The World's Largest Cruise Ship Will Be Based in Barcelona

The ship “Harmony of the Seas,” the largest cruise ship in the world, set sail last Sunday, May 15, from the port of St. Nazaire heading to Southampton, where it will have its official naming ceremony and commercial debut. Throughout the summer and until the end of October, it will be based at the port of Barcelona and will offer short trips around the western Mediterranean.

On June 1, it will arrive at the port of Vigo, which will be the first in Spain to host this giant from Royal Caribbean International. Vigo has already welcomed another ship from the same series, “Oasis of the Seas,” which made its first stop in September 2014, so both the shipping company and the Galician port are familiar with the operations of this giant weighing 227,000 gross tons and measuring 362 meters in length.

It is the most expensive of all ships of its kind built to date: one billion euros. It is said to be the most environmentally friendly as well, thanks to the innovations it incorporates. The ship bears the mark 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 a capacity of just over six thousand passengers and nearly 2,400 crew members.

Photo: AFP