Inside the world’s biggest cruise ship — coming in January

A vessel that will be considered the largest ship in the world is almost completed.

Known as Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas, the cruise ship is nearly 1,200 feet long and will weigh a projected 250,800 tonnes (about 553 million pounds).

The grand ship will include the largest water park at sea, named Category 6, after a 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.

Holding up to some 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew, the boat will also feature seven pools and nine whirlpools.

It’s being built at Meyer Turku shipyard, one of Europe’s leading shipbuilders, in Turku, Finland.

“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.

The Icon completed its first set of sea trials on June 22, according to a Royal Caribbean 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 says a second set of sea trials is scheduled for later in 2023.

The cruise will also offer more than 40 ways to dine, drink and be entertained.

Made up of 20 decks and eight neighborhoods to explore, the idea is to cater to every type of customer, with everything from areas dedicated to young families to adults-only spaces such as Royal Caribbean International’s first dueling pianos bar.

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.”

It is also the first ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fuel cell technology, as part of the company’s move to a clean-energy future.

The cruise is accepting bookings for January 2024, but it will cost a pretty penny.

Already sold out of the cheaper options, sailing on a seven-night expedition from Miami to the Eastern Caribbean on the vessel is priced at $4,673 per person for a room with a balcony.

If you want to wait until the next month, in February, you can get a cool deal for about $2,000 per person.

Because of the ship’s buzz, advance sales have been record-breaking.

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.”

Every sailing will include a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s award-winning private island destination, as well as its new expansion, Hideaway Beach.