MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Carnival launches world's largest cruise vessel

A jumbo cruise vessel launched in Finland Friday dethroned the “Queen Mary 2” as the largest liner afloat, its manufacturers said.

Norwegian-based Aker Yards said the "Freedom of the Seas", with 158,000 tons, was the world biggest, outranking Cunard's 151,400-ton "Queen Mary 2".

"The giant of the cruise market, "Freedom of the Seas" is like a seaborne urban community with its own energy and drinking water production as well as waste management," Aker Yards said in a statement.

The ship which is larger than an aircraft carrier has capacity for 5,740 passengers and crew.

The "Freedom of the Seas" floated out of a shipyard run by Aker Yards in Finland and is part of a three-ship deal for Royal Caribbean Cruises, the world's second biggest cruise liner company.

Carnival, owner of Cunard liners, is the largest cruise operator and launched the world's largest passenger ship last year: luxury liner "Queen Mary 2" which stretches nearly four football fields.

However as the industry builds ships that keep getting bigger to meet growing demand, these jumbo-ships also create new problems. The lines have to balance the preferences of passengers who want flashy new amenities with those who are looking for quiet vacations.

Many ports say these vessels make it tough to process thousands of people in just a few hours. Environmental groups also complain that bigger ships mean more pollution. Cruise executives say they have worked to relieve those problems. For example, passengers can now check in online to reduce congestion at the port.

Passenger numbers have risen an average of about 8% a year for more than a decade. "A cruise on the big new ships is primarily what people want to buy. People are clearly voting with their wallets" said Adam Goldstein, president of the Royal Caribbean International brand.

"We would be very happy to operate smaller ships if they could generate greater profitability than the big ships, but they don't."

Some additional facts about the "Freedom of the Seas", 1.112 feet long; 184 ft wide and 28 ft draft; cruising speed of 21.6 knots; fifteen passenger decks; 3.600 guests double occupancy; 4.700 guests total occupancy; 1.800 guest staterooms and 1.360 crew.