The world's largest cruise ship has 20 decks, 7 pools and would cover almost 4 city blocks

[dalton99a]

https://apnews.com/article/largest-cruise-ship-florida-e841449d2796b1fd76d022bbfbb4dada

The world’s largest cruise ship has 20 decks, 7 pools and would cover almost 4 city blocks
Updated 9:07 AM CST, January 27, 2024

MIAMI (AP) — The world’s largest cruise ship — the size of almost four city blocks — is set to begin its maiden voyage Saturday as it leaves from the Port of Miami.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, which runs nearly 1,200 feet (365 meters) from bow to stern.

The ship, which is leaving South Florida for its first seven-day island-hopping voyage through the tropics, was officially christened Tuesday with help from soccer legend Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates.

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.

...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------







More pics at:

https://www.businessinsider.com/royal-caribbean-icon-of-the-seas-cruise-ship-top-tips-2024-1

[Ocelot II]

1. I'll pass. Can't think of a more unpleasant vacation.

[jimfields33]

17. Cruises are the best most affordable vacations

I’d love to go on this one and will when the price goes down. I’m off on another cruise in April on celebrity. I definitely do two a year. We normally have around 13 family members go. They are a blast.

[Ocelot II]

19. Ugh. To each his own.

My idea of a great vacation definitely does not involve being on a ship with thousands of other people you can't get away from. That particular ship looks like its target market is families, and a ship full of screaming children on water slides sounds particularly hellish. Go, have a good time, and leave me to my cabin in the woods.

[ProfessorGAC]

23. I'm With You

I just don't see a cruise as a fun way to spend leisure money or time.
Just not for me. For the reasons you outlined.

[Diamond_Dog]

55. It sounds like "Too Much of Everything " for me.

Too much noise, activity, people …. I prefer vacations where you get away from it all in a beautiful, peaceful, place. I need my down time.

But I’m sure this will appeal to some folks, so I say, to each his own. Not for me.

[ProfessorGAC]

65. I Worked With A Guy Who...

...along with his wife, went on one every year. They loved it!
Like you saud; to each his own.
I traveled a lot for my job, so time off meant staying home for me.
But, every few years, we'd go visit friends in The Keys. When we were there, we didn't even have a plan until 11 in the morning.
For me, THAT'S downtime!

[ecstatic]

46. Lol! What's fun about it is you can leave the ship each day

And spend the entire day / night exploring the various countries that you dock in. Like a floating resort hotel.

When you return to the ship there's activities to do there as well. Clubs, karaoke, games, etc. and every night you can have a somewhat formal dinner with assigned seating. This is one of my favorite parts because you usually get the same waiter each night, so you get to know them and it's a cool experience.

It's probably weird that I like cruises because I'm kind of a germaphobe and the horror stories that come out about people getting stomach viruses etc during cruises are disgusting. But I have never gotten sick nor do I know anyone who has. Just wash your hands frequently and avoid shady buffet situations.

[Ocelot II]

62. Most of those things are exactly what I'd absolutely hate.

I don't want to have dinner with a bunch of people I don't know. I don't want to do games and karaoke and organized activities with a thousand other people - not to mention the norovirus. That would be a nightmare for me; after a couple of days I'd probably steal a lifeboat and try to get away. I want to be by myself in the woods or on a lake, where I can hear the birds and enjoy clean air and no human noises, machines, screaming children and bad music. If God decides I have led a sinful life and sends me to Hell, I would expect to find myself on an eternal cruise ship.

[jimfields33]

60. No offense but a cabin in the woods sounds dreadful.

I’d be so bored after a day. But like you said, “to each their own.”

[dflprincess]

2. Is it unsinkable? nt

[Chainfire]

16. I don't think that they use that term any more.

[dflprincess]

54. Not since 1912 at least

:

[Ocelot II]

20. Sinking it before it leaves port actually sounds like a good idea.

It might make a nice coral reef.

[ecstatic]

36. Lol. Yeah something about the headline makes me uneasy

It looks really awesome but I hope the ship manufacturer(s) didn't cut corners.

[honest.abe]

3. Watch out for icebergs!

[lame54]

31. Thank god climate change is eliminating that danger

[niyad]

4. What an ecological, environmental nightmare.

[pdxflyboy]

5. Asking anyone here with nautical experience.......

Won't this ship be extremely top-heavy (high CG) when in rough waters, leading to instability?

[codfisherman]

18. Master mariner here

I am sure that architects have designed this thing with stability in mind. That being said; this vessel is an insult to Mother Ocean and all of mankind.

