World's largest cruise ship which is a third longer than the Titanic leaves port for the first time as it sets sail from France with no passengers (but still needs 500 crew)
- March 10th, 2016
The world's largest cruise
ship, which is almost 165 feet longer than the Eiffel Tower, has set
off on its first sea trial from France.
Harmony of the Seas, which
cost almost £800million to build and weighs 227,000 tonnes, was helped
from Saint-Nazaire port by six tug boats this afternoon.
Although there's no
passengers on the ship yet, which is nearly 330 foot longer than the
Titanic, there are still around 500 crew aboard as its continues its sea
trial until Sunday.






Even when it was miles
away from western France the 210 feet tall ship, with capacity for 6,000
passengers, could still be seen from the shore line as thousands of
people gathered to see it on the water for the first time.
For months, tourists have
been allowed aboard to wonder at the luxury interiors of the ship that
has 18 decks and stretches to 1,187 feet.
Three pilots who have
trained on a simulator in nearby Nantes for the past year, helped the
captain in the tricky manoeuvres needed to guide the hulking ship out of
the Saint-Nazaire estuary.








The tugs first helped the ship back out of its berth before turning it around and then guiding it out to the open sea.
The pilots will leave the vessel once it is 12 miles out at sea.
When it is fully
operational with passengers it will have 2,000 crew. It is more than
three feet wider than the previous two largest ships in the world,
Allure of the Seas and the Oasis of the Seas.
Those ships are also owned by Royal Caribbean International which started work on Harmony in September 2013.
The next trial of Harmony
will take place before the end of April, with delivery set for May 12.
The purpose of trial this weekend is to test the ship's engine and how
well it manoeuvres.
If the trials are a
success it will head to the port of Southampton in May before it sets
sail for Barcelona for its first cruise around the Mediterranean.







There are 18 decks inside the 227,000 tonne vessel with room for theatres, water parks and fitness facilities
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