Ahead of its mega debut later this month, the world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, arrived in the Caribbean on January 2 for final touches and inspections. Locals and visitors in Ponce, Puerto Rico were granted a sneak peek at the mammoth ship, which is said to be five times larger than the Titanic, New York Post reported.
The cruise ship left the Spanish port of Algeciras on December 23 and spent the past nine days crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The brand-new vessel still has to undergo a few more preparations before it can go on its inaugural cruise.
As the cruise arrived, Michael Bayley, the CEO, and President of Royal Caribbean International exclaimed,'' Oh look who just arrived early this morning into the port in Ponce, Puerto Rico! ICON! The next few days lots of regulatory inspections, loading and offloading equipment, yard workers going home, and more crew arriving along with a very special crew member. Preparations going well for the arrival into Miami on Jan 9th where we will host the ICON arrival party.''
See the pictures here:
El crucero más grande del mundo.
— Cruceros Puerto Rico (@CrucerosPR) January 2, 2024
ICON OF THE SEAS
Ponce, Puerto Rico
01/02/2024
📸 Gerardo Javier Meléndez Silvagnoli #crucerospuertorico 🇵🇷#cruceristasdeborinquen #iconoftheseas #ponce #puertorico pic.twitter.com/vHLQ3aboqB
2 ENE 2024 Por Cruceros de Puerto Rico- El amanecer nos regala la hermosa imagen del crucero más grande del mundo, ICON OF THE SEAS que llegó en la mañana de hoy al puerto de Ponce, Puerto Rico. pic.twitter.com/UBFWcMHk6r
— NOTICIAS DE PONCE (@NoticiasdePonce) January 2, 2024
🛥️El crucero más grande del mundo, Icon Of The Seas, estará llegando al puerto de Ponce durante la medianoche. pic.twitter.com/2cV8DWu0kY
— Centro Meteorológico de Puerto Rico (@cmprwx) January 2, 2024
Según amanece, el ICON OF THE SEAS comienza a verse más impresionante en el puerto de Ponce, Puerto Rico.
— Cruceros Puerto Rico (@CrucerosPR) January 2, 2024
El crucero más grande del mundo ya está en Puerto Rico 🇵🇷.
📸 Kevin Enrique #crucerospuertorico 🇵🇷#cruceristasdeborinquen#Iconoftheseas pic.twitter.com/uj75MUr7hf
The cruise is scheduled to welcome the public for its first commercial voyage on January 27. Visitors will begin their journey in Miami and spend seven nights onboard the Icon sailing through the eastern or western Caribbean with ports of call including the Bahamas, Mexico, Honduras St. Maarten, and St. Thomas, as per USA Today.
''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,'' Mr Bayley said in an earlier statement.
Features of the Cruise
As per CNN, Royal Caribbean International's 'Icon of the Seas' is 365 meters long and weighs a projected 250,800 tonnes. It can hold about 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew members and cost $2 billion to build.
The luxurious cruise boasts 20 decks, a food hall, and six pools, and will offer vacationers the world's largest waterpark at sea, dubbed Category 6. ''It's thrilling you never dared to imagine and next-level chill you never dreamed possible. Let your adrenaline surge at the largest waterpark at sea or conquer an all-out test of courage dangling high above the ocean,'' Royal Caribbean says.
It will also offer a resort getaway, a beach escape, a theme park, and over "40 ways to dine, drink, and be entertained," according to the company. Guests who want a more leisurely experience can also relax in the boat's seven pools and nine whirlpools.
Other attractions include an aqua park for families, a swim-up bar, exclusive dining experiences, arcades, live music, and shows.
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