[pdxflyboy]

37. Thank you, codfisherman.

[OAITW r.2.0]

25. I wonder, too.

Though I'm sure there must have been extensive testing in a wave lab, using scale models....but I'd still be nervous as hell in a large tropical depression storm.

[brooklynite]

44. As a rul, cruise ships don't sail in to tropical storms of any sort.

[werdna]

28. With todays satellite assisted meterology -

- and hull stabilization technology it will rarely, if ever, sail in seas rough enough to threaten any unpleasantness let alone capsizing.

[brush]

52. That's exactly my first thought. In high seas it must be a wild ride.

[EX500rider]

56. Massive modern cruise ships are fitted with fin stabilizers, two each on the port and starboard sides.

Cruise ships aren’t dependent on advanced active systems to maintain stability. Most designs use relatively wide, flat hulls to lower the center of gravity as much as possible. Vessels use ballast tanks to lower the center of gravity further and keep the ship level at lower speeds.

I imagine it shares most of the tech from the one built before it:
Harmony of the Seas is the most energy-efficient and technologically advanced cruise ship ever built. Equipped with next-generation technologies, from a multi-stream exhaust gas cleaning system (scrubbers) to an air lubrication system that allows the ship to float on air, with millions of tiny bubbles created under the hull to reduce drag and increase fuel efficiency. Harmony of the Seas raises the bar on environmental stewardship technology.

[edisdead]

67. US Navy vet here

Check out an aircraft carrier.

All about displacement.

[orleans]

6. and i'm sure the whole fucking thing is at least 90% eco friendly

[EX500rider]

57. It will be better then earlier cruise ships

Using liquefied natural gas (LNG) for fuel.
Using a hybrid fuel cell to generate power without producing pollutants.
The capability to plug into the local power grid of a destination (but only if the setup is available), replacing the need to use fuel every time the ship docks.
Reducing food waste via an on-board waste-to-energy plant.
Being land-fill free (but only where ports allow).

[JI7]

7. No thanks

[redwitch]

8. I go on vacation to get away from it all.

I don’t want to take it all with me!

[sinkingfeeling]

9. No thanks.

[SYFROYH]

10. I have a friend who does 5 or 6 7-day cruises out of FL per year

She's not wealthy as a retired admin assistant, but she saves up and has the best time. I think most trips are under $1000 in total costs. It's like having a regular vacation spot with the benefit of different destination ports of call throughout the Caribbean.

I have other friends who stay at their favorite hotels in their favorite cities on a regular basis.

[leftieNanner]

11. Hard NO!

We have taken two Viking cruises and they are wonderful. 900 passengers and 450 crew. That ship looks like a giant suburban mall.

[cilla4progress]

15. Haha leftie!

See my post below!

[lame54]

35. A crew member for every 2 people?...

How do they make money?

[leftieNanner]

50. I don't know.

But they do everything well.

[TSExile]

12. Are they trying to remake the Ark?

No thanks!!!

[cilla4progress]

13. What do y'all think of Viking?

We are considering an ocean cruise this fall around Great Britain. 900 passengers. No kids. No casinos or play areas.

Never done anything like it. Not sure It's our jam..

Supposed to be eco-conscious.

[Ocelot II]

21. Both of my siblings have taken several Viking cruises and raved about them.

I think one of the cruises they liked was the one around Britain. Great service, great food. They also especially liked the river cruises on the smaller ships.

[cilla4progress]

24. Thanks!

[Mz Pip]

30. Love Viking

Have done their river (150 passengers), expedition (300 passengers) and their ocean (900 passengers.)

Lots of enrichment activities with guest speakers who talk about the history and culture of the various ports. We just did one through the Panama Canal and it was fascinating. Excellent lectures and tours.

[Lonestarblue]

33. I've been on Viking cruises and like them.

I’m not into gambling or stuffing myself at buffets all day long or flirting with skin cancer by sitting in the sun for hours. I’ve done both river and ocean cruises on Viking and prefer the size of the riverboats (around 290 passengers versus the 900+ for their ocean ships). With Viking, and other cruise companies of similar size ships, the focus is on the itinerary and what you will see at each stop. The riverboats are small enough to dock right in town harbors, so you can usually get off the ship and walk to see the sites. Occasionally, a bus is used for areas out of the towns and cities, e.g., wine tours. Each night, a tour director gives an overview of the places being visited the next day. Usually, there’s also a musical group to entertain at night.

