icon of the Seas began in June 2021. In October 2021, Royal Caribbean announced that the first LNG tank for the ship was installed at the Neptun Werft in Rostock, Germany. In December 2021, the floating engine room unit, including the LNG tanks, was towed to Turku in Finland by tug. The keel was laid in April 2022. In May 2022, Royal Caribbean confirmed that Icon of the Seas would be bigger than the Oasis class, a class of five Royal Caribbean International cruise ships.

On 19 June 2023, Icon of the Seas sailed for the first of her sea trials. She returned to the Meyer Turku shipyard on 22 June. The ship will now have final adjustments made to her systems, and interior spaces will be completed and furnished during this phase.

Icon of the Seas is powered by liquified natural gas (LNG). The ship has six multi-fuel Wärtsilä engines generating 67,500 kW (90,520 hp) of power. The engines can be powered with both LNG and distillate fuel. The ship contains other alternative energy features, like the use of fuel cells to produce electricity and fresh water. Icon of the Seas is the first Royal Caribbean vessel to utilize such technology.

The ship will have a crew of 2,350, and a capacity of 5,610 passengers at double occupancy, or 7,600 passengers at maximum capacity.

Icon of the Seas is reportedly five times bigger than the Titanic, boasting 20 decks, eight "neighborhoods," a miniature Central Park, seven swimming pools and six water slides. The company claims the ship has the tallest waterfall, the tallest water slide, the largest water park, and the first suspended infinity pool of any ship.

Icon of the Seas comes in at 1,198 feet long — 10 feet longer than the previous record-holder. By comparison, the Titanic was 882.75 feet long. According to Royal Caribbean, it will have a surf simulator, dozens of restaurants and bars at sea.

The Icon of the Seas has 20 dining options on board, including the Empire Supper Club. Top-tier suites on the Icon of the Seas include two floors and a wraparound balcony. It is set to have a massive central gathering place called the "Aquadome." The Icon of the Seas is also set to have a variety of activities, including rock-climbing walls and luxurious fitness centers.

The cruise's inaugural trip is nearly sold out, pointing to a feverish demand for the whimsical new ship. However, there's an entire population of social media users who find the monstrous boat anxiety-inducing — especially in light of the Titan sub's fatal implosion in June 2023, and the Titanic, as tall as a 17-story building, which debuted in 1911 to a similar kind of fanfare with more than 100,000 people coming to watch its launch, but sank in its inaugural voyage.

Source: Business Insider | Wikipedia 

#penglobalfactfile #iconoftheseas