Cruising Giants: Why Bigger Isn’t Always Better at Sea

Some people don't like cruise ships, but I don't mind them. I always sleep like a baby because of the natural rocking motion. However, the newest one is just too big for me. The Icon of the Seas is now the largest cruise ship in the world. It has a gross tonnage of over 250,000 tons. It's by far longer than any of the ones we've been on, at 1,196 feet long — almost four football fields. Here's the part that's tough for me to swallow: it has a passenger capacity of 7,600 people and a crew of 2,350. The largest we were ever on held about 3,500 passengers.

It's a cool ship, though, with 20 decks, 18 of them accessible. It has the largest waterslide at sea, along with a waterpark called Thrill Island. There are seven pools on deck, including the largest swim-up bar, cleverly named Swim & Tonic. The ship is divided into eight unique neighborhoods with 20 different venues to dine at. This huge floating city is powered by natural gas, making it the cleanest, most fuel-efficient in the world.

I will never regret the opportunity to see so many places that I would have never experienced without cruising. I loved the different cultures that you would feel and experience in each country we stopped at. All that being said, it’s tough to beat the all-inclusive resort that we go to now. Nothing better than to pay once and you’re done.

Tonight, we'll be at The Den at 54th and Grand, with a chance for you to win the two spots we have left for this year's trip. Don't miss out on this memorable trip of a lifetime...

See ya tomorrow at 5!