The Worlds Largest Cruise Ship Will Set Sail In 2024

Table Of Content

• Viking Mississippi Will Bring Its Winning European-Style River Cruising to the U.S.
• Ships Fun for Kids
• Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris Will Be Viking's First Adventure Cruise Ships
• THE WORLD'S LARGEST CRUISE SHIPS
• Icon of the Seas offers 28 different stateroom categories to choose from, 14 of which are brand-new
• Oasis of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
• The launch of Ritz-Carlton’s line, the first roller coaster at sea, the world's biggest ship and more

The space is inspired by the iconic terraces of Santorini, and offers a luxurious and relaxing vibe for guests to enjoy. Among those staterooms will be the “Signature Collection” featuring exclusive access to a private restaurant, lounge, and sun deck, giving guests the ultimate experience in superior service. Any new ship is exciting, but with what Icon of the Seas promises for passengers, it’s rightly getting even more buzz. And while it has officially joined the fleet, passengers can’t yet sail for a couple of months. Previously known primarily for American river cruises, American Queen Voyages will be making its first foray into expedition cruising with the 186-passenger small ship, Ocean Victory. The ship will debut in Alaska in summer 2022, running an itinerary that includes big name marquee ports and smaller, out-of-the way locales.

Viking Mississippi Will Bring Its Winning European-Style River Cruising to the U.S.

The 7th world’s biggest cruise ship features more than 30 different dining venues and a new thrilling 250-foot Drop slide located aft of the ship. Icon of the Seas is the first in its class and is powered by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG). MIAMI (AP) — The world’s largest cruise ship — the size of almost four city blocks — is set to begin its maiden voyage Saturday as it leaves from the Port of Miami.

Ships Fun for Kids

To avoid any surprises when you get on the ship, however, it is important that you understand what is and isn't included. Whether you want to watch the ship pull into port or want clear views of the horizon while sipping on a cocktail, you will also find some of the best ocean views onboard here. Whether you're counting down the days until your Icon cruise or cannot fathom stepping foot on a ship that size, there's no denying that the launch of Icon of the Seas is a major milestone in the cruising industry. Additionally, Sun Princess offers an innovative new type of "cabana cabin" along the ship's extra-wide 10th deck that comes with access to a private deck area. Plus, the top deck of the ship received some unusual-for-Princess sizzle with the addition of a glass-dome-topped pool area that transforms into a nightspot after the sun goes down. Under development for more than six years, Sun Princess is the first of Princess' new Sphere Class of vessels.

Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris Will Be Viking's First Adventure Cruise Ships

When she debuts, Sun Princess, the first Princess Cruises ship to be powered by liquified natural gas (LNG), will offer an initial spring and summer season of Mediterranean sailings. Sun Princess will measure 1,133 feet in length, with 21 decks filled with innovations for more than 4,300 guests to enjoy on each sailing. The vessel will have 2,157 staterooms 1,500 of them with balconies, including 50 suites and 100 connecting rooms to make multi-generational travel even easier.

THE WORLD'S LARGEST CRUISE SHIPS

You'll find more than 40 restaurants and bars, industry-leading entertainment across the cruise line’s four signature stages and more. Icon of the Seas comprises eight neighborhoods, one of which is specifically designed for families with young children. Royal Caribbean is doubling down on the family vacation market, not only trying to attract families that cruise other lines, but land vacationers who never considered a cruise vacation. The 20-deck cruise ship has a maximum capacity for 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew members. The 4,300-passenger vessel, originally scheduled to debut Feb. 8, departed from Civitavecchia, Italy (the port for Rome), late in the day on a 10-night sailing across the Mediterranean. The much-awaited, 21-deck Sun Princess — the biggest and most venue-packed Princess ship ever — began its first sailing with paying passengers Wednesday after an 20-day delay.

When will Icon of the Seas sail?

The inaugural sailing will take place on January 27, 2024 from Miami, Florida when Icon of the Seas will sail to the Eastern Caribbean and Royal Caribbean’s private islands of Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas. Icon of the Seas is two months away from beginning her first cruise, and the ship is primed with lots for families to enjoy. Millions are following the journey through the eyes of the passengers, as they live and post their lives aboard a vessel they’ll be on for nearly a year. If it sounds like a reality show, that’s exactly what some watchers have turned it into. Featuring 28-room types on board, layouts have been designed with for families in mind and can accommodate three, four, five guests in options like the Family Infinite Balcony and Surfside Family Suite.

