Icon of the Seas Review & Insights

By Brooke Franco

Review of Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas - Photo by Brooke Franco

The new world’s largest cruise ship is officially sailing! After several years of lead-up and industry chatter, Royal Caribbean International debuted its highly-anticipated cruise ship Icon of the Seas on January 27, 2024. As the first in the line’s Icon Class of vessels, the ship features many new and exciting onboard highlights and elevated Royal Caribbean guest-favorite venues. I recently sailed on the Icon of the Seas for a few nights before the first revenue cruise. Follow along below for my review and insights on this shiny new ship.

Before we dive in, here’s some quick facts about Icon of the Seas:

1,198 feet/365 meters long; 250,800 GT
Built by Meyer Turku in Finland
5,610 total guests (at double occupancy); 2,350 crew
20 total decks
8 Neighborhoods - Surfside, Thrill Island, Chill Island, Aquadome, Central Park, Royal Promenade, The Hideaway, Suite Neighborhood
7 Pools & 9 Whirlpools
2,805 total staterooms
Royal Caribbean’s most sustainable ship to date

To note, my sailing on Icon of the Seas was during a short preview cruise before the ship’s official launch. We only had a few days onboard to experience the entire vessel, and there were limited children onboard during our time on Icon- something that will (likely) never happen again in the ship’s history.

First Impressions

We boarded the Icon of the Seas at Terminal A, Royal Caribbean’s main terminal at PortMiami. The embarkation process was seamless, and we were through the terminal and on the ship in minutes courtesy of the attentive port employees and Royal Caribbean’s easy-to-use app and boarding process. Branding for this ship was visible at every corner of the terminal with banners and other welcome signage - truly showing the excitement for this ship’s big debut.

‘Woah’ was the word out of my mouth when I stepped onto Icon of the Seas. The first thing guests see as they enter the ship is The Pearl, right smack in the middle of the Royal Promenade. The Pearl is a beautiful piece of art in this central area of the ship, expanding the space, allowing for easy connectivity between the levels, and providing some great photo ops. In terms of its functionality, I wasn’t sure what it was beyond a beautiful staircase that plays music, but nonetheless, it is lovely to look at and a true centerpiece.

Crew members were everywhere asking if we needed directions or where to go. Everyone was helpful and friendly, and it eased any concerns I had about finding my way around this massive ship.

After taking in all the features of the Royal Promenade (more on that later), we spent some time exploring before our stateroom was ready. It was a beautiful day in Miami, so we decided to venture up to the first outdoor pool area we saw on the ship map - Chill Island.

To make our way from mid-ship to the top, we had our first encounter with the Icon of the Seas elevators. To use the elevators, one must tap the floor they want on kiosk screens (which look similar to large iPads) located in each elevator bank. Once you do that, you are assigned a letter that denotes the car that you should move in front of to ride that elevator. Once those doors open, guests board the car, and the elevator will know to move to the requested floor.

The elevators are very high-tech, and unlike anything we’ve seen on a cruise ship. Each elevator accounts for about 2-3 passengers to be riding, per each request of a call. This is for the system to count for multiple passengers riding on the elevator per each call, that way they do not get too crowded. According to Royal Caribbean, the elevators can be modified and they will use the data received following more sailings to use it to shape the elevator’s technology and operating systems in the future.

Once we were off of the space-age elevators, we reached Chill Island and the surrounding pool areas. One thing that stuck out to me is how thoughtful Royal Caribbean had been designing every element of the outdoor pool experience. There were regular pool loungers, loungers in the water, large lounge beds for families, and even on-ground pillowed loungers for sun-seekers.

The setting is colorful, happy, and truly captured what I thought the fun spirit of this ship would be. This was the first time I noticed the fun art elements that were peppered around all the ship’s nooks and crannies. My favorite was some sort of metal statue that looked like a water raft that had been floating in the pool all day.

After a little exploration of the area, it was time for staterooms to open. We headed down to floor eight where our room was located, once again using the fancy high-tech elevator system with minimal wait time. Next stop was our cabin to unpack and map out our next destination to explore on Icon of the Seas.

Ship Design

Next, let’s take a closer look at the design of Icon of the Seas. When you think of the world’s largest cruise ship, you typically don’t think you will ever fully feel like you will master its design. In our short time onboard, I would say I pretty much figured it out better than I have done with some smaller ships I’ve sailed on for longer voyages.

Royal Caribbean’s meticulous neighborhood design provides dedicated venues and activities for different types of guests. These neighborhoods are destinations that keep guests spread out and moving around, so it never feels crowded.

