Cruise ships are seeing more people come on board this summer. 31.5 million people are expected to cruise this year. That would be more than the last full year before the pandemic.
Shipbuilder Meyer Turku recently provided Royal Caribbean with what has been called the world’s largest cruise liner.
The transfer of ownership of the massive ship happened on Monday, with the cruise operator accepting the Icon of the Seas from where Meyer Turku built it in Finland. Top executives from both companies along with 1,200 workers attended, Royal Caribbean said.
The Icon of the Seas cruise liner, which Royal Caribbean called the biggest in the world, consists of 20 decks, 18 of which are accessible to its maximum of 7,600 guests, according to a fact sheet. It is nearly 1,200 feet long.
A side view of the new Icon of the Seas belonging to Royal Caribbean. (Royal Caribbean International)
Meyer Turku’s delivery of the ship, which can hold a crew of up to 2,350, comes just a few weeks after Royal Caribbean said the ship had wrapped up its second round of sea trials.
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“Welcoming Icon of the Seas to the Royal Caribbean family is a remarkable accomplishment years in the making for thousands of innovators, engineers, architects and designers,” Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley said. “Seven years ago, we had an ambitious idea to create the first vacation truly made for every type of family and adventurer; now, it’s in our hands, and in the final stretch, we’ll bring it all to life for the biggest debut in our history in January 2024.”
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCL | ROYAL CARIBBEAN GROUP | 105.68 | -0.72 | -0.68% |
The 250,800-tonne Icon of the Seas has been built with slightly over 2,800 guest cabins spanning 28 formats. It also has a three-story “Ultimate Family Townhouse” option on board that features an “in-suite slide, areas for karaoke and to watch movies,” as well as two balconies, according to an October announcement.
Royal Caribbean International debuts new ship Icon of the Seas. (Royal Caribbean International / Fox News)
Guests will have a total of seven pools to swim in aboard the Icon of the Seas. There is also a six-slide water park called “Category 6,” the cruise line said.
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On the ship, builders installed the “single largest glass and steel structure to be lifted onto a cruise ship, the AquaDome, according to Royal Caribbean. That structure houses a 55-foot water curtain and other experiences.
The cruise line said 900 days worth of design and construction went into the Icon of the Seas.
The ship “will sail from Turku to Cadiz, Spain, where the cruise line will start to put the finishing touches on the world’s best vacation before it heads to Miami,” Royal Caribbean said.
A view of the back of the Icon of the Seas recently delivered to Royal Caribbean. (Royal Caribbean International)
Icon of the Seas will host seven-night cruises in the Eastern and Western Caribbean that disembark from Miami. Its first trip is expected to kick off in late January.
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Royal Caribbean first started letting people reserve spots on the ship in late October 2022. That led to the company seeing its “single largest booking day” ever, it said at the time.
With Icon of the Seas, the cruise line runs 28 ships under the Royal Caribbean brand.
