Nearly two years ago we reported on the world’s largest cruise liner, the “Harmony of the Seas”. This record has since been broken, with sister ship “Symphony of the Seas” now holding this title.
With a length of 362 metres, the ship is just twenty metres shorter than the Empire State Building. Nearly 9,000 people, including 2,200 crew members, are carried in this giant. Although exactly the same size as her sister ship, her volume is 2,000 gross registered tonnes larger.
The complex range of leisure activities in this floating town ensures that boredom is never an issue. Features include climbing walls, a garden based on New York’s Central Park, the Royal Promenade, a zip line, surf simulators and two pools with three water slides. Naturally, our dry slides, which already caused a stir on “Harmony”, are also on board. Proven success requires no alteration: Both of the chute slides are the same design as those on the “Harmony” and bear the same name, “Ultimate Abyss”. Equipped with LED, audio and twister effects, the feature covers ten decks, with a respective length of 66 m at the stern of the ship.
Assembly began in early 2017 and was carried out in several phases. Due to the design of the ship it was not always possible to use a crane or work platform. For example, special climbing and manual hoisting equipment had to be used below deck 14.
On 23 March the ship left the yard in Saint-Nazaire, heading for the Mediterranean.
