The source provides an extensive financial overview of operating the world's largest cruise ships, such as Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, revealing that daily operational costs can exceed $1 million. This staggering figure is broken down across multiple categories, demonstrating that fuel consumption (around $125,000–$175,000 daily) and crew payroll (up to $450,000 daily for thousands of workers) are among the largest variable expenses. The episode also details significant costs associated with logistics (feeding over 10,000 people daily), mandated maintenance like drydocking, and regulatory compliance (including expensive LNG systems and carbon taxes). Ultimately, the article concludes that the massive scale of these ships drives exponential costs but also generates multi-million-dollar daily revenues, making the cruise model a highly profitable, high-stakes financial undertaking.

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