World's largest cruise ship -- five times the size of the Titanic -- begins its maiden voyage

Photo byRoyal Caribbean

The world's largest cruise ship began its historic maiden voyage.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, which at 1,200 feet long is five times the size of the Titanic, set sail from the Port of Miami on Saturday.

The massive ship, valued at $2 billion, can hold 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members.

“We’re excited to introduce guests across the world to Wonder of the Seas and its world-class features after a six-year-long process,” Mark Tamis, senior vice president of hotel operations at Royal Caribbean International told CNN Travel.

Complete with eight “neighborhoods,” seven swimming pools, six waterslides, and a total of 20 decks, the ship has been described as the “biggest, baddest ship on the planet" by Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty.

There is also a theater, a carousel, and more than 40 restaurants, bars, and lounges aboard, making the gigantic ship a one-stop-shop of entertainment for its passengers.

Entertainment on the boat includes 50 musicians and comedians and a resident golden retriever puppy, Rover, called the Chief Dog Officer.

“From planning to delivery, we’ve utilized our expertise across Royal Caribbean, as well as incorporating our guest’s suggestions and travel partner feedback to create something truly awe-inspiring," Tamis said.

“We’ve always prided ourselves on offering guests the best and most innovative ships to give them a truly extraordinary experience. Wonder encompasses all of that,” Tamis continued.

The ship will begin operating five- to seven-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to the Caribbean in March before launching Western Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona and Rome in May.

The ship was originally scheduled for delivery in 2021, but this was pushed back due to delays brought about by the global pandemic.

Despite receiving the green light to proceed with its voyage, environmentalists have pushed back on the idea, citing that the ship could cause major environmental damage.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas is powered by six dual-fuel engines, which can be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), a fuel alternative that the Cruise Lines International Association says reduces sulfur and greenhouse gas emissions.

However, some environmentalists worry that LNG-powered ships increase methane emissions. Others say that vacationers generate eight times more carbon on a cruise than they do on land.

Friends of the Earth, an organization that advocates for the protection of the environment, released a statement protesting the ship's voyage.

"Unfortunately, everything that cruise ships come in contact with is likely to be harmed along their journey," Friends of the Earth stated. "The air, water, fragile habitats, coastal communities, and wildlife are all affected. But most governments have refused to take actions to actually regulate the cruise industry and buried their heads in the sand to ignore the ongoing damage to the environment and communities."

They dump toxic waste into our waters, fill the planet with carbon dioxide, and kill marine wildlife. Cruise ships’ environmental impact is never-ending, and they continue to get bigger. They once were small ships, around 30,000 tons. Now, corporations are building billion-dollar cruise ships to hold more than 9,000 people. They’re doing everything they can to pack these floating cities full of tourists while polluting everything in their path.

Despite the resistance from environmentalists, the ship plans to proceed with its weekly voyages.

The vessel’s first trip, a seven-day voyage making stops through the Eastern Caribbean, was at capacity.

The ship, which was built in Turku, Finland, was christened by Argentinian soccer star Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates on Tuesday at a celebration hosted by Mario Lopez, according to Forbes.

For more information on the cruise ship, please visit its official website here.