Icon of the Seas review: What's it like on the world's largest cruise ship?

Table Of Content

• The lighter, brighter Royal Promenade is the best in the fleet
• Stays with views for days
• Central Park
• Icon Of The Seas
• Icon of the Seas offers 28 different stateroom categories to choose from, 14 of which are brand-new
• A newstay-all-day neighborhood just for families
• Icon Of The Seas - user reviews and comments

The centerpiece is the AquaTheater, where the vertigo-inducing Aqua Show takes place. But other venues -- like Hooked Seafood, Celebration Table, AquaDome Marketplace and the weirdly cool Overlook Pods hangout areas – also bring AquaDome to life. The ship also comes with a higher price tag than any of the other vessels in Royal Caribbean’s fleet.

My favorite amenities on Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas cruise ship - Business Insider

My favorite amenities on Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas cruise ship.

Posted: Sat, 20 Apr 2024 10:58:00 GMT [source]

The lighter, brighter Royal Promenade is the best in the fleet

Unlike on all previous RCI ships with a Royal Promenade, Icon OTS' Royal Promenade has a dog statue instead of a classic car/vintage automobile. The 2-level wellness complex (decks 12-14) consists of Vitality Spa, Vitality Cafe (open for breakfast and lunch), and To Dry For (blow-dry bar for quick beauty fixes/hairstyling, with a beverage service). Like all RCI boats, Icon also has a FlowRider (surfing simulator positioned aft-starboard on top deck), an island-themed Mini-Golf Course (Lost Dunes) and Rock-Climbing Walls (at Adrenaline Peak), Ice-Rink Arena (Absolute Zero/fleet's largest). ICON ships also have a new (patented design) crew cabin type with an L-shaped bed layout.

Stays with views for days

From expansive balconies that invite the sea breeze to our most over-the-top family accommodations — our range of spacious rooms is designed with family comfort in mind. Before the cruise is finished, I talk to Mr. Washy Washy, or Nielbert of the Philippines. He is a sweet, gentle man, and I thank him for the earworm of a song he has given me and for keeping us safe from the dreaded norovirus. “This is very important to me, getting people to wash their hands,” he tells me in his burger getup.

Central Park

Royal Caribbean bets big on new ships, private destinations - TheStreet

Royal Caribbean bets big on new ships, private destinations.

Posted: Mon, 22 Apr 2024 13:57:13 GMT [source]

Wallace’s stateroom, at least, had a view of the ocean, a kind of cheap eternity. This mall is the one that’s called Central Park, perhaps in homage to the Olmsted-designed bit of greenery in the middle of my hometown. Although on land I would be delighted to own a suite with Central Park views, here I am deeply depressed. To sail on a ship and not wake up to a vast blue carpet of ocean? The next step in the journey to “Making an Icon” was to translate all those pie-in-the-sky ideas and guest needs into a strategic framework with five key pillars.

Don't miss Royal Bling in the AquaDome, where you can buy Royal Caribbean logo jewelry, including a bejeweled chalice that costs $100,000 and comes with a free lifetime drinks package on all Royal Caribbean ships. Social 020 is hidden between Playmakers and the Absolute Zero ice skating rink. It has gaming pods, hangout nooks and comfy seating, and foosball tables.

The 1,772-square-foot suite is comprised of three stories and has a private "backyard" that leads directly to Surfside. Whether you want to watch the ship pull into port or want clear views of the horizon while sipping on a cocktail, you will also find some of the best ocean views onboard here. There’s no shortage of ways to score unbelievable ocean views from your room.

A newstay-all-day neighborhood just for families

In keeping with the aquatic theme, I attend a show at the AquaDome. To the sound of “Live and Let Die,” a man in a harness gyrates to and fro in the sultry air. I saw something very similar in the back rooms of the famed Berghain club in early-aughts Berlin. But the show soon devolves into the usual Marvel-film-grade nonsense, with too much light and sound signifying nichts.

Icon of the Seas review: What's it like on the world's largest cruise ship?

The walk-up Champagne venue, Bubbles, features mimosas, bellinis and other bubbly-based drinks. The Trellis Bar is also back, now with an extra-fee food menu to accompany your beverage of your choice. Icon of the Seas takes Royal Caribbean's drinking and dining game to the next level. The line added new-to-the-brand restaurants to ensure that every neighborhood had a food venue easily accessible, with more quick-service eateries and options for families. Of the nine top Star-tier suites, only one, the Royal Loft, is on other Royal Caribbean ships. Seven of these top accommodations are new Icon Loft Suites, two-deck-high accommodations with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large balcony with a private dining area and floor-to-ceiling windows.