Icon of the Seas offers 28 different stateroom categories to choose from, 14 of which are brand-new

For a special dinner, check out Bistro Sur La Mer, created by acclaimed French chef Emmanuel Renaut, for pâté or escargot followed by coquilles St. Jacques (scallops) or seared duck. After dinner, extend your evening of fun by heading to the Take Five lounge for live jazz. Go big on bold when you sail aboard the three largest cruise ships in the world. Deck-defying attractions aren’t the only things to look forward to when you sail onboard the newest cruise ships addition to the Oasis Class.

Oasis of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)

The ship is similar in design to her sister ships but adds some additional features and evolves the class. Wonder of the Seas is a massive 236,857 gross tons with a guest capacity of 5,734 at double occupancy. At roughly 250,000 gross tons, the ship can carry up to 7,600 passengers at full capacity. In total, it’s roughly 6-8% larger than Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships, which had set the market for the largest cruise ships on the planet. The ship includes six waterslides, seven swimming pools, an ice skating rink, a theater and more than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges.

The launch of Ritz-Carlton’s line, the first roller coaster at sea, the world's biggest ship and more

In addition to the new stateroom designs, Royal Caribbean built Icon to cater to families, meaning that more than 82% of all cabins will accommodate three or more passengers. Whether you're trying to pinch pennies and want to cruise in the most affordable cabin onboard or want to splurge on one of Icon's luxurious suites, you will surely find the perfect accommodation option for you and your travel party. At the time of writing, the lowest advertised fare on Royal Caribbean's website for a cruise onboard Icon in 2024 starts at $3,005 per person for an interior room for the March 23 sailing. The inaugural cruise will depart on Saturday, January 27 and sail to Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis' Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Perfect Day At Cococay. This voyage will signify the ship's completion, as the ship will officially be ready for regular service. Sun Princess will initially sail in Europe through the fall before repositioning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for voyages to the Caribbean.

In November 2024, the ship is expected to reposition to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale for the winter season, offering a range of Caribbean itineraries. In a ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, more than 1,200 workers and executives from both the shipyard and Royal Caribbean were on hand to celebrate as the ship was signed over. This transfer of ownership means that Icon of the Seas is now finally in the possession of the cruise line. We’re also excited by the itineraries that Emerald Azzurra will sail, which include its debut in the Red Sea in January 2022. The yacht will then move to the Mediterranean and sail into small Croatian and Greek ports, as well as itineraries that focus on Italy and France.

Onboard are eight different neighborhoods, including the new Thrill Island, complete with the Category 6 waterpark that boasts six different slides at sea. The new Surfside neighborhood is made for families with small children and is another all-new area of the ship. With only 100 passengers, Emerald Azzurra promises an intimate yacht experience from a line that has already won accolades for its European river cruises.

It wouldn't be a roundup of Icon of the Seas' best amenities without a mention of its waterpark. If you're a frequent cruiser — especially with Royal Caribbean — amenities like the mini-golf course and water playground may not seem exciting. Announced in a live presentation broadcast directly from the pier at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the new ship, first of the Sphere class, will be named Sun Princess. By then, however, they'll be another Icon Class ship, Star of the Seas, in service, although it's currently unknown where she will sail from.

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Liquefied natural gas, meanwhile, is a controversial energy source that involves cooling natural gas to a liquid state to make it easier to transport. The liquid version is “actually worse than ordinary gas,” writes the Natural Resources Defense Council. “The energy required to chill, ship and regasify the fossil fuel makes it far more carbon-intensive and increases the potential for leakage of dangerous methane,” according to the organization. The ship was finally delivered from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland after a delay on December 5, 2019. Her first regular voyage departed Savona on December 31, 2019; however, there was a special voyage for travel agents that departed Barcelona, Spain on December 18, 2019.

There's a reason Royal Caribbean's new mega-cruise ship is only operating seven-night sailings. Sun Princess is currently under construction at Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. Her as-yet-unnamed sister ship, the second of the Sphere class, is expected to debut in mid-2025. This heralds a new “sun-sational” era for Princess Cruises, as Sun Princess is the first new class of ships introduced for the popular cruise line since the debut of Royal Princess and the Royal class in 2013.

There isn’t a vacation in the world that packs more adventure into one week than Oasis Class ships — Harmony®, Allure®, Symphony®, Oasis, Wonder® and Utopia of the Seas℠. It's the first show-at-sea I've seen with a waterfall and nine-foot-tall robotic arms, and so far, it's one of my favorites. While I would've preferred a quieter atmosphere (the DJ did not, in fact, play smooth jazz), the pool's views, day beds, and lack of screaming children were hard to beat.

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Now that Icon of the Seas is part of the Royal Caribbean fleet, preparations are underway to make sure she is ready to welcome the first guests. There's 28 different kinds of cabins, including the new three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse. The townhouse comes at a hefty price, with families paying $80,000 for a week to stay in it.