One of the things I did notice that was lacking during my time onboard was outside the pool decks and select larger neighborhood spaces, there is limited deck space to just sit and enjoy soaking up the sun or the ocean views. If you want your own respite to sit, read a book, or relax without crowds, having your own balcony cabin seems almost necessary. While there is an adults-only pool and deck area (The Hideaway) at the aft of the ship, a DJ pumps out tunes all afternoon, making it more of a party space than relaxation. I was missing the solarium found on many of Royal Caribbean’s ships - a quiet area for relaxing, reading, and even nappying poolside.

There are eight neighborhoods on Icon of the Seas - Thrill Island, Chill Island, Surfside, The Hideaway, Central Park, Royal Promenade, Suite Neighborhood, and the AquaDome. Following is a rundown of each and their function on the ship.

Thrill Island

Located on decks 16 and 17 at the ship aft, is Thrill Island. This neighborhood is for adventurous older kids, teens, and adults. Here is where you will find returning guest favorites like a FlowRider surf simulator, a mini-golf course, and a rock climbing wall.

It’s also home to the Category 6 waterpark, one of the biggest extreme activity highlights around the ship and the newly crowned largest waterpark at sea.

This area is also home to the Crown’s Edge - a daring activity combining a literal (harnessed) walk and a zipline up 154 feet above the ocean. On deck 17 you will find the ship’s outdoor sports court area. If you are into big activities and adventures - this neighborhood will be a must-do on your list of places to check out.

All waterslides are complimentary but some activities such as Crown’s Edge and Rock Climbing are an extra charge.

Chill Island

Chill Island is located on decks 15-17 and connects to the entrances of Thrill Island. Pools, drinks, and relaxation are the name of the game here. Four of the seven pools are in this neighborhood. There’s a variety of large traditional pools and smaller infinity pools that overlook the ship's edge. Guests of all ages are welcome in this area.

There are lounge chairs galore, and there is usually a live band or DJ playing music to set the tone. Chill Island is the perfect space for those who want a cocktail to cool off in the Caribbean sun. You will find guest-favorite spot Lime & Coconut (which has its own new special frozen cocktail bar) as well as the cruise line’s first-ever Swim & Tonic swim-up pool bar.

If you are looking for pool time during your time on this ship, this is likely where you will spend your time. I found it easy to grab a chair, and the space was never overwhelmingly crowded. I'm not sure if that was because of the reduced capacity of my cruise or if there was so much going on around the ship that the pools never seemed too crowded.

Royal Caribbean shared that Icon of the Seas has 62% more water surface than any other of its ships!

Surfside

Surfside is the neighborhood specifically for families. It’s located on deck 7 aft. The design is whimsical and colorful, and it kind of reminded me of ‘Toy Story’ come to life. There’s a carousel with fun characters, splash pads for babies and small children, dry and wet slides for younger kids, as well as an arcade.

To keep families central in one area, Surfside also has several quick-service restaurants that are incredibly kid-friendly. The food primarily consists of chicken fingers, hot dogs, fries, and other kid-approved fare.

For adults staying in this neighborhood, there’s a special bar (Lemon Press) that serves alcoholic beverages. Throughout the sailing, Surfside hosts family-friendly activities like parades, a steel-pan band concert, face painting, and more.

The Hideaway

Located on deck 15 aft is The Hideaway. This area is for adult guests looking to chill out by the pool and watch the ocean roll by. Its primary highlight is Hideaway Pool, the first-ever suspended infinity pool at sea. Unfortunately, I did not take a dip in this pool, but it was one of my favorite pools to see up close. It was a popular spot, with guests enjoying the pool and views every time I passed by the area! The Hideaway also has several whirlpools, a bar, and tons of seating.

We have noticed several of Royal Caribbean’s adult-focused spaces on the ship (and even the new adults-only space on Perfect Day at CocoCay) have the name ‘hide’ in the title - coincidence or just an interesting find? Whatever the meaning, we enjoy the names nonetheless and are glad to see the brand create spots for older travelers and to appeal to a larger group that are not necessarily family cruisers.

Central Park

Located mid-ship deck 8 is Central Park. This neighborhood is an open-air area with shopping, a handful of specialty and included restaurants, a jazz club, and a walk-up champagne bar, all in a park-like setting. The space is filled with thousands of real plants (30,550+ in total) and nature sounds in the background.

It’s a lively spot at night and super beautiful to see. This neighborhood is primarily for adult guests, separating the family spaces from the more adult ones.

Royal Promenade

The Royal Promenade is an interior space and central gathering point on the ship. It encompasses two fully connected decks with most of the ship’s shopping, multiple watering holes, Starbucks, a handful of specialty eateries, a karaoke bar, a dueling pianos bar, and The Attic comedy club.

Royal Promenade connects at the aft end to the entrance of Absolute Zero, home to the onboard ice skating shows. At the forward section of the neighborhood is the main entrance to the Royal Theatre, where most major production shows take place.

The Royal Promenade is lively, loud, and the heartbeat of much of the shipboard activity. It’s an excellent area for people-watching and meeting up with family/friends.

