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Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas, 'the world's largest cruise ship' debuts spring 2018

By , Houston ChronicleUpdated
Peek at Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas, which is billed as the largest cruise ship in the world. It makes its debut in spring 2018.

Peek at Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas, which is billed as the largest cruise ship in the world. It makes its debut in spring 2018.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean International's Symphony of the Seas, which the cruise line calls the "world's largest cruise ship," makes its debut in spring 2018. At 1,188 feet long and 215 feet wide, and measuring 16 decks high, this ship will accommodate 5,500 passengers. 

The ship, which is in its final stages of construction (take a look at the progress and artist renderings in the gallery above) will sail from Europe at an unspecified date April 2018.

When the completed vessel is unveiled, it will premiere some new attractions and features. 

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Royal Caribbean Cruises recently dispatched its Majesty of the Seas and Empress of the Seas ships to help with relief efforts after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The ships have helped evacuate 1,700 people and have brought tens of thousands of suppliesFox5DC

Among the most interesting additions is the 1,346-square-foot "Ultimate Family Suite," which can host a family of eight in two bedrooms. It features a slide that extends from the kids' second-floor rooms to the living space downstairs. The suite also has a 3D-style movie theater, floor-to-ceiling LEGO wall and 212-square-foot wraparound balcony that boasts a full-sized whirlpool and bumper pool table. 

A new sports bar, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, will feature 30 big-screen TVs to watch the big game and Sugar Beach, a candy and ice cream shop, will offer activities for young pastry chefs.

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Among the culinary additions on board the Symphony:

-Hooked Seafood, a New England-style restaurant.
-El Loco Fresh, which serves up Mexican fare.
-Jamie's Italian, with dishes inspired by celebrity chef by Jamie Oliver.
-150 Central Park, an American food destination.
-Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine, with signature favorites from the cruiseliner.
- Park Café, a casual spot for a snack.
-Izumi Hibachi and Sushi, a Japanese grill and sushi outpost.

"We're excited to introduce Symphony of the Seas, our boldest composition yet, offering the best of Royal Caribbean with some new surprises for our guests to create a vacation that adventurers of all ages can enjoy together," Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International, said in a prepared statement. "We set out to create a new level of vacation adventure and deliver the ultimate escape for families of all shapes and sizes. Symphony will introduce the most cutting-edge, customizable, and digitally-enhanced experiences in the Royal Caribbean fleet."

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Some fun facts, via Royal Caribbean International:
-The Symphony of the Seas has the tallest slide at sea. At 10 feet, it's even taller than the White House.
-It features 20 restaurants with more than 300 individual menu options.
-The ship has 23 pools, water slides and aquatic rides.
-The ship was constructed from half a million individual pieces, "27 times the parts used to assemble the Eiffel Tower," a Royal Caribbean release explains. 
-Just one of the ship's bow thrusters has more horsepower than seven Ferraris.

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