Icon of the Seas, which Royal Caribbean plans to launch in late 2023, will be “the most transformative ship the world has ever seen.”
We get our first look at Royal Caribbean’s next-generation cruise ship after years of speculation about what will be onboard.
Icon of the Seas is the first ship in the new Icon Class, which means the design is a fresh start compared to ships that preceded it.
Icon of the Seas will sail from Miami beginning January 28, 2024, and offer alternative Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings, with every single itinerary visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay.
The ship itself will be delivered at the end of October or early November 2023 and since it is the first ship of a new class, extra testing and adjusting will be required before she can enter service. Combined with the holidays at the end of the year, the first revenue sailing won’t take place until late January.
When asked about previous plans for Icon to sail initially from Southampton, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said that was the plan, but things have changed.
The icon of the Seas is huge!
She has 20 decks and has a capacity at double occupancy of 5,610 passengers, and up to 7,600 passengers if every cabin is maxed out.
She’s 1197 feet long.
20 total decks (18 guest decks)
5,610 guests @ double capacity and 7,600 max guests
2,350 crew (bringing the ULTIMATE total to 9,950 guests)
7 pools, 9 whirlpools
6 record-breaking waterslides
250,800 GT
1,198 feet long
That makes her bigger than the Oasis Class ships, in the sense that Wonder of the Seas measures 1,188 feet in length and has 18 decks.
Similar to how the Oasis Class ships introduced the concept of neighborhoods to break up the layout of the cruise ship, Icon of the Seas will have neighborhoods too.
There are eight neighborhoods in total:
The AquaDome
Located at the top and front of the ship, the AquaDome is an area that is more than just a theater.
The AquaDome has unbeatable ocean views and is fully enclosed, which means the weather plays less of a factor in impeding shows. In the past, the AquaTheater was in the open. Not anymore. Now they can control the weather, lighting, production values, and smoke effects.
The show will have the tallest waterfall at sea (55 feet tall), along with flying artists and divers.
In the daytime, guests can take in wraparound ocean views and enjoy views of the waterfall as they enjoy a bite or drink.
Central Park
Icon of the Seas will see its own version of Central Park.
Royal Caribbean designed this Central Park to be lush and livelier.
The open-air neighborhood with thousands of real plants will have dining and live music.
Chill Island
Borrowing the name from Perfect Day at CocoCay, Chill Island is meant to be a next-level pool deck. There are seven pools on board, which also feature whirlpools, in-water loungers, and breathtaking views.
Among the seven pools on board, the four in this three-deck slice of paradise include the vibrant Swim & Tonic, the line’s first swim-up bar at sea; and Royal Bay Pool, the largest pool at sea.
Royal Bay Pool in the new Chill Island neighborhood on Icon of the Seas is the largest pool at sea.
Swim & Tonic is Royal Caribbean’s first swim-up bar at sea.
You’ll also find Chill Island’s serene, infinity-edge Cove Pool on the Icon of the Seas that has in-water loungers.
Cloud 17 is an adults-only retreat and home to the dedicated bar, the signature Lime & Coconut.
Royal Promenade
Once again, Royal Caribbean has revamped the Royal Promenade concept.
As you walk onto the ship, you’ll be greeted by The Pearl, which is a new space that Royal Caribbean will reveal more details about later.
In the meantime, we’ve been told the inside of the Pearl has special panels that can produce all sorts of effects.
One thing Royal Caribbean wanted to change with the Royal Promenade was providing more ocean views. Guests will find more windows than ever before in this neighborhood.