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The largest cruise ship in the world is about to make its maiden voyage

By Wieke Veenboer | #!31Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:15:50 +0200+02:005031#31Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:15:50 +0200+02:00-3Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331 12pm31pm-31Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:15:50 +0200+02:003Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam2023312023Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:15:50 +0200153157pmWednesday=9#!31Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:15:50 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam7#07-12-2023#!31Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:15:50 +0200+02:005031#/31Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:15:50 +0200+02:00-3Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331#!31Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:15:50 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam7#

It has been on my bucket list for years: a vacation on a cruise ship. That seems really wonderfully relaxing and also quite special. But then with everything included, right? So with lots of restaurants where you can eat, beautiful swimming pools (preferably with slides) and of course a bingo hall. I can't imagine a cruise ship without bingo. Well, the Icon of the Seas, the newest ship from Royal Caribbean International, absolutely has all those things and much, much more. It is the largest cruise ship ever made and will make its first voyage in early 2024.

To emphasize how big this vessel really is: it is five times larger than the Titanic, 365 meters long, 20 decks, and there is room for about 10,000 people: 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members. Insanely big, right?

Because aside from the fact that almost 10,000 people can sleep on board, there is also plenty to do. In fact, you could stay here for a month and still not have tried all the restaurants. There are 40 dining venues. In addition, there are seven swimming pools, six gigantic slides, nine wave pools, a waterfall... And with that, this ship is the largest water park at sea.

But aside from swimming, there is of course much more to do here. There is an AquaDome where you can hang out during the day and where shows are held in the evening, there are cocktail bars, an arcade, a shopping mall, and... an ice skating rink. Sorry, but this really sounds amazing?! I just haven't seen anything about bingo yet, but I can't imagine they don't have that in this floating city. What I do know is that there is at least a karaoke bar, which I am already very happy about.

And now the saving can begin, because I want to stay here for two months... And even then, I fear I won't have played everything yet. Tickets for a cruise start at $981 per person, but that's for just seven nights. You start in Miami and then sail for a week along various islands in the Caribbean, such as a private island in the Bahamas, owned by Royal Caribbean. Not a bad vacation, right?.

Credits: Icon of the Seas