The Royal Promenade is home to one of my favorite spots on the ship, The Pearl Cafe. Located behind The Pearl structure is a cafe with coffee, grab-and-go food options, a gorgeous whale art sculpture hanging from the ceiling, and a comfortable seating area. The cafe offers floor-to-ceiling windows, which are great for grabbing a seat and watching the ocean. We noticed several people working in this area - it's comfortable with good Wi-Fi access, so if you need to catch up with the ‘outside’ world, this is a great spot to seek out (not that we condone working while cruising).

Suite Neighborhood

On decks 16-19, the Suite Neighborhood is the luxury ‘ship within a ship’ suite area for guests on Icon of the Seas. It’s the largest of its type to date for Royal ships and offers four floors of premier service and luxury.

Among the Suite Neighborhood highlights is The Grove, a multi-level sundeck with a private pool and a new casual dining spot. Suites guests can enjoy dining at Coastal Kitchen, a beautiful two-deck eatery serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

AquaDome

A new neighborhood and key feature of Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class ships is the AquaDome. Located at the top forward of the ship, the space is part entertainment venue and part gathering space. It has 220-degree ocean views with an all-glass dome. There’s also Royal’s first-ever food hall at sea here, the AquaDome market.

The AquaTheater is home to a new water show, where talented divers and synchronized swimmers put on a show using the theater’s 4 robotic arms, 1 halfpipe, 7 lifts, and a 55 ft. water curtain.

This neighborhood also has The Overlook, with its first-of-its-kind pods at sea. You will also find the Royal Bling specialty shopping store, as well as a few specialty restaurants and bars.

Staterooms

There are a grand total of 2,805 staterooms on Icon of the Seas, with 28 options of categories to choose from. Here’s a quick rundown of most stateroom types:

Interior - Occupancy 2; 156 sq ft. (75 total)
Interior Plus - Occupancy 2; 157 sq. ft. (203 total)
Spacious Interior - Occupancy 2; 178 sq ft. (192 total)
Central Park View Interior - Occupancy 2; 187 sq ft. (45 total)
Surfside Family View Interior - Occupancy 4; 187 sq. ft. (20 total)
Surfside Family View Balcony - Occupancy 3-4; 196 sq ft. (172 total)
Spacious Infinite Central Park View Balcony - Occupancy 4; 200 sq ft. (196 total)
Spacious Infinite Ocean View Balcony - Occupancy 4; 200 sq ft. (419 total)
Ocean View - Occupancy 3-4; 160-187 sq ft. (264 total)
Ocean View Balcony - Occupancy 2-4; 204 sq ft. (738 total)
Ocean View Large Balcony - Occupancy 3-4; 204 sq ft. (86)
Connecting Ocean View Balcony - Occupancy 4; 204 sq ft. (84 total)
Panoramic Ocean View - Occupancy 3; 258 sq ft. (12 total)
Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony - Occupancy 6; 285 sq ft. (78 total)
Junior Suite - Occupancy 4; 322 sq ft. (66 total)
Sunset Junior Suite - Occupancy 4; 330 sq ft. (4 total)
Surfside Family Suite - Occupancy 4 (2 adults/2 kids); 269 sq ft. (42 total)
Sky Junior Suite - Occupancy 4; 322 sq ft. (42 total)
Panoramic Suite - Occupancy 4; 370-440 sq ft. (10 total)
Grand Suite - Occupancy 4; 431 sq ft. (10 total)
Infinite Grand Suite - Occupancy 4; 431 sq ft. (8 total)
Sunset Suite - Occupancy 4; 390 sq ft. (6 total)
Sunset Corner Suite - Occupancy 4; 480 sq ft. (10 total)
Owners Suite - Occupancy 4; 658 sq ft. (8 total)
Icon Loft Suite - Occupancy 4; 656 sq ft. (7 total)
Royal Loft Suite - Occupancy 6; 1,482 sq ft. (1 total)
Ultimate Family Townhouse - Occupancy 8; 1,772 sq ft. (1 total)

After seeing a large chunk of the staterooms and suites available, our recommendation for choosing your accommodation on Icon of the Seas comes down to your personal preferences, where you think you will spend most of your time on the ship, who is in your travel party, and how much you are willing to spend.

Family travelers with younger children should consider gravitating towards the options in the Surfside neighborhood and less in the areas near Central Park. If you are traveling with a mixed-age family group, there’s a variety of options with convertible-style bed configurations and some connecting staterooms.

Are you looking for larger staterooms and a luxury experience? Consider any of the ship’s suites with access to the Sky Class amenities. You will get special perks like concierge services, private outdoor deck space, and restaurants. This option may be worth the extra cost if you seek a smaller ship-within-a-ship vibe during your stay.

