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From The Times
April 26, 2008

World’s biggest cruise ship aims to steer clear of the credit crunch

The Independence of the Seas arrives in the UK for the first time today in Southampton

Jack Malvern

The largest cruise ship in the world drew comparisons with the Titanic as she arrived in Southampton yesterday, and not merely because of her record-breaking size.

Independence of the Seas, which docked nearly a century after the Titanic departed on her ill-fated maiden voyage, is a gamble for her owners, who have seen fuel prices soar and the global economy cool in the three years since they commissioned the ship.

Royal Caribbean International claims that it will be able to fill the vessel’s 4,375 berths regularly, but the credit crunch means choppy waters for its £400 million investment.

The 1,112ft (340m) vessel — 230ft longer than the Titanic — will also be unfashionable among travellers concerned about the environment. Jaunts aboard large cruise ships emit two thirds more greenhouse gases than equivalent journeys by air, environmentalists have claimed.

Ask our expert: the latest cruise holidays

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Background

Cruise from six British ports

This is an island nation, so why fly to the start of a cruise break? London, Newcastle, Liverpool, Harwich, Oban and Dover feature

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Climate Care, a carbon-offsetting company, estimates that large cruise ships emit 0.43kg of carbon dioxide per passenger per mile. The figure for long-haul flights, taking into account the additional damage caused by emissions at high altitude, is 0.26kg.

The ship is the joint-largest cruise ship in the world, and the only one if its kind to be based in Britain. When guests are not eating in one of the nine restaurants, including a 2,000-seater dining room, they will be offered the choice of an ice rink, a 1,350-seat theatre, a surf simulator and a nine-hole miniature golf course.

Teo Strazicic, 46, the captain of the Independence of the Seas, said that manoeuvring the ship was daunting but made easy by its 360-degree propulsion system, which he operates using joysticks.

“This ship is great to handle — it’s always different and always exciting and I don’t sweat too much,” he said. A naming ceremony for the ship is due on April 30, before she embarks on her first paying cruise on May 2.

Ahoy there

1,360 crew work aboard the Independence of the Seas
15 decks house its cabins, cinema, ice-rink, chapel and other attractions
35 tonnes of ice are produced daily
18,000 pizza slices eaten on week’s cruise

Sources: Southampton Council, Iglu Cruises

I saw the ship docked in Cobh on the south coast of Ireland to--day. It is very large indeed but it lacks the beauty and grace of the great ships of the past.

Edmond O`Flaherty, Dublin, Ireland

The CO2-comparisons are not quite correct. People do not travel on cruise ships to go from A to B, but for the overall experience. Taking into account the price of such a trip, it would be necessary to add the CO2 cost of spending the equivalent time in an airconditioned 5 star luxury hotel.

Adrian, London, UK

I find it mind-boggling that anyone would even want to "sail" on this ridiculous boat.

Michael, Nashville, TN, USA

Looks like a floating shopping mall. Eat, drink, gamble, spend.

And what will the ports look like when this ship drops off its 5000 passengers for a few hours?

Lawrence, Paris,

Is this the largest cruise ship by length or by tonnage? It didn't say anything about tonnage in the article.

Dawn, Grand Rapids, USA

How do you know how many slices of pizza are eaten on a cruise if the ship hasn't been on a paying cruise yet?

Jules, London, UK

Perfect! A sea-going experience without a sea-going experience!

Mark Farber, washington,

Lets hope the 35 tonnes of ICE don't sink her.

Nemo

Jon Nemo, Llanelli, UK

As I might have expected . Another ugly looking cruise liner, designed like a ninteen-sixties block of flats lowered onto a ship's hull. Not a graceful line to be seen. The interior will no doubt look gaudy also. Did talent die out with yesterday's naval architects; or am I just old fashioned?

Tony Cox, Liverpool, England

Why are you reporting that the ship has arrived in Southhampton, when it was sitting in Plymouth sound the day before??
Is Devon too far to travel for you poor parochial times journalists?

Tony G, Plymouth, UK

Ten meals a day, no wonder cruise passengers can get obese!

Hugh Wright, Derbyshire,

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