The world’s largest cruise ship, which is set to launch in January, has been labeled a “monstrosity,” with critics comparing it to having the same buzz as the Titanic did on its maiden voyage.
Known as Icon of the Seas under Royal Caribbean International, this new ship is five times larger than the Titanic with an internal volume of 250,800 gigatonnes (GT) compared to 46,328 GT.
Online critics have been quick to point out how the ship, over-the-top in nature, doesn’t mean bigger is better.
“As visions of hell go, that’s pretty much the most hellish,” one person tweeted in response to a photo of the new cruise ship, while another said, “I’m sorry but this is a nightmare.”
“Every time I see a picture of the Icon of the Seas cruise ship I am filled with an intense dread,” another wrote.
“For a second I was like ‘No, the Icon of the Seas is not real, it can’t hurt you because some wacky giant cruise ship seasteading scheme goes viral every 10 months.’ But I looked it up and it turns out they actually built this one,” another person tweeted.
For the company, however, this takes travel to a new level.
“We are positioning it as the ultimate family vacation and when you step back and look at all the energy and time that has gone into creating this ship it is mind-blowing,” Royal Caribbean International president and chief executive Michael Bayley said in a statement.
That said, the ship comes with every feature imaginable. It will have seven pools, nine whirlpools and the largest water park at sea.
The water park is named Category 6, after its record-breaking six slides. One of the slides includes the tallest waterslide to sail. And another slide is an open free-fall waterslide — the first of its kind on a cruise ship.
Currently, the cheapest ticket is priced at $1,851 for an interior room on a seven-night cruise from Miami to the western Caribbean in September 2024.
The most expensive is $10,864 for a suite on the same cruise in March. The ship also offers a seven-day trip to the eastern end of the balmy Caribbean.
As for technical specifics, the boat is equipped with 17 lifeboats with the capacity for up to 450 people — meaning it has room for 7,650 people, despite its capacity for 7,960.
Specifically, it holds up to some 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew across 19 floors — the height alone comparable to a New York City building.
The vessel completed its first set of tests on June 22, according to a company statement.
“During her first set of sea trials, Icon of the Seas traveled hundreds of miles, during which the main engines, hull, brake systems, steering, noise, and vibration levels were all tested,” the statement said. “Everything was done on time as outlined in the schedule, despite her departure being delayed due to wind conditions.”
Royal Caribbean, which didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the recent online criticism, says a second set of sea trials is scheduled for later in 2023 — and, beyond that, there are more opportunities to look forward to.
The cruise ship will also offer passengers more than 40 ways to dine, drink and be entertained.
Icon of the Seas will also boast a rock climbing wall, Royal Caribbean’s first food hall, a beach-themed carousel, an arcade and a mini-golf course — meaning that passengers, while sailing through open seas, may never feel bored.
There are 28 different types of accommodations, with more categories for families, more layouts with ocean views and more space for group travelers. The cruise line says it’s the longest timeframe it’s ever dedicated to “designing the perfect home base.”
.
Despite the negative comments, that hasn’t kept optimistic cruisers from signing up.
Bayley described Icon of the Seas during the company’s quarterly financial results as “literally the best-performing new product launch we’ve ever had.” It has already sold out in January — the first month of its launch.