PortMiami welcomes Icon of the Seas, world's largest cruise ship
MIAMI - PortMiami has welcomed an "icon."
Royal Caribbean's new addition to its international fleet, Icon of the Seas, is a record-breaking city at sea. The 1,198-foot ship is the largest cruise liner in the world. Early Wednesday it docked at its new home - PortMiami
"Tons of pride here today from our company and from our fans and locals that are here, it's really palpable. This has really been a labor of love for seven years crafting this ship and we set out to create a family vacation that is unrivaled by anyone out there," said Samantha Riepe, Vice President of Marketing at Royal Caribbean.
Icon of the Seas was officially handed over to Royal Caribbean at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, on November 27, 2023.
It's spent the last few weeks in Puerto Rico undergoing regulatory inspections.
"We've been on Icon now for quite a few weeks on her journey to Miami. We went from Finland to Spain and then from Spain to Puerto Rico. We are now about to pull into Miami. It's been a crazy few weeks finishing up the last of our construction. We are really starting to stress test our venues to make sure that when our guests get here that everything is perfect, that everything is always what we dreamed it would be," said Jennifer Goswani, Director of Product Development for Royal Caribbean International who was on the ship as it sailed to Miami.
It's 2,805 cabins and can hold up to 5,610 guests and 2,350 crew members.
The enormous 20-deck vessel has seven swimming pools with six water slides. Royal Caribbean claims the ship has the tallest waterfall, tallest water slide, and the largest water park at sea.
The Hideaway will be home to the world's first suspended infinity pool at sea, while Chill Island will hold four of the ship's seven pools and an adults-only zone. Thrill Island will feature a ropes course/thrill ride that allows guests to swing 154 feet above the ocean, as well as a FlowRider wave simulator and a mini golf course.
Those on board will be able to enjoy a host of exciting features, including eight neighborhoods and 40 or so different bars and dining options.
Icon of the Seas' maiden voyage from PortMiami is set for January 27th. The first voyage is sold out. Fares start at around $1,800.
The ship will offer year-round Eastern or Western Caribbean adventures with the likes of St. Maarten, Mexico, St. Thomas, and Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, on the itinerary.
Icon of the Seas takes the "world's largest cruise ship" title from Wonder of the Seas, another vessel in the Royal Caribbean fleet, which measures 1,188 feet in length and holds 18 decks.
South Florida is considered the cruise capital of the world. It generates nearly $43 billion for the economy and supplies thousands of jobs.
