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YEREVAN, MAY 16, ARMENPRESS. Luxurious cruise ship named “Harmony of the Seas” on May 15 pulled away from a shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. Tens of thousands of people gathered at the coast to see it off, “Armenpress” reports citing Sputnik News.
The 120,000-tonne giant is the widest— 66 meters— and the longest— 362 meters— cruise ship ever built. The crowd waved and cheered asthe vessel was leaving forits first voyage.
The enormous ship was built bySTX France forthe US-based Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL) and cost nearly one billion euros. It has 18 decks and will be able tocarry 6,360 passengers and 2,100 crew members.
The ship is being called "the floating town" forthe sumptuous conditions inwhich the passengers will be accommodated. The list ofon board attractions includes mini-golf, surf simulator, floating Jacuzzis, climbing wall, casino and even a 1,400-seat theatre playing award-winning Broadway-style productions.
The passengers will also be able toride a 10-storey waterslide 'The Ultimate Abyss', enjoy a ‘Bionic Bar', where robot bar tenders will mix cocktails. The vessel can even boast having its own high street, and a 'Central Park' deck featuring 12,000 plant species.
"It's not only the biggest cruise ship inthe world, it's also the most expensive ever built," said Richard Fain, head ofRCCL, duringa May 12 ceremony ofhanding the ship overto owners.
Many ofthose who came tosee Harmony ofthe Seas offhave watched it being built sinceSeptember 13 onthe country's Atlantic shore.
"It's gone," said one ofthe residents, ascited byindianexpress. "We watched it develop and grow overthree years. It's likea child leaving home."
The ship is headed forSouthampton insouthern England where it will invite first passengers onboard and embark onits official maiden voyage onMay 22 toits new home port ofBarcelona. From there the ship will begin regular cruises inthe Mediterranean.