For the ocean cruises, Viking includes at least one excursion per day in the price but offers additional excursions for a price so you can choose to see what you’re interested in. I think Viking does a great job, but if you’re looking for constant entertainment they may not be the right choice though the ocean ships do have theaters and show films.

[cilla4progress]

38. Helpful,

thanks!

[Chainfire]

14. A giant, floating incubator. I would't go on that thing if they paid me.

I do like the cartoon color scheme.

[Ocelot II]

22. If I ever go on a cruise it would be one of these:

https://www.hurtigruten.com/en-us/expeditions/destinations/

No casinos, no water slides, no crowds.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

26. On our voyage to Australia on RC Explorer of The Seas

For 21 days was a delight. Big with plenty to offer, but small enough not to feel overwhelmed.

Stops in the Hawaiian Islands for 2 days, Fiji, Vanuatu for 2 days, New Caledonia, then on to Sydney where we docked at Circular Quay.

[Mz Pip]

29. I like cruises

But not like this. I like Viking. 900 max passengers in a fairly large ship. No kids, no casinos, no water slides, no inside cabins. Never feels crowded.

We did a Norwegian cruise from NYC to Bermuda and back. Over 4,000 passengers. Ugh.

[dobleremolque]

32. Meh. Folks who like this kinda stuff would hate

my kind of camping with nothing more than a knife, length of rope and a tarp. Chacun à son goûts.

[CanonRay]

34. No thanks. Bigger is not better

I bet this monstrosity cannot dock at many ports, so you have to tender off 10,000 people. Imagine the overwhelmed tourist areas. Ugh.

[BannonsLiver]

39. Few things are more interesting than a DU thread on cruises and cruise ships.

Pure comedy gold. Every. Single.Time.

[Emile]

40. Too bad it doesn't run on solar power.

Looks like a place where a contagious disease would feel right at home.

[Ocelot II]

42. Giant floating petri dishes.

Norovirus is the big one - nasty intestinal bug, very contagious, lots of outbreaks on cruise ships. And didn't one of the earliest covid outbreaks happen on a cruise ship that ended up stranded with people quarantined and unable to leave?

[dchill]

41. Nice ship you've got there...

...Hope nothing happens to it.

[MiHale]

43. Never, no way, no how...introverts absolute nightmare.

[Hekate]

45. Floating gigantic petri dish in Disney colors. Sorry but this thing gives me the wim-wams to look at...

I like people’s descriptions of Viking Cruises very much, though.

[leftyladyfrommo]

47. It looks like a floating carnival.

Cruises always sound awful to me but some people just love that atmosphere.

[oldfart73]

48. It's a small city, with a lot of tourists.

[ismnotwasm]

49. Absolutely not.

Although for the people who will go, I wish them joy and an unforgettable experience

[SarahD]

51. Not for me.

I tried a cruise and did not enjoy it. I was surrounded by people who spent all their time cruising and all they wanted to discuss was, you guessed it, cruising. I have to admit, the food was great.

[brush]

63. The thing I remember about the ports of call was that all the shops and booths had the same...

touristy straw hats, trinkets, T-shirts, sandals...all the typical stuff, and its all the same.

There must be a supply ship that makes the rounds and sells the merchants all the same stuff.

[SarahD]

66. Quick visits.

We spent a few hours in any one port. Time for a bus tour and a quick walk around the port area.

[brush]

69. That's the sane way to do it.

[SarahD]

70. Probably the only way.

The cruise line would have great difficulty doing it any other way and they would have to charge much more. I think there are some smaller ships that offer a "more intensive experience" with more time in each port.

[moondust]

53. Decent homeless shelter.

[jimfields33]

61. There are people who live on cruise ships.

They seem to love it. Maybe as time goes on, more may decide it’s cheaper then owning a home.

[Bristlecone]

58. Different strokes I guess.

That would not be for me.

[ZonkerHarris]

59. You can taste the norovirus from here

[Ocelot II]

64. 10,000 people with diarrhea, trapped in a floating hotel. Where do I sign up?

[ZonkerHarris]

72. Because what could go wrong?

[riversedge]

68. It makes the other cruise ships parked in the port like like toy ships said my brother who lives

in South Beach Fl. He and a friend took a drive down to the port last weekend just to take a look at it.
They were impressed. Not a tour--just riding their bikes around the piers.

[cornball 24]

71. For me, that would be torture - marooned on a floating prison!

[Takket]

73. my word... maybe they should have called it the DISPLACER os the Seas, instead of icon. HUGE!!!!!