大象传媒

When Independence of the Seas arrives in Southampton in April, she will spend the summer cruising from the south coast port.

She will be the largest passenger ship in the world. Her owners, Royal Caribbean International, choose the term "megaship."

Here's why:

At 160,000 tonnes, she weighs more than 80,000 family cars or 32,000 adult elephants.

She is 1,112 feet long. That's longer than 37 double decker buses, five jumbo jets or 3陆 football pitches.

Boasting a width of 185 feet, Independence of the Seas is actually wider than the White House is long (168 feet).

Passengers will be spread out over 15 decks. And when the ship's full, there will be 4,370 of them - that's 1,008 more than Cunard's Queen Mary 2. Although usually there will be fewer passengers - 3,600 or so.

1,360 crew will look after them serving 18,000 slices of pizza per week and 65,000 lbs of fresh vegetables and over 64,000 lbs of fresh fruit on each sailing.听

The theatre seats 1,320 guests a time - bigger than many theatres on land - and carries the same number of passengers as three Boeing 747 aircraft.

She will be the world's largest passenger ship

Like Freedom of the Seas, which spent last summer cruising from Southampton, Independence has a surfing machine, ice-skating rink, rock-climbing wall and a boxing ring.