The biggest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, is an incredible vessel that has taken the cruise industry by storm. With a capacity of over 6,600 passengers and 2,200 crew members, the Symphony of the Seas is an engineering marvel that sets the standard for luxury cruising. But with all its grandeur, what is the cost of this magnificent ship?
The answer to this question isn’t as clear-cut as you might think. While Royal Caribbean hasn’t officially released the exact cost of building Symphony of the Seas, a few industry experts have estimated that it was around $1.35 billion dollars. This figure includes not only the construction costs but also all other associated expenses such as marketing and promotion.
The majority of that money was spent on constructing and equipping the vessel itself. The ship features 16 decks, seven “neighborhoods,” 22 restaurants and bars, an ice-skating rink, a mini-golf course, four pools and two waterslides – all at a staggering size of 1,188 feet long and 215 feet wide.
Additional Costs
In addition to building costs there are other expenses associated with running a large cruise liner such as staff salaries, fuel costs and maintenance fees. All these add up to a hefty sum which can be estimated at around $600 million per year.
It should also be noted that although Symphony of the Seas holds the title for being ‘the world’s largest cruise ship’ it is far from being ‘the most expensive’ one. Cruise ships such as Queen Mary 2 and Oasis Class vessels built by Carnival Corporation & PLC have cost significantly more than Symphony of the Seas in their respective eras.
Conclusion
To sum up, Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas has been estimated to cost around $1.35 billion dollars including construction costs and associated expenses such as marketing and promotion. Additionally there are other costs associated with running a large cruise liner such as staff salaries, fuel costs and maintenance fees which can be estimated at around $600 million per year.