Harmony of the Seas, World’s Largest Ever Cruise Ship, Delivered

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Harmony_of_the_Seas_-_juin_20152Royal Caribbean adds world’s biggest cruise ship to its fleet.

Royal Caribbean took delivery of the world’s largest cruise ship in an official ceremony Thursday at Saint Nazaire STX France shipyard.

After 32 months of construction at the shipyard involving thousands of shipyard workers, employees, sub-contractors, and suppliers, the mammoth cruise ship is now home to 2,100 crew members from 77 different nationalities. Harmony of the Seas, which will be the 25th ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, is set to arrive in Southampton on May 17.

A traditional delivery and flag changing ceremony marked the event. Mission to Seafarers’ Father Brian Millson blessed the new Harmony of the Seas which was adorned with Royal Caribbean and American flags.

Royal Caribbean and STX France officials, the ship’s crew and a group of international journalists joined the celebration in the ship’s AquaTheater. The festivities included a surprise acrobatic performance, performance of the French and U.S. national anthems and speeches by Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International and Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. The event took place two weeks earlier than its original contract date and only a month since Royal Caribbean took delivery of its third Quantum-class ship, Ovation of the Seas.

The immense floating town has a capacity of 5,479 guests at double occupancy and 2,747 staterooms. The 227,000-tonne Harmony of the Seas is also the widest cruise ship ever built while its 1,187ft length makes it 164ft longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower.

The highly anticipated cruise ship has 18 decks ad boasts several first-at-sea experiences, including a 100-foot tall  Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea, plunging from deck 16 to the Boardwalk on Deck 6; 23 swimming pools, whirlpools; two FlowRider surf simulators, and additional waterslides, a thrilling trio of waterslides, and the Splashaway Bay waterpark for kids.

Harmony of the Seas cost more than a $1billion and is the third in the Oasis class of ships, following her sisters Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas –currently the largest cruise ships in the world.

Harmony of the Seas will start inaugural cruise May 22, from Southampton, England. Then the ship will homeport in Barcelona, Spain and sail a series of Mediterranean cruises before repositioning in November to Fort Lauderdale.