As 'biggest, baddest ship on the planet' sets sail, campaigners question its green claims

The largest cruise ship in the world embarks on its first public voyage from Miami today.

- Karen McVeigh

It towers 20 decks above the waves, can accommodate a staggering 10,000 passengers and crew, and, at a quarter of a million gross tonnes, could swallow five Titanics for breakfast.

Coloured slides on the upper deck of the Icon of the Seas mark out Thrill Island, the largest waterpark at sea and it boasts a 17-metre indoor waterfall. The president of Royal Caribbean, Jason Liberty, told reporters it was the "biggest, baddest ship on the planet".

Yet the launch of the giant vessel, one of many the same size or bigger set to launch in the next two years, has refocused attention on the environmental impact of cruises.

Studies by NGOs comparing the carbon footprint of a weeklong holiday on a European cruise to taking a flight and staying in hotels, concluded such cruises were between twice and eight times as carbon intensive.

More than half of the 71 ships on order in 2023 were supersized vessels capable of carrying more than 4,500 passengers. Ten of these are expected to be built by the end of 2025.