Massive crowd sees off world’s largest cruise ship in France

THIS mammoth 120,000-tonne “floating town” capable of carrying more than 8000 people has set off on its maiden voyage, with a huge crowd watching on.

The Harmony of the Seas sails from the STX Saint-Nazaire shipyard, western France.

TENS of thousands of people have turned out in France to see off the world’s biggest-ever cruise ship, the 120,000-tonne Harmony of the Seas, as it set sail for the first time.

At 66 metres, it is the widest cruise ship ever built, while its 362-metre length makes it 50 metres longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower.

As the massive boat pulled away from a shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, where it was built on France’s Atlantic shore, some 70,000 people watched from along the coast, local authorities said.

It’s the world's biggest-ever cruise ship.

The upper deck of the ship.

The crowd waved, cheered and clapped as the boat — built for the US-based Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL) — eased away from France.

“It’s gone,” said Christine, who did not give her full name. “We watched it develop and grow over three years. It’s like a child leaving home.”

The floating town, which cost close to $1.5 billion, has 16 decks and will be able to carry 6360 passengers and 2100 crew members.

The ship is headed for Southampton in southern England and is to embark on its official maiden voyage on May 22 to its new home port of Barcelona.

It’s capable of carrying more than 8000 people.

The auditorium on-board.

Slot machines inside the ship.

A worker paints the ship.

It had quite the farewell party.