As of 2024 this class is the largest cruise ship class ever constructed. Icon OTS' first engine (No 2) was powered for the first time on March 15, 2023, at 11 am (10 am UTC). Also in March was published the "The Top Deck Challenge" video about the construction works related to open deck and water installations, including the top deck's facilities (waterpark/slides and the swimming pools). RCI's ICON ships have a 4-deck Crew Neighborhood (housing 2350 people) featuring redesigned (new/patented) crew cabins with an L-shaped bed layout. Chill Island is the ship's three-deck pool area with multiple pools and hot tubs situated along the sides of the ship for stunning ocean views.

From lush tropical jungles in Roatán to Mayan ruins in Cozumel — plus the tallest waterslide in North America at our game-changing private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay — there’s never been more exciting opportunities for bolder bonding. Brace yourself for Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea with six record-breaking slides. And the Pressure Drop, the first open freefall waterslide on a cruise.

In total, 313 cabins and suites are listed specifically as family-focused accommodations, though many regular room types can sleep more than two guests. I loved the extra cabin space and the additional sitting area facing a window. However, we rarely opened the window because it messed with the entire room's climate control as heat (or, in my case, chilly breezes) flooded the cabin. Plus, noise from other decks, like the poolside DJ, also infiltrated the entire room.

” I say, already starting to catch on to the ship’s class system. I am wearing a DADDY’S LITTLE MEATBALL T-shirt, I want to say to him. In preparation for sailing, I have “priced in,” as they say on Wall Street, the possibility that I may come from a somewhat different monde than many of the other cruisers. Without falling into stereotypes or preconceptions, I prepare myself for a friendly outspokenness on the part of my fellow seafarers that may not comply with modern DEI standards. I believe in meeting people halfway, and so the day before flying down to Miami, I visited what remains of Little Italy to purchase a popular T-shirt that reads DADDY’S LITTLE MEATBALL across the breast in the colors of the Italian flag. My wife recommended that I bring one of my many T-shirts featuring Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, as all Americans love the beagle and his friends.

You might wonder if Icon of the Seas' fares are all-inclusive — they are not. The fares include meals in the main dining room, buffet and a handful of other complimentary restaurants; most entertainment and activities; use of the kids club; and basic drinks like standard coffee and tea, milk and select juices at breakfast. You will pay extra for soda and alcoholic beverages, specialty restaurants, spa treatments and select activities.

Near Aquatheater's entrance is Royal Bling (Retail Shop) selling Royal Caribbean-logoed/RCI-branded merchandise (keepsakes/jewelry rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, etc). Among the store's merchandise is a US$100,000 gold-adorned chalice, the owner of which will enjoy unlimited onboard beverages for life. The suites are in categories (high to low grade) Family Townhouse, Royal Loft, Icon Loft, Owner's, Infinite Grand, Grand, Sunset Corner, Surfside Family, Sunset, Junior, and Panoramic (with windows).

Crew members from every part of the global South, as well as a few Balkans, are shepherding us along while pressing flutes of champagne into our hands. By a humming Starbucks, I drink as many of these as I can and prepare to find my cabin. I show my blue Suite Sky SeaPass Card (more on this later, much more) to a smiling woman from the Philippines, and she tells me to go “aft.” Which is where, now?

Heres All We Already Know About the Icon of the Seas

Table Of Content

• Wondering which restaurants are free on Icon of the Seas?
• MEET THE ICON OF VACATIONS
• Chill Island
• Perfect day the western way

Don't miss Toto and other puppets created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. The guest services and NextCruise desks are located on the Royal Promenade by the pub. Shore excursions and the photo gallery are behind The Pearl on Deck 5.

Wondering which restaurants are free on Icon of the Seas?

