The megaship "Harmony of the Seas" debuts in Vigo

Vigo is the first port in Spain where the largest cruise ship in the world, named “Harmony of the Seas,” has docked. Next Friday it will be in Málaga and on Sunday it will arrive in Barcelona, which will be its home port until the end of October. And although it is relevant news, it is not actually extraordinary, since another ship of the same series called “Oasis of the Seas” already made its mark in 2014 in the respective port annals.

The ship “Harmony of the Seas” is slightly larger in length, measuring 362.12 m (2.12 m more than its predecessors) and 5.5 m wider, resulting in a gross tonnage of 226,963 tons, compared to the 225,282 gross tons of the previous ships, meaning a difference of 1,681 gross tons. Its external aesthetics are very similar, resembling a floating city capable of moving at a sustained speed of 22 knots.

Currently the largest in the world in its class

Viewed from the starboard side. Its size is truly impressive

It is the most expensive of all the ships in its class built to date: one billion one hundred million euros. It is said to be the most environmentally friendly as well, thanks to the innovations it incorporates. The ship bears the stamp of the STX France shipyard, as the two previous ones were built in Finland. The formal delivery took place on May 12 and it has the capacity for 6,780 passengers accommodated in 2,740 cabins and nearly 2,400 crew members.

The fourth ship of the Oasis class is already under construction at the STX France shipyard, and a few days ago it was announced that the fifth has also been contracted and will be slightly larger than its predecessors, ensuring that Royal Caribbean International will maintain its global leadership in owning the largest ship in the world in its class. It will be in 2021, while the delivery of the fourth is expected in mid-2018. This type of ship is exceeding all expectations of the global tourism industry.

Photos: Miguel A. Tárrago Nesta / Galician Association of Naval Photographers