Unnerving photo of cruise ship sparks impassioned debate online: 'I can't look at this without a feeling of unease'

A Reddit user had to get a fear off their chest and shared a photo of it to the community at r/megalophobia. 

"Massive Cruise Ship. I can't look at this without a feeling of unease," the original poster wrote.

The photo is of the cruise ship Icon of the Seas, which is the largest of its kind in the world. It is 20 decks tall and nearly 1,200 feet long. It has a capacity for 7,600 passengers and a crew of 2,350. It hosts the largest swim-up bar at sea, an ice skating rink, 18 bars, over 20 restaurants, and a waterpark with six slides.

The Icon of the Seas can run on liquified natural gas (LNG), which burns more cleanly than diesel but is more prone to leaks in transit. These leaks cause LNG to produce 33% more atmospheric pollution than coal, according to one study. 

Many jurisdictions have had enough of these kinds of cruise ships and barred their ability to port. For example, Cannes, France doesn't allow ships with more than 1,000 people to dock there, and Nice attempted a similar restriction. 

While tacky monuments such as the Icon of the Seas may attract some vacationers, more sustainable modes of transportation can get folks to picturesque locales with a much smaller footprint. For example, the extensive high-speed rail system in China has shown that it's possible to take the train in comfort and style. 

Onlookers have shown similar resentment for other massive cruise ships, including Harmony of the Seas, Queen Victoria, and Arvia. Reddit commenters shared the sentiment of disgust with the Icon of the Seas. 

"For me it's just the waste, hubris, and general excessiveness of something so unnecessary," one community member wrote. 

"A gigantic waste of resources," another replied.

"I'd rather spend a week in the Sudan than on that thing," another chimed in.

Would you want to live on top of a giant battery? Why not? 🤷 No way 👎 It depends how deep it is 🤔 It depends what it's storing 🔋 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.