World's largest cruise ship ''Harmoney of the Seas'' sails for the first time in France

World's biggest ever cruise ship, the 120,000 tonne Harmony of the Seas, on Sunday in France was seen off by tens of thousands of people as it sails for the first time. The massive ship was built in France on France's Atlantic shore. It is the widest cruise ship to be built with 66 meters (217 feet) wide, and
has a length of 362 meters which makes it 50 meters longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower.

According to local authorities, over 70,000 people were on hand to watch from along the coast as the ship was pulled away from a shipyard in Saint-Nazaire.

The crowd waved, cheered and applauded 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 cruise ship, which cost close to one billion dollars, has 16 decks and a capacity to carry 6,360 passengers and 2,100 crew members.

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