MIAMI — The world's biggest cruise ship will set sail next year.
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas weighs around 250,000 tons and features a water park, more than 40 dining options, seven pools, and 20 decks.
According to Royal Caribbean, the Category 6 water park is the largest of its kind at sea and features six record-breaking slides like the Frightening Bolt, the tallest waterslide to sail, and the Pressure Drop, the first open freefall waterslide on a cruise.
The Icon also features a new stay-all-day neighborhood just for families. Surfside has a kid-approved sprawling aquapark and a pool just for adults.
The seven pools onboard the Icon also feature the largest pool at sea called Royal Bay. It has an array of infinity edges to keep travelers connected to the ocean.
Looking for an adrenaline rush? The FlowRider surf simulator funnels 30,000 gallons of rushing water to create swells all day.
The Icon is also the company's first cruise ship powered by clean energy.
The Icon is set to debut in January 2024 after it completed its first sea trials in Turku, Finland. That’s where it was built at the Meyer Turku shipyard.
During the sea trials, more than 450 specialists ran four days of preliminary tests on the ship’s technical areas, like the main engines, bow and propellers, and even noise and vibration levels, according to Royal Caribbean.
Royal Caribbean said the Icon will undergo a second set of sea trials that will push Icon to its limits later this year.