Cruise company Royal Caribbean has launched its latest ship, the Icon of the Seas - the largest cruise ship ever built.
The vessel is a US$2 billion floating resort that is 365m long, weighs 250,800 tonnes and can carry more than 9000 passengers and crew - the equivalent of the entire population of Huntly or Waiheke Island.
The Icon of the Seas set sail from Miami, Florida this week to an exclusive island built especially for the ship's passengers in the Caribbean.
Onboard they can enjoy a waterpark with six hydroslides reaching as high as 14m, seven pools and nine whirlpools, more than 40 restaurants, and even an ice-skating rink spread across its 20 decks.
The world's previous largest cruise ship was Wonder of the Seas, another vessel in the Royal Caribbean fleet, which measures 362m in length with 18 decks.
Icon of the Seas will offer year-round Eastern or Western Caribbean adventures from Miami, with the likes of St Maarten, Mexico, St Thomas and Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas on the itinerary.
As for the cost, a week-long Caribbean cruise costs around US$3500 for two people in an average stateroom. For customers wanting more luxurious options, the Ultimate Family Townhouse - a three-story suite with touchscreen tables and a slide - can go for up to US$100,000 per trip.
At this stage there are no plans for the ship to operate in New Zealand.
