Largest Cruise Ship In The World (Five Times The Size Of The Titanic) Is About To Embark On Its Maiden Voyage

People are amazed after seeing the world's largest cruise ship - the Icon of the Seas - as it prepares to set off on its maiden voyage.

Recognised as the largest cruise ship globally, the Royal Caribbean vessel is officially five times the size of iconic British passenger liner, the Titanic. 

With a colossal length of 364.75 metres and a weight of 248,663 tonnes, this massive ship which was constructed in Finland is making waves in the maritime world.  

Named the Icon of the Seas, it formally became part of the Royal Caribbean fleet on November 27^th and arrived in Miami this week in preparation to set sail on January 27^th .  

Miami will be the ship's home port until April 27^th, and will be following both Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.

The trips can include visiting places such as the Virgin Islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Honduras and Mexico. 

Each cruise will also visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, a private island in the Bahamas owned by Royal Caribbean turned into a gigantic water park.   

The ship boasts 20 decks and can carry 7,600 passengers – 10,000 including crew. 

It is split up into 8 neighbourhoods to help passengers make their way around and hosts an enormous indoor AquaTheatre offering 220-degree views and the tallest waterfall at sea.   

There is also a huge green neighbourhood named Central Park filled with real plants where guests can find all sorts of dining and entertainment, including a 24/7 champagne bar, a sushi window, jazz in the park and much more.  

If relaxing is your thing, Icon of the Seas also offers seven swimming pools to pick from as well as a whole island dedicated to rest, named Chill Island. This is home to the largest pool at sea and aims to provide the best pool deck at sea.  

It also features a Las Vegas-esque beach club, many indoor restaurants, live music, karaoke, shows, milkshake bars, the largest ice area at sea and wine bars.  

Icon of the Seas also houses the world's first water park on a cruise ship, rock climbing, a running track and fitness centre, a golf court, surf stimulator and much more!  

Trips on the mighty vessel can set you back from £1,820 to a mind-bending £75,000 for a week. This bags you a stay at the ‘Ultimate Family Townhouse’ - a luxurious suite which is the largest on the ship and has its own water slide.

The mammoth ship has received a mixed response from the public, with some X users (previously Twitter) expressing their desire to hop on board, while others think that the huge ship is an eyesore. One commented: “The Icon of the Seas looks ridiculous."

Whether you'd love to set sail on the Icon of the Seas or would rather stay ashore, its sheer size is breathtaking...