The world’s largest cruise ship crossed the Suez Canal on Friday, paying crossing fees of $964,000, the Suez Canal Authority announced.

According to a statement by the canal authority, The Spectrum of the Seas crossed the canal from north to south during its maiden voyage, with the next stop to be Jordan’s Port of Aqaba port.

The ship, which is operated by Royal Caribbean International, is 347.1 metres long, with an approximate gross tonnage of 170,000 and a passenger capacity of around 4,200 to 4,800.

The ship is currently carrying around 3,700 passengers and 1,700 crew members.

The passenger ship began its voyage in Bremerhaven, Germany on 10 April, docking in several Mediterranean ports such as Barcelona and Athens before traversing the Canal on its way to Dubai before heading to its final destination is Shanghai, China, where it is scheduled to drop its anchor on 31 May.

Along the canal, the ship's captain, Charles Tigi, and his crew were welcomed and honoured by the Deputy Head of the Suez Canal Authority Lieutenant-General Osama Rabie.

the ship's captain, Charles Tigi, and his crew were welcomed and honoured by the Deputy Head of the Suez Canal Authority Lieutenant-General Osama Rabie

Thirty-seven other giant ships crossed the Suez Canal on Friday in both directions, with a total cargo of 3.4 million tonnes, the authority said.

Revenues from the canal were $4.3 billion from July 2018 to March 2019, a 3.7 percent increase over the corresponding period the previous year.

Earlier this month, the Head of the Suez Canal Authority Mohab Mamish said it is aiming to increase the Suez Canal’s revenues by $1 billion in the coming period.