The world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, docked for the first time at Quintana Roo, Mexico's easternmost state, early on Tuesday. Its thousands of passengers descended from the ship to enjoy the Mexican port where they were greeted by mariachi and folkloric dance performances. Passengers are to enjoy the attractions of this locality throughout the day to later weigh anchor and head for Cozumel, also in the Mexican Caribbean.
“The experience on the ship has been amazing so far, the food, the service, the beauty of the ship, everything is beautiful, beyond our expectations, it’s nice," Jaspreet Kaur, a tourist from Los Angeles said.
VIDEO: Largest cruise ship in the world
"The importance of the cruise ships, especially in the south of Quintana Roo, is that this is a tourist destination. It is the most important tourism revenue source in the south of the state, so it benefits many families," said Mariana Claveral, person in charge of the social responsibility area at Costa Maya Port.
Royal Caribbean International's Icon of the Seas sets sail from Miami with capacity for 8,000 passengers across 20 decks, taking advantage of the surging popularity of cruises. However, environmental groups are concerned that the liquefied natural gas-powered vessel — and other giant cruise liners to follow — will leak harmful methane into the atmosphere.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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