They are jetting off for a real taste of luxury.
The world’s largest cruise ship has arrived at Southampton ahead of its maiden voyage on Friday.
And joining other celebrities and VIPs on board the 1,188ft long Harmony of the Seas will be four travel agency staff from Huddersfield.
Tracey Anne Brook, Faye Buckley, Julie Marshall and Lyndsay Lunn will be flown to Southampton to join a ship which cost a staggering one billion US dollars (£695 million) to build, and which can carry 6,780 guests and 2,100 crew.
They are guinea-pigs for the ships’s maiden voyage which goes from Southampton to Rotterdam and back from Sunday, and for two nights will be treated like royalty.
The women, who work at the Thomson office in Kingsgate, were among 500 winners of a nationwide contest among travel company staff.
Tracey Anne said: “The contest ran for about six months and we got points for bookings in our stores as well as points on social media and Twitter whenever we posted about #getmeonharmony.
“We are so excited about getting the chance to sample the restaurants, the bars and all the entertainment.
“Everyone is talking about Harmony of the Seas and it’s a wonderful opportunity for us. It’s mind-blowing when you think of the scale of everything it has on board.”
The Royal Caribbean ship, which has 20 restaurants on board, features a 10-storey water slide called the Ultimate Abyss, which features a 100ft drop, making it the tallest at sea.
Other facilities on board the “seven neighbourhood” ship including the deepest pool at sea, which will feature diving performances. The ship also boasts a production of the musical Grease.
It has its own park, which contains 10,587 plants, 48 vine plants and 52 trees, while a total of 11,252 works of art are showcased across the vessel.
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
Stuart Leven, managing director UK and Ireland, Royal Caribbean International, said: “The Harmony of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship. Bigger can be beautiful when it allows you to put so many great facilities on board to allow people to have a great holiday at sea.
“Cruising is changing - it’s becoming a holiday for all the family, it’s not just white table cloths and ties at dinnertime - now the sort of holiday you get at all-inclusive resorts on land can be replicated on the seas.
“We have a 10-storey slide, surf machines, plenty of restaurants like Jamie Oliver’s Italian on board, a great choice, and you can wake up with a different view from your balcony each day.
“My favourite facility is the robotic bartenders where you go in with an iPad to place your order and they will mix your cocktail. We are really pushing the boundaries.”
