By
Laura Hyde |
The world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, has been christened by Royal Caribbean International in Miami, Florida, ahead of its first passenger cruise on 27 January 2024.
Naming duties were performed by Argentina and Inter Miami CF footballer Lionel Messi, who was named as the ship’s Icon in December 2023. During the onboard celebration, Messi bestowed safekeeping onto the Icon-class ship by setting off a remote-controlled ceremonial bottle smash.
The event seven years in the making was hosted by four-time Emmy award-winner Mario Lopez in the ship’s AquaDome neighbourhood. Royal Caribbean executives, crew, employees, fans and representatives from Meyer Turku shipyard and Inter Miami CF also attended.
“Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of dreaming, innovating and living our mission – to deliver the world's best vacation experiences responsibly,” said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group president and CEO. “It is the ultimate multigenerational family vacation, forever changing the status quo in family travel and fulfilling vacation dreams for all ages on board. With Lionel Messi presiding over the ship’s naming, we are thrilled and honoured to have someone iconic for delivering memories for millions of fútbol fans around the world and who values making iconic memories with his family even more.”
The ship, which boasts a record-setting six waterslides, will spend its maiden season sailing seven-day Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries from PortMiami in Florida. Icon of the Seas is the first Royal Caribbean ship to be powered by LNG and to have Scanship’s microwave-assisted pyrolysis waste-to-energy plant onboard.