Royal Caribbean Bases Independence of the Seas in the UK

Royal Caribbean announced that the world's biggest cruise ship, the 160,000-ton Independence of the Seas, will be based year-round at Southampton starting in April 2010. Basing the ship in the UK is expect to contribute more than £50 million to the local economy.

The 4,300-passenger Independence of the Seas, launched in 2007 and has sailed seasonally from the UK.