Instead of trying to impress with my choice of T-shirts, I have decided to start wearing a robe, as one does at a resort property on land, with a proper spa and hammam. ” Mr. Rand cries out as we pass each other by the Thrill Island aqua park. You know, you really drank me under the table that night.” I laugh as we part ways, but my soul cries out, Please spend more time with me, Mr. and Mrs. Rand; I so need the company. I may have failed to mention that all this time, the Icon of the Seas has not left port. As the fiery mango of the subtropical setting sun makes Miami’s condo skyline even more apocalyptic, the ship shoves off beneath a perfunctory display of fireworks. After the sun sets, in the far, dark distance, another circus-lit cruise ship ruptures the waves before us.

MEET THE ICON OF VACATIONS

The vessel's construction officially started on June 14, 2021, with the steel-cutting ceremony (yard/hull number 1400) held at Meyer Turku Shipyard in Turku Finland. The ceremony was attended by Richard Fain (RCG's Chairman and CEO), Michael Bayley (RCI's President and CEO), and Tim Meyer (Meyer Turku's CEO). The same yard also built RCI's first two OASIS-class boats - Oasis OTS (2009) and Allure OTS (2010). The ICON shipbuilding order with Meyer Werft Turku was contingent upon the completion of contractual conditions, including documentation and financing. The ship is currently scheduled to operate alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries (7-day roundtrips from Miami), all visiting CocoCay Bahamas.

Chill Island

Activities include the Larger Than Life Family Festival (with giant games and face painting) and evening bedtime stories. Absolute Zero is the ship's skating rink, accessed from Deck 6. If you're inspired by the cast of its shows, you can lace up and try a few spins during open skating hours on sea days.

I Went On The Biggest Cruise Ship In The World—Here's My Honest Review - Delish

I Went On The Biggest Cruise Ship In The World—Here's My Honest Review.

Posted: Mon, 29 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

While the Soft Ice Cream station is complimentary, the candy shop Sugar Beach sells gourmet ice cream and sweets. Royal Theater is the main show lounge spreading over 3 floors (forward on decks 3-4-5). The theater presents nightly 2 grand shows - early (at 8 pm) and late (at 10 pm) to match the assigned dining room sittings. Both are full-length production shows with professional performances (singing, dancing, acting, live band music) by the ship's resident entertainment staff. Signature shows are "Hairspray" (musical comedy / original Broadway production themed on humor and commentaries on early 1960's race relations) and "Flight" (themed on the history of flying).

With the ship divided up into "neighborhoods" with their own unique vibes, you're bound to find someplace to love. Or perhaps you'll find new areas of the ship to explore each day. The neighborhoods, plus some smart operational planning by the cruise line, make it easier than you think to make your way through the ship, no matter where you wish to go. As a ship made for families, Icon of the Seas primarily attracts cruisers traveling with children – 82% of the cabins can hold three guests or more. Most passengers will be from North America, but given that the ship sails from Miami – a destination known for international tourism – it won’t be uncommon for Icon of the Seas to attract global passengers.

Perfect day the western way

Currently, Wi-Fi packages with streaming bandwidth start at $30.99 per day for one device (or $24.99 per day per device for packages accommodating two, three or four devices), though prices do change over time. Cruises on Royal Caribbean's newest and largest ship don't come cheap, and the prices have only increased since the ship first went on sale in 2022. The costumes are creative and fun (including glow-in-the-dark and light-up outfits), and the use of lighting and video on the walls and the ice sets a spacey scene. The round ice stage makes it easier for the skaters to use the entire space to get up speed to do jumps and tricks. You'll gasp at the impressive lifts, spins and jumps the skaters can execute on a moving ship.

The customizable Mediterranean-style wrap at the five-stall food hall

Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, arrives at PortMiami - NBC 6 South Florida

Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, arrives at PortMiami.

Posted: Wed, 10 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Today the ship docks at Royal Caribbean’s own Bahamian island, the Perfect Day at CocoCay. (This appears to be the actual name of the island.) A comedian at the nightclub opined on what his perfect day at CocoCay would look like—receiving oral sex while learning that his ex-wife had been killed in a car crash (big laughter). Meanwhile, I have found a new watering hole for myself, the Swim & Tonic, the biggest swim-up bar on any cruise ship in the world. Drinking next to full-size, nearly naked Americans takes away one’s own self-consciousness. In my white robe, I am a stately presence, a refugee from a better limited series, a one-man crossover episode. (Only Suites are granted these robes to begin with.) Today, I will try many of the activities these ships have on offer to provide their clientele with a sense of never-ceasing motion.