Like sister brand Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean offers infinite balcony options where the balcony is part of your cabin footprint, and access to the outside is via the touch of a button to open a window. Before you pick this option on Icon of the Seas, check this out - Why NOT to Choose an Infinite Balcony Cabin

I stayed in an Ocean View Balcony Cabin, which was pretty typical of what you would expect on any Royal Caribbean ship. This cabin is perfectly acceptable and roomy enough for two on a seven-night sailing, even with lots of luggage. The overall colors are muted - think lots of grey, beige, and blue, with hints of tropical accents. There was a couch, a standard-size desk, and a lovely balcony with two chairs and a table.

One of the biggest highlights of the cabin was all the storage spots. The closet was huge, with plenty of space to hang items and drawers for organizing. There were shelves in all the nooks around the room and tons of USB charger ports. The nightstands were relatively small but suitable for holding a bottle of water and a cell phone.

The bathroom was of average size. The highlight again here was the storage. You can fit products and toiletries galore on the built-in wall shelving units as well as the open under-sink storage areas. The shower was on the smaller side and in order to turn on the water, you had to enter the shower as the door blocked faucet access. Royal Caribbean includes a bar of soap and vanity amenities by the sink, and in the shower was a body wash/shampoo combo in a wall dispenser.

As a whole, I was very impressed by what I saw from the variety of staterooms on Icon of the Seas (check out my tour of Ultimate Family Townhouse), however I can see how the so many options to choose from could be overwhelming to some travelers. I would highly recommend using a travel agent who is familiar with this ship to help navigate selecting the perfect accommodations for your vacation.

Dining

There are over 40 ways to eat and drink your way through Icon of the Seas. We won’t run through all the offerings here, but you can read more about venue specifics at First Look at Icon of the Seas Dining.

During my sailing, I mainly dined at the included eateries such as the Main Dining Room, Basecamp, Sorrentos, and Pearl Cafe. I did have the opportunity to have dinner at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, a specialty family-style Italian restaurant.

Most guests dine each night at the Icon of the Seas Main Dining Room. You are assigned a set time where you have the same waitstaff each night, or you can opt for ‘My Time’ dining, where your party can select what time to dine and will likely be at a different table each night. Menus change daily, but there are always some staples (think chicken/salads) in each serving.

I had dinner at the Main Dining Room twice. The service was very good, especially for a new ship finding its footing in a huge dining area with all-new everything. I enjoyed some of my dishes more than others, however some of the highlights I had were the French onion soup, lobster, and a warm chocolate cake. If I had to dine there for all seven nights, it may have gotten repetitive, however I am sure the variety of menu options each night might have changed my mind.

Following are some images of dishes and other dining venues around Icon of the Seas:

Activities & Entertainment

You can’t get bored on this ship - it’s simply not possible.

Royal Caribbean calls Icon of the Seas’ entertainment as being done across four signature ‘stages’ - air, water, ice, and theatre. There are mind-boggling water shows in the AquaTheatre, big-scale productions of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ or ‘Showband’ (with a 16-piece orchestra) in the Royal Theatre, and tons of live music and other entertainment, including comedy shows going on at all ends of the ship and around the clock.

I checked out ‘Starburst’ in Absolute Zero and was blown away. This ice show production combines performances from world-class ice skaters with a themed show on the periodic table (yes) set to a light show and corresponding music. I am usually not one for the theater shows, but this one captivated me from beginning to end. The performers were excellent, and the show was clever and visually stimulating. Go check it out when you sail on Icon!

Kids and teens looking to bond with fellow sailors of their age can visit the dedicated spaces divided by age group for guided programming. There’s laser tag, an escape room, kid’s parties, and more. Each sailing features the Larger-than-Life family festival and The Big Shark Block Party, hosted by Awesome Admiral, a newly created role in charge of family activities on Icon of the Seas.

From the early morning hours to late at night, there is tons to do on this ship. From line dancing to workout classes, spa events, games, sing-alongs, dance parties, classes, casino tournaments, and more, the daily schedule on Icon of the Seas is packed. You might need to book back-to-back cruises just to fit it all in!

Final Thoughts

Before I sailed on Icon of the Seas, I thought I would be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of venues, activities, and spaces onboard. Don’t get me wrong, this ship is enormous, and there’s much to choose from. However, once you are onboard, it seems a bit more manageable.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience onboard and felt that all the hype leading up to the ship’s launch was well worth it, mainly due to the outstanding service on the ship. Every crew member we encountered onboard was welcoming, friendly, helpful, and incredibly accommodating. They were striving to make the experience the best they could for the guests, and there was a general air of excitement all around for the launch.

We wish you a wonderful cruise for those sailing on a future Icon of the Seas itinerary. For those still considering Icon of the Seas, book it; you won’t be disappointed!

Insider tip - be on the lookout for Rover!

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