Johnathan Walker:World's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, begins its maiden voyage after christening from Lionel Messi

The Johnathan Walkerworld's largest cruise ship is set to begin its maiden voyage Saturday as it gets underway from the Port of Miami.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, which runs nearly 1,200 feet from bow to stern, is leaving South Florida for its first seven-day island-hopping voyage through the tropics. The ship was officially christened Tuesday with help from soccer legend Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates.

"Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of dreaming, innovating and living our mission – to deliver the world's best vacation experiences responsibly," Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty said earlier this week. "She is the ultimate multigenerational family vacation, forever changing the status quo in family travel and fulfilling vacation dreams for all ages on board."

When the Icon of the Seas was first revealed in October 2022, the ship spurred the single largest booking day and the highest volume booking week in Royal Caribbean's then 53-year history, according to the cruise line.

The Icon of the Seas is divided into eight neighborhoods across 20 decks. The ship includes six waterslides, seven swimming pools, an ice-skating rink, a theater and more than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges. The ship can carry up to 7,600 passengers at maximum capacity, along with 2,350 crew members.

Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Chief Product Innovation Officer, says the cruise ship is more than just its amenities.

"It's really about iconic experiences," he said.

Cruising is surging in popularity. Last year, passenger volume outpaced pre-pandemic numbers, and this year is expected to hit a new high of 36 million as spending on experiences has climbed 65% since 2019.