Inside the World’s Most Luxurious Cruise Ships
① The World’s Largest Cruise Ship
The world’s largest cruise ship has been unveiled. It’s even larger than the current largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas. The world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, has set sail for its maiden voyage.
Icon of the Seas is a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) powered ship owned by the Royal Caribbean Group. Royal Caribbean invested approximately $2 billion (about 2.67 trillion won) in the ship’s construction.
The ship’s naming ceremony took place on the 25th of last month, and it began its maiden voyage on the 28th. Lionel Messi also attended the naming ceremony.
The cruise itinerary is a 7-night and 8 days journey that starts in Miami Florida, travels to Saint Kitts of the Caribbean islands, Saint Thomas, and the Bahamas, and then returns to Miami.
The cruise ship can accommodate up to 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew members.
On board, there are six swimming pools and a water slide. The ship features the largest water park on the sea, an infinity pool on the deck, an Aqua Dome, and more. There’s also Crown Edge where guests can experience skywalk from a height of 47 meters. Over 40 restaurants, bars, and lounges are also in operation.
② Exorbitant Usage Fee
Icon of the Seas has 27 types of rooms, including suites, totaling 2,805 rooms spread across 20 floors. Ultimate Family Townhouse’s suite, which is 165 square meters (about 1,776 square feet), even has a movie theater, karaoke room, and a ping pong table. It spans three floors, with a slide installed between the floors that can accommodate up to eight people.
You won’t get bored even if you spend a week on the cruise ship. As a luxury cruise ship, it offers a variety of facilities.
Given the immense scale and facilities of the Icon of the Seas, there has been a lot of interest in its price. The cost of the cruise ship is approximately $200 million (about 266.7 billion won).
The cost of using the best suite for a week is $75,000, which is nearly 100 million won. Despite the high price, travelers from all over the world have flocked to use the Icon of the Seas.
③ Environmental Groups Raise Concerns
Meanwhile, the enormous size of the cruise ship has raised concerns among environmental groups worldwide. Royal Caribbean claims that the Icon of the Seas is 24% more energy-efficient than the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) requirements. They also announced plans to introduce carbon-neutral ships by 2035.
However, environmental groups have pointed out that while LNG is a cleaner fuel than traditional marine fuels, there’s a high possibility of harmful greenhouse gas methane leakage. They have identified the increasing size of ships as a significant problem. One environmental group stated, “If we think about sustainability rather than profit, a cruise that can accommodate 10,000 people is not the answer.”
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