The ‘Human Lasagne Ship’ – all aboard the world’s largest cruise ship

The world’s population hit 8 billion on 15 November. One wonders if this is why cruise ships and cargo ships are getting larger and larger?

Icon of Seas first time in the water. Credit Cruise News

The biggest cruise ship ever built, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, touched water for the first time earlier this week. She is under construction at Meyer Turku in Finland.

The Icon of the Seas will be launched in 2023, with cruises already advertised for 2023/24. Her debut cruise will be from Miami – sailing a weeklong cruise.

Artist’s impression. Credit Royal Caribbean

The vessel will hold 10,000 people, spread between 20 decks and has been nicknamed the ‘Human Lasagne Ship’ – a concept image of the ship showed thousands of people squished into layers at the ship’s stern – like mince between the layers of pasta in lasagne.

The artists’ impression looks like something from LEGOLAND with the colourful design and swirling water slides and gimmicks.

The gross tonnage is 250,800 – too big for Freo, thank goodness. Imagine 7,600 passengers and 2.300 crew visiting town.

The ship has the largest waterpark at sea with six record-breaking slides – one is called The Frightening Bolt – the tallest slide at sea. Then there is The Pressure Drop, the first open, free fall waterslide on a cruise ship. There are seven pools – including the Royal Bay – the largest pool at sea.

Artist’s impression. Credit Royal Caribbean

All this water on deck has proved an engineering challenge with significant water weight located high in the superstructure of the vessel. They have hit tipping point – with 62 per cent more water than compared to the open decks on Oasis class ships, and have had to cut the number of hot tubs on deck.

So, do you love or do you hate large cruise ships? Do you think of them as huge gaudy skyscrapers that pull into a town, blocking everyone’s view of the sea, or do you love their different sizes, shapes, colours, funnels and perhaps, romance?

IN OTHER SHIPPING NEWS, speaking of large vessels, but not so much romance, the world’s largest container ship afloat – the Ever Atop, transited the Suez Canal over the weekend on its maiden voyage to North Europe.

Launched in China, built at Shanghai Jiangnan-Changxing Shipbuilding, her maiden voyage began in Tangung Pelepas, Malaysia.

Ever Atop in Suez Canal. Credit Egypt Independent

She arrived in Felixstowe, UK yesterday, 14 December.

The new vessel is being phased into an Asia-North Europe Ocean Alliance loop. This ship was built in 2022 and currently sails under the flag of Singapore and owned by the shipping line EVER GREEN and is of the class A24.

She is distinguished by her huge dimensions, measuring 400m long, 62m wide, with a draft of 16.3m. Her tonnage is 224,000 tons, and capacity exceeds 24,000 containers.

Ever Atop. Credit Vessel Finder Pro

BACK IN FREMANTLE, all of us here at the Shipping News enjoy keeping you up to date on recent cruise ships visits. We have had nine cruise ships in port since the end of October.

The last one expected for this year is Azamara Cruises’ Azamara Quest – she arrives on Monday, 19 December at 1.30pm and departs on Wednesday 21 December at 6pm.

Azamara Quest. Credit Azamara Cruises

She has the capacity of 1,100 passengers and crew. Look out for our feature story after her arrival next Monday.

In January 2023, we are expecting the returning Regatta, and Aidamar – but that’s next year!

* STORY by our Shipping Correspondent, Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey. Jean is also a regular feature writer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

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