Here’s All We Already Know About the Icon of the Seas

They understand that the chicken gyro at “Feta Mediterranean,” in the AquaDome Market, is the least problematic form of chicken on the ship. Anna Drescher, the cruise line's manager of architectural design, newbuilding and innovation calls Icon of the Seas℠ a "white-paper ship" because it began with a blank sheet of sketching paper. "Everything — every ship, every experience — starts with the guest," says Tim Klauda, vice president of product development at Royal Caribbean International.

It's where they can stay and play all day, especially since there's no need to head to the Windjammer for lunch. The AquaDome Neighborhood is home to an enclosed AquaTheater, as well as a food hall featuring five different food vendors where you can choose from options ranging from mac and cheese to handcrafted Mediterranean bowls. Whether you're counting down the days until your Icon cruise or cannot fathom stepping foot on a ship that size, there's no denying that the launch of Icon of the Seas is a major milestone in the cruising industry. She also covers travel, lifestyle, food and beverage for Indulge Magazine, the Miami Herald and PureWow.

With over 15 buzzing spots and live music venues, every evening onboard overflows with ways to raise the bar on spirit-sipping and show-stopping. If you're looking for kid-friendly water play areas, the Surfside family neighborhood is your destination. It features Baby Bay for diapered tots; Splashaway Bay, with a dump bucket, water sprayers and junior waterslides; and an infinity pool for grownups and older siblings. Kids can also enjoy a climbing structure and the carousel with its colorful cartoon creatures to ride. In Central Park, guests find the new jazz club Lou's Jazz 'n Blues, with cocktails themed to the biggest jazz cities around the world.

And as I leaned out over my balcony, I beheld a slight vista of the sea and surf that I thought I had been missing. The sea was frothy and infinite and blue-green beneath the span of a seagull’s wing. And though it had been trod hard by the world’s largest cruise ship, it remained. After breakfast, I explore the ship’s so-called neighborhoods. There’s the AquaDome, where one can find a food hall and an acrobatic sound-and-light aquatic show. Central Park has a premium steak house, a sushi joint, and a used Rolex that can be bought for $8,000 on land here proudly offered at $17,000.

Storm Chasers consists of falling from the “mast” down a long, twisting neon tube filled with water, like being the camera inside your own colonoscopy, as you hold on to the handles of a mat, hoping not to die. The tube then flops you down headfirst into a trough of water, a Royal Caribbean baptism. There is a middle-aged African American couple who always seem to be asleep in each other’s arms, probably exhausted from the late capitalism they regularly encounter on land.

Because of the importance of the inaugural voyage of the world’s largest cruise liner, more than 200 Pinnacles are on this ship, a startling number, it seems. Mrs. Palo Alto takes out a golden badge that I have seen affixed over many a breast, which reads CROWN AND ANCHOR SOCIETY along with her name. “You should hear all the whining in Guest Services,” her husband tells me.

The gas supply is sourced from Eagle LNG's facilities in JAXPORT-Jacksonville Florida, shipped throughout the Caribbean and bunkered by Eagle LNG-owned newbuild vessels. The ICON ships debut the Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis technology - an innovative (the first-at-sea) waste-to-energy plant. The technology turns solid waste (food/bio) into fuel (used to power the desalinization plant) while the remaining by-product (pelletized carbon) is supplied to farmers as fertilizer. Cold temperatures from the LNG tanks are utilized by the onboard cooling systems. The underwater hull's exterior is with a specialized coating (anti-fouling paint) to slow the growth of and facilitate the detachment of marine organisms. On the Royal Promenade is hosted RCI's traditional family-themed parade "Ships Ahoy!".

Whereas I am stuck amid the riffraff of Deck 11, this section is on the highborn Decks 16 and 17, and in passing, I peek into the spacious, tall-ceilinged staterooms from the hallway, dazzled by the glint of the waves and sun. For $75,000, one multifloor suite even comes with its own slide between floors, so that a family may enjoy this particular terror in private. I see fewer stickers and signs and drawings than in my own neighborhood—for example, MIKE AND DIANA PROUDLY SERVED U.S. MARINE CORPS RETIRED. No one here needs to announce their branch of service or rank; they are simply Suites, and this is where they belong. Once again, despite my hard work and perseverance, I have been disallowed from the true American elite. I could not understand English well enough then to catch the nuances of that seafaring program, but I knew that there were differences in the status of the passengers, and that sometimes those differences made them sad.