Inside the world’s largest cruise ship, which is five times bigger than the Titanic

Looking to travel the world without jet-setting?

The world’s largest cruise ship is almost here to fulfil all your ocean holibob fantasies.

Not only is it five times the size of the Titanic, it even has its very own waterfall.

Designed by Royal Caribbean Cruises, the Icon of the Seas was sailed for the first time as part of a four-day sea trial in Finland, where the ship was first built at a whopping cost of £1.5 billion.

A team of 450 specialists and four tugboats took part in a trial of the record-breaking vessel ahead of its formal arrival late last year, and it took its maiden voyage from the Port of Miami on January 27, 2024. 

Welcoming 5,610 guests (although it can hold a maximum of 7,600) and employing 2,350 crew, the ship comes in at an impressive 1,198 feet or 365 metres long.

The Icon even has its own Central Park on board (Picture: Royal Caribbean)

The ship made its maiden voyage in January 2024 (Picture: Royal Caribbean)

Passengers set sail from Miami (Picture: Royal Caribbean)

By comparison, the famous Titanic – which was the largest ship afloat back when it debuted in 1912 – measured 269 metres.

The Icon of the Seas marks a new era for holidaymakers in combining theme parks, beach escapes, fine dining and entertainment, sailing seven-night cruises across the Eastern and Western Caribbean year-round.

There are different packages, depending on your budget, but it can be pricey. The cheapest option starts at £1,482 per person for a seven-night stay in an interior cabin in September 2024.

Meanwhile, the ship’s townhouse three-storey apartment (which sleeps eight and comes with its own cinema and a slide between levels) works out at roughly £70,000 for a week.

Guests can choose from a whopping seven pools and nine whirlpools on board (Picture: Royal Caribbean)

There’s also an array of fine dining experiences available (Picture: Royal Caribbean)

The water park is seriously impressive (Picture: Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Marketed as the ‘largest waterpark at sea’, the ship’s Thrill Island attraction has a record-breaking six waterslides, from the aptly named ‘Frightening Bolt’ to the ‘Pressure Drop’, the first open, freefall waterslide on a cruise.

This Icon doesn’t skimp on swimming pools, either: there are seven on board, along with nine whirlpools – enough for every possible mood, with a range of infinity edges that’ll leave you feeling at one with the ocean.

In terms of food, there are 40 restaurants to choose from, so you better make sure you’re hungry enough to sample them all.

That’s not all though: on this voyage passengers will get the opportunity to hop across some of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean, including The Bahamas, Cozumel, Mexico, Philipsburg, St Maarten, Roatan and Honduras. 

The Icon will also be accompanied by her sister ship, Utopia of the Seas, scheduled for her debut later in 2024. It’s slightly smaller, but with the longest dry slide at sea and its own train, it’s still super impressive.

James Smith