The biggest cruise ship ever built sailed out of Miami for the Caribbean last week, flaunting an over-the-top attitude that makes the Queen Mary 2 look restrained. Freedom of the Seas, as the Royal Caribbean cruise line has christened it, cost more than $800 million to build and can accommodate 4,375 passengers. How tough was the 160,000-ton ship to build? Imagine trying to combine all the services of a four-star hotel with the navigational mechanics of a commercial airplane and the security concerns of a small city. And make it all float.
Royal Caribbean is hoping to stand out in a...