Many people have been excited about the Icon of the Seas. Since Royal Caribbean announced that there will be a new ship out soon, almost everyone in the cruise world has been amazed by it. Maybe because, at the moment, it is the largest cruise ship in the world.
Icon Of The Seas is Owned by Royal Caribbean, which is a sister company to Azamara and Celebrity Cruises. Royal Caribbean is known for releasing amazing mega ships like Wonder of The Seas, which was once upon a time the biggest cruise ship in the world.
And every once in a while, when they release a new ship, they always seem to get it right, but this article is about Royal Caribbean's new kid on the block.
What Is So Unique About The Icon Of The Seas?
Royal Caribbean is known to have stunning ships, and when it comes to the Icon of the Seas, they did not disappoint.
- Icon Of The Seas is an Icon class ship that is very unique because it is massive, and because of all its features.
- It features the biggest waterpark at sea, with 6 slides.
- If you love swimming and lounging by the poolside, the Icon cruise ship might be the perfect choice for you. Currently, Icon holds the record for the highest number of pools among all the cruise ships that are currently sailing. You can choose from a total of 7 pools, which includes a swim-up bar. Some are the largest pools at sea.
- It is the biggest cruise ship in the world and it is owned by Royal Caribbean. So if you are a fan of Royal Caribbean cruise ships- the fun, large ships, and the entertainment then you will love this one.
- Enjoy world-class shows at the Aquadome neighborhood which is tranquil during the day but a theatre during the night, and it features a 55-foot waterfall. With dining and lounge venues featured here.
- You can also enjoy world-class shows at Absolute Zero. This is the largest Ice skating arena at sea.
The Icon Of The Seas Is Great For Families And Everyone.
There is something for everyone onboard the Icon. From Thrill Island, the largest water park at sea, to Surfside.
Surfside is dedicated to families and it is a great place to chill, eat, drink, and play all day. This is the first neighborhood dedicated to young families and kids.
While on the Icon, your kids can enjoy the Splash Away Bay Aquapark. It offers a thrilling experience for children with its exciting slides, spray fountains, and a gigantic drench bucket.
While the children are having fun at Splashaway Bay, adults can take a break and relax at the Water's Edge pool, which offers unparalleled views of the infinite horizon.
Some of your Royal Caribbean favorites like Flow Rider, Mini Golfing, and more are also on the Icon of the Seas.
So What Are The Thrills You Will Enjoy Onboard The Icon?
- Category 6. This is the name of the largest waterpark at sea on the Icon Of The Seas, with 6 slides.
- Surf Side. A place dedicated to young families and kids. It features unique spaces like Splash Away Bay Aqua Park and Baby Bay for kids and babies. Water's edge pool for adults. Plus Adventure Ocean and so much more.
- Crowns Edge. This is a place 154 feet above the ocean, where you can enjoy an aerial view of the ocean.
- Royal Caribbean's favorites such as the Flow Rider, the signature rock climbing wall, and the Surf Simulator.
What If You Are Not Looking For Too Much Of A Thrill But More Of A Relaxed Vibe?
If a chilled and relaxed vibe is more of what you are interested in, then the Icon Of The Seas has 7 pools to choose from. Each of these pools has a different vibe.
Or maybe you would just like to have a chilled afternoon after your shore excursion or after enjoying some time at the thrill parks.
These are some of the most chilled spots onboard the Icon;
- Royal Bay Pool. This is the largest pool at sea and it is stunning.
- The Swim and Tonic is the largest swim-up bar at sea. You can enjoy some island vibe on one of the water loungers with your food and drinks, as you sail away to your next destination.
- The Cove. Relax at this infinity pool, and enjoy the amazing ocean views.
- Cloud 17. This is a secluded adult-only pool overlooking the ocean. It is located on the top deck and it is adults only. You can enjoy some Caribbean vibe and private access to Lime and Coconut Bar.
- The Hideaway Pool. This pool is amazing because of its engineering. This signature infinity pool floats mid-air 8 stories up. You can enjoy some beach vibes and entertainment.
- Water's Edge Pool. This is located in the Surfside neighborhood, which is dedicated to families. It is just a few steps away from the splashaway bay. So it is a great place for adults to enjoy infinite Ocean Views as kids play at the splashaway bay.
- The Grove Suite Sun Deck. This is a private pool that is only available to star and sky-class suite guests. If you love the suite class then this private haven is just for you.
More Fun Things To Do Onboard The Icon.
- Play golf at the Lost Dunes. You can play through shipwrecks, plane crashes, and fallen palms.
- Go rock climbing onboard and enjoy the stunning views.
- Enjoy laser tagging.
- Enjoy Ice skating.
- Social020, which is a space made exclusively for teens.
- Relax in the Escape Room, solve riddles, and uncover hidden gems.
- You can also grab some food at some of the 20 restaurants onboard. On board cruise ships, your meals are included at the free restaurants. But you can pay a little extra to enjoy specialty dining restaurants.
- You can also rent a Casita and chill on deck 16.
- Enjoy some music at the piano bar, Jazz and Blues, and the Music Hall. There are 15 entertainment spots onboard the Icon, and each one of them probably deserves a blog itself.
Is Icon Of The Seas All-Inclusive?
Just like the other ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, Royal Caribbean is not all-inclusive. Royal Caribbean is a mass-market brand, just like other cruise companies like Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line.
In most cases, mass-market brands and premium cruise brands are not all-inclusive. Most premium brands like Celebrity Cruises and Holland America have an all-inclusive package that can be purchased separately.
On board the Icon Of The Seas, you will have your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all the meals you want included, only at the free restaurants. There are about 20 restaurants onboard, some are free and some are not.
You will also have your basic drinks like lemonade, and non-speciality coffee included but not the alcohol and your other beverages like sodas.
Your cabin gets cleaned once or twice a day and you have all the entertainment and activities mentioned in this post included.
However, it is important to note that you will have more inclusions if you are in suite class, especially the star suite and the sky suite.
What Restaurants Are Free Onboard The Icon Of The Seas?
There are several different places to eat while on board the Icon and some of the places are free.
You can enjoy complimentary dining at several restaurants like;
- The main dining room.
- Windjammer.
- Surfside Eatery.
- Surfside Bites.
- Aquadome Market which features five unique food stands.
- Pearl Cafe.
- Park Cafe.
- El Loco Fresh.
- Sorrento's.
Icon Itineraries- Where Will It Be Sailing?
At the moment, the Icon Of The Seas is cruising out of Miami Florida. The itineraries for this beautiful ship are the Caribbean, both the eastern and the western.
All your itineraries will have a stop at Coco Cay Bahamas. So some of the interesting ports that the Icon will be visiting are; Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Thomas, US Virgin Islands, Costa Maya, Mexico, and Cozumel, Mexico.
There are so many amazing places to visit onboard this magnificent ship, but if you are looking for a European cruise onboard the Icon, that is not available at the moment, and you will have to fly to the port of Miami.
Does Icon Of The Seas Have Solo Cabins?
The Icon does not have solo cabins. The ship is geared towards families, especially young families with kids.
But there is something for everyone onboard. The ship however has some new staterooms that are not available on other Royal Caribbean ships, and these cabins, some of them overlooking the surfside are very interesting and worth trying.
Conclusion.
There are many ships at sea but there is only one Icon Of The Seas, which is currently the biggest cruise ship at sea.
And as we have seen there is so much to see and do onboard this beautiful ship. If you would like to get more travel inspiration, sign up for a free copy of the Traveler magazine.