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An undeniably massive and quite intimidating vessel touted as “the biggest ship to ever set sail” has ticked off another construction feat ahead of its 2024 launch for the general public.
Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas, set to formally debut next January, was confirmed earlier this month to have finished its first round of sea trials. After hitting the water for its first time, the ship returned to the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.
The ship is 1,198 feet long and boasts six waterslides, seven pools, nine whirlpools, more than 2,000 staterooms, and has the potential to carry a maximum of 7,600 guests. In terms of expectedly daunting gross tonnage, Royal Caribbean says that number comes in at 250,800.
"Between preparations and the trials, the important step in the journey to bring Icon to life involved more than 2,000 specialists, hundreds of miles traveled, four 37- to 67-ton tugboats and more than 350 hours of work," the company said of the all-hands approach required for the first round of sea trials.
Later this year, Icon will again hit the water for a second round of trials, this time pushing the ship "to its limits" before its official Miami unveiling.
“The enthusiasm and excitement for Icon are undeniable in more ways than one,” Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, said back in October when detailing Icon booking stats. “The incredible response we have received from our loyal guests, vacationers new to cruising, crew members and travel partners continues to come in, and this is just the beginning."
After Icon of the Seas makes its January 2024 debut, Royal Caribbean is slated to launch the next ship in the larger Icon series the following year. As of February of this year, that ship did not yet have a name.
