Fire breaks out on world’s largest cruise ship just months after it first set sail
The Royal Caribbean ship, which can carry more than 5,000 passengers, departed on its maiden voyage in January
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A fire has broken out on Icon of the Seas – the world’s largest cruise ship – causing it to lose power while docked in Mexico.
No one was injured in the “minor” blaze on Tuesday while the ship was in Costa Maya, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson told The Independent.
The fire was quickly extinguished, the spokesperson said.
Power was only lost briefly, as the backup systems kicked on right away and the main power was restored.
The fire started in the crew area of the ship but it’s not immediately clear what caused the fire, the spokesperson said, adding that the vessel will continue on its journey as scheduled.
The ship is scheduled to head to Cozumel, Mexico, on Wednesday, according to CruiseMapper.
The colossal cruise ship first set sail from Miami in January. Dubbed “the largest ship in the world,” the Icon of the Seas spans 1,200 feet long and holds up to 5,610 passengers across its 20 decks. The ship is operated by 2,350 crew members.
The massive vessel boasts seven pools, including the “largest pool at sea,” the “world’s largest waterpark at sea,” six waterslides and nine whirlpools. In addition to water activities, Icon of the Seas also has a rock climbing wall, Royal Caribbean’s first food hall, a beach-themed carousel, an arcade, and a mini-golf course.
The vessel touts more than 20 ways to dine, and more than 15 bars and “nightlife experiences,” including a karaoke bar, spread across its eight “neighborhoods.”
When images of the ship first launched, many expressed distaste for it, calling it a “monstrosity,” a “nightmare,” and “human lasagne.”
But the Royal Caribbean president Jason Liberty called it “biggest, baddest ship on the planet.” When bookings opened for the ship started in October 2023, Royal Caribbean had its strongest sales day in its 53-year history, the company noted.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments