The hulking shell of Royal Caribbean’s “Harmony of the Seas” — the world’s largest cruise ship — entered the water in France on Friday. It’s expected to take its maiden voyage in 2016.
The huge vessel has been under construction since September 2013 in the shipyards in Saint-Nazaire.
The 16-deck ship will carry 6,360 passengers along with 2,100 staff. It weighs 227,000 tons and measures 1,187 feet — that’s 50 meters longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower.
Harmony is also a metre wider than the current twin ocean-going monsters of the pleasure cruise world, which are also 362 metres long.
"Allure of the Seas" and "Oasis of the Seas", the world's biggest cruise ships in current service, is 65 metres wide and come in at 225,000 tonnes a piece. All three belong to Royal Caribbean International cruise lines.
The boat is expected to set sail in mid-February on test runs. The first voyage could take place in May and will be from the United Kingdom to Spain
“The Oasis class ships continue to astound and delight both new and experienced cruisers. They shatter preconceived notions of what cruising can be and continue to stand in a category by themselves, “said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.