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Take a Look Inside the World's Largest Cruise Ship's Most Expensive Suite

April 02, 2018
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3 min read
Symphony of the Seas
Take a Look Inside the World's Largest Cruise Ship's Most Expensive Suite
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The world's largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, is setting sail on its maiden voyage this week, departing out of Barcelona on Friday.

The brand-new Royal Caribbean Oasis-class vessel beat out sister ship Harmony of the Seas as the current world-record holder for largest cruise ship, also owned by Royal Caribbean. The newly commissioned ship cost $1.35 billion to build, making it the most expensive cruise ship ever created.

Launch of Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International's newest and largest ship. Central Park.

Passengers on board the 228,081-ton ship have the opportunity to experience a number of other superlatives as well: The 1,188-foot-long ship has a maximum capacity of 6,680 guests across 2,759 staterooms, with 2,200 crew.

Launch of Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International's newest and largest ship. Ultimate Abyss

But the most luxurious experience on board the world's most superlative ship will undoubtedly be the Ultimate Family Suite. The most expensive room on board offers up a whopping 1,346 square feet of space, spread out across two levels of the ship. The suite also offers ping-pong and air hockey tables, as well as a slide between the two floors for a fun, quicker way to get downstairs.

(It's not the largest suite on a cruise ship, however: Norwegian offers megasuites that measure a whopping 6,694 square feet.)

Parents can relax in the full-size whirlpool hot tub on the balcony which offers private views of the ocean, while kids can veg out in the 3D cinema room with a popcorn machine, or play for hours with the Lego wall in the suite. There's no need to interact with anyone else on board: The suite, which can sleep up to eight, comes with its own private butler.

Launch of Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International's newest and largest ship. Ultimate Family Suite.

The "ultimate" family experience begins at $50,000 for a family of four over a seven-day cruise: A hefty chunk of cash, to be sure, but one that potentially could be a gold mine of points-earning potential.

The Symphony of the Seas will sail across the Mediterranean this summer, with stops in Spain, France and Italy. Come November, the ship will make its way to Miami for Caribbean-bound routes.

This story and headline were updated to reflect that the Ultimate Family Suite is not currently the largest suite on a cruise ship.

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All photos courtesy Royal Caribbean

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  • Intro Offer

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  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.