By Ted Thornhill, Mailonline's travel editor
00:18 January 11, 2024, updated 01:28 January 11, 2024
Stunning photos have been revealed showing the world's largest cruise ship – Icon of the Seas – arriving in Miami for the first time, ahead of its official debut on 27 January.
Counting down to the start of a “new era of vacations,” locals, Royal Caribbean fans, executives and employees were on hand as the first to see Miami's newest residents.
Royal Caribbean “The icon arrived at PortMiami in style, with festive fireboat salutes, flag planes in flight, and a community celebration at the Perez Art Museum marking the debut of the new holiday for many who come to the Magic City,” he said.
“With the world’s best family vacation less than 20 days away, Icon will continue to make final preparations in Miami ahead of the iconic naming ceremony and maiden cruise.”
The Icon's first sailing will be a short seven-day voyage from Miami to the Caribbean.
The massive ship has 20 decks, 2,350 crew members, 2,805 staterooms, and space for 7,600 passengers.
the cost? A cool $2bn (£1.58bn).
Travelers can enjoy eight neighborhoods and “adrenaline-pumping thrills” like “record-breaking water slides,” seven pools (one for each day of the week, Royal Caribbean says), nine jacuzzis and a wide range of dining options.
There are more than 40 restaurants on board – and there's even deck-challenging entertainment.
Icon will sail year-round Caribbean cruises from Miami, with itineraries featuring “perfect destinations” and stops at the “award-winning private island” Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas.
A cool video was recently unveiled that revealed the key moments in the Icon's build.
The footage shows the first steel cutting in Turku, Finland, in June 2021, and the completed ship undergoing sea trials in June 2023, with the massive ship then being delivered in November of that year.
In between these moments, the clip shows several eye-catching feats, including installing a 90-foot liquid natural gas tank, laying the keel in April 2022, and lifting the steel ship “Pearl” that weighs more than a Boeing 747.
Another impressive moment in the video is seeing the 363-ton AquaDome lifted into place by shipbuilder Meyer Turku.
“At a distance of 50 metres,” the company commented. [164ft] Wide and 25 metres [82ft] The tall AquaDome is the largest one-piece structure made of glass and steel ever raised on a ship. The operation took 80 hours.