Royal Caribbean’s Icon Of The Seas, World’s Largest Cruise Ship Sets Sail From Miami

The Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas embarked on its maiden voyage from Miami on Saturday, Jan 27. This 1,198-foot vessel is touted as the world's largest cruise ship, boasting 20 decks and a maximum capacity of 10,000 people.

Key Features

With remarkable features like a 55ft indoor waterfall the ship is longer than the Eiffel Tower. Royal Caribbean president Jason Liberty describes it as the “biggest, baddest ship on the planet.” Despite its grandeur the ship faced criticism on social media being humorously labeled a "human lasagne."

Runs on ‘cleanest-burning marine fuel’

Royal Caribbean, though claiming to run on the "cleanest-burning marine fuel," ranked second on Friends of the Earth's cruise industry polluters list in 2022. This led to accusations of greenwashing from climate activists.

Eco-friendly cruise

The company asserts that the ship is "eco-friendly" and can use electricity from shore when docked, presenting a more environmentally sustainable option compared to running highly polluting generators.

Banned from these European cities

Departing amidst global concerns, several European cities including Venice, Barcelona and Amsterdam have implemented restrictions on cruise ships in their ports to address their environmental impact.