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The world’s largest cruise ship is now preparing to launch after years of being built – and it looks incredible. The mammoth ship will not only be breaking a record with its size but also bringing oodles of entertainment to guests from a waterpark to 40 ways to drink and dine.

Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas is in its final construction stage in Finland taking it up to a projected 250,800 tonnes, which is the equivalent of 2,758,800 average British men.

The Icon of the Seas is nabbing the record from its sister ship Wonder of the Seas which is 3m and 14,000 tonnes smaller. The gargantuan ship will launch into Caribbean waters at the start of next year – with 5,610 passengers on board.

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Guests are guaranteed to never get bored as the ship – the size of small town – is laden with things to do. Not only will you sail from port to port with all the luxury of an all-inclusive hotel, but you’ll even be able to experience a thrill on-deck.

The most exciting feature of the ship is the world's largest at sea waterpark, named Category 6, which will feature six record-breaking water slides, seven pools and nine whirlpools. The ship has 20 decks formed of eight "neighbourhoods".

Each of these groupings is designed to appeal to different guest types. Some are catered to young families while others are adult-only spots with piano bars and a cool vibe.

The stay-all-day neighbourhood Surfside is created for families with children with an aquapark, grown-ups' pool, snack bars and loungers, so you can relax knowing the whole gang is entertained.

The seven pools include Royal Bay – the largest pool ay sea. And, there are infinity-edged spots so you can feel like you’re swimming in the ocean.

After dark, there are 15 buzzing venues and live music spots to enjoy. These include a Dueling Piano bar, a sports and game bar, a retro arcade, stand-up shows and you can even go on a bar hopping crawl.

In terms of wow-factor there are shows beneath a waterfall in the Aqua-Dome where you can dine as you watch. Absolute Zero lets you watch ice-skating performances in the middle of the Caribbean.

Foodies will be able to chow down on everything from pizza to fresh sushi, fine dining to casual bites, steak and seafood or burgers, toasties and noodles.

Plus, there will be 28 different types of accommodations, with more types of family set-ups, layouts with ocean views and extra space for group travellers – some rooms even have their own slides for the kids! While those after romance will be able to snag a sunset corner suite.

The ship has been built at the Meyer Turku shipyard and will join the Royal Caribbean fleet at sea on October 26, ahead of its 2024 debut.

It successfully completed its first sea trials last week, with hundreds of staff members onboard to make sure everything was working smoothly.

Royal Caribbean International president and chief executive Michael Bayley said: "We are positioning it as the ultimate family vacation and when you step back and look at all the energy and time that has gone into creating this ship it is mind-blowing.

"During her first set of sea trials, Icon of the Seas travelled hundreds of miles, during which the main engines, hull, brake systems, steering, noise, and vibration levels were all tested,” the statement said. "Everything was done on time as outlined in the schedule, despite her departure being delayed due to wind conditions."

You can find out more on royalcaribbean.com.

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