World's
largest cruise ship is set to begin its maiden voyage on January 27th as it
gets underway from the Port of Miami.
Royal
Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, which runs nearly 1,200 feet (365 meters) from
bow to stern, is leaving South Florida for its first seven-day island-hopping
voyage through the tropics. The ship was
officially christened Tuesday with help from football legend 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 deliver the
world’s best vacation experiences responsibly," Royal Caribbean Group
President and CEO Jason Liberty said earlier this week. “She is the ultimate multigenerational
family vacation, forever changing the status quo in family travel and
fulfilling vacation dreams for all ages on board.”
When the Icon of the Seas was first revealed in October
2022, the ship spurred the single largest booking day and the highest volume
booking week in Royal Caribbean’s then 53-year history, according to the cruise
line.
The Icon of the Seas is divided into eight
neighborhoods across 20 decks. The ship includes six waterslides, seven swimming
pools, an ice-skating rink, a theater and more than 40 restaurants, bars and
lounges. The ship can carry up to 7,600 passengers at maximum capacity, along
with 2,350 crew members.