Stephanie Holmes boards the biggest ship in the world for a sneak preview with Royal Caribbean
The world's biggest cruise liner has appointed an on-board Instagrammer ahead of its maiden voyage.
Russ Francis has been given the official job title of 'Instagrammer-in-chief' for the new Symphony of the Seas which will set sail with guests for the first time on Saturday from Barcelona, MailOnlinereports.
Social media expert Russ Francis who has been appointed Instagrammer-in-chief on the world's biggest cruise liner Symphony of the Seas. Photo / Supplied
He will be on hand during the maiden voyage to advise passengers on how to capture the perfect shot for their social media accounts.
The 36-year-old's skills were first spotted by the ship's owner Royal Caribbean when he entered a competition last year that aimed to find an Instagram expert.
And his new role will be to help inspire guests to do the ship justice through their Instagram content and try to establish Symphony of the Seas as the world's most Instagrammable ship.
Mr Francis said: "For something to be truly Instagrammable it has to be unique enough that people want to show off about it.
"It's so much more than being a pretty setting. Extraordinary Instagram content causes a reaction whether that's jaws dropping in amazement or mouths watering at the very best dishes, it's about capturing experiences that 'wow' the viewer.
"Symphony of the Seasticks every single box making it the world's most Instagrammable cruise ship."
Insta-worthy backdrops on board the world's most expensive cruise liner include the biggest slide on earth, a floor to ceiling wall made of Lego as well as a range of eye-catching art installations.
Insta-worthy backdrops on board include the biggest slide on earth, a floor to ceiling wall made of Lego as well as the Central Park area, pictured. Photo / Supplied
Royal Caribbean managing director Ben Bouldin added: "We have built Symphony of the Seas to be the jewel in our Instagram crown.
"The architectural marvel provides the perfect backdrop for her 6,680 guests to capture incredible onboard images that are going to take over Instagram feeds worldwide."
Symphony of the Seas weighs 228,000 tonnes, and at 1,188 feet long, it is just 20 metres shy of the length of the Empire State Building in New York.
It boasts a total eight decks and has enough room on board to accommodate 8,000 people.
The vessel was constructed at a cost of £959million at a shipyard in Saint Nazaire in France.
The new role is designed to try to establish Symphony of the Seas as the world's most Instagrammable ship. Photo / Supplied
Along with having 20 restaurants, there will be more than six bars including one where robots rustle up the cocktails.
Other attractions include a zip wire, ice rink, mini golf course, climbing walls, surf simulator and a full-size basketball court.
Symphony of the Seas - which is the 25th ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet - will kick off a summer season in the Mediterranean with calls to ports in Spain, France and Italy.
Beginning on November 24, the adventure-packed ship will make Miami, Florida, her year-round home, taking holidaymakers on seven-night Caribbean voyages.
Mr Francis will be on hand during the ship's first voyage for passengers to give them tips on how to capture the perfect shot for Instagram. Photo / Supplied
SYMPHONY OF THE SEAS TOP INSTAGRAM TIPS
Russ Francis has shared his secrets for getting the perfect Instagram shot. They include:
Take photos in a square frame - Instagram images appear as a square, so take your Instagram snaps in a square frame. This way, all of your picture will appear in the upload, and you won't need to crop or zoom to ensure everything fits in.
Strong colours, shapes, lines and good lighting - To help your Instagram shot have the WOW factor; make sure it has strong colours and defined shapes and lines.
Use negative space - Negative space means the physical space that surrounds your image subject. Instagram photos that have the right mix of negative space and a tangible object can really stand out.
Reflections - Reflections are a quick and easy way to get an interesting and unusual effect on your Instagram picture. Water, mirrors and glass are three great surfaces to get you started
Use gridlines to balance your shot – Improve snaps by taking the photo outside of the Instagram app and using your phone's gridlines function. Apply the 'rule of thirds' and ensure that compositional elements are placed along the nine lines and their intersections of the grid.
Show some personality – Layering on words and stickers to an Instagram Story can add some fun and individuality to your extraordinary shots that usually encourages greater levels of engagement.
Use a great caption - These days, it isn't just about the picture or videos. Captions play a big role in how many likes you get and how people engage with your Instagram content. Use emotive descriptions and humour to connect with your followers.
