Royal Caribbean Takes Delivery of Icon of the Seas

Icon of the Seas has officially joined the Royal Caribbean family! After seven years of planning and 900 days of design and construction, the cruise line today took delivery of the vessel at Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. The ship will make its official debut in late January 2024. 

The cruise line hosted a ceremony with more than 1,200 crew members and workers in attendance, as well as Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer. 

“Today, we are celebrating more than a new ship; it’s also the celebration of the culmination of more than 50 years of innovation and dreaming at Royal Caribbean to create the ultimate vacation experience,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “Delivering Icon of the Seas represents all that can be accomplished with strong partnerships and a commitment to delivering memorable vacations responsibly, and we thank Meyer Turku and an incredible village of skilled partners for joining us on this journey. The memories millions of families and vacationers will make on Icon will be our greatest accomplishment yet.”

The ceremony between Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku showcased a number of the ship’s new never-before-seen feats accomplished during more than two years of construction. Icon of the Seas will next sail from Turku to Cadiz, Spain, where the cruise line will start to put the finishing touches on the vessel prior to its debut next year. 

“Welcoming Icon of the Seas to the Royal Caribbean family is a remarkable accomplishment years in the making for thousands of innovators, engineers, architects and designers,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Seven years ago, we had an ambitious idea to create the first vacation truly made for every type of family and adventurer; now, it’s in our hands, and in this final stretch, we’ll bring it all to life for the biggest debut in our history in January 2024.”

Icon of the Seas' all-encompassing lineup of offerings features a number of firsts and next-level favorites for guests of all ages. Vessel highlights include over 40 restaurants/lounges, cutting-edge entertainment venues, and 28 types of stateroom options, including the highly-anticipated three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse. 

The vessel features eight distinct neighborhood areas, five of which are new concepts for the cruise line. Neighborhood experiences on Icon of the Seas include: 

• Thrill Island – This space features Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, which will have six record-breaking slides. Also in Thrill Island is the Crown’s Edge (part skywalk, part ropes course, and part thrill ride), a FlowRider simulator, and the Lost Dunes minigolf course. Eateries of this neighborhood include Basecamp and Desserted, both serving sweet treats.
• Chill Island – Four of the seven pools on Icon of the Seas are at this three-deck area. Here you will find Swim & Tonic (the line’s first swim-up bar at sea), Royal Bay (the largest pool at sea), Cloud 17 (an adults-only retreat), and the infinity-edge Cove Pool. Eateries include The Lime & Coconut and El Loco Fresh & Cantina Fresca. 
• Surfside – This is the first neighborhood from the cruise line just for young families. Here guests will find the Water’s Edge pool for grownups, and the Baby Bay and Splashaway Bay aquaparks for kids. Eateries of this neighborhood are the Surfside Eatery Buffet, Pier 7, Surfside Bites, and The Lemon Post.
• AquaDome – The new AquaDome neighborhood has wraparound ocean views, several restaurants and bars, a 55-foot-tall water curtain, and the next-level AquaTheater. In this space, you will find Royal Caribbean’s first food hall, as well as Rye & Bean (for lattes and coffee-infused cocktails), and the Overlook bar and pods. 
• The Hideaway – This new neighborhood, located 135 feet above the ocean, is inspired by beach clubs around the world. Here guests will enjoy the first suspended infinity pool at sea with 180-degree ocean views.
• Royal Promenade – The heartbeat of Icon features more than 15 restaurants, bars, and lounges, including Dueling Pianos, the 1400 Lobby Bar, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, Starbucks, and more. In the Royal Promenade guests can see The Pearl, the world’s largest kinetic art sculpture.
• Central Park – Returning open-air neighborhood Central Park is lusher and livelier than ever on Icon of the Seas. This area includes Izumi (with a new location and a walkup window), Chops Grille, the Empire Supper Club, and Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues.
  Suite Neighborhood – Spanning four decks, Icon of the Seas’ Suite Neighborhood features larger suites, the new Grove Suite Sun Deck, and a two-level Coastal Kitchen with views of the AquaDome and the ocean.

The vessel is Royal Caribbean’s first ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). It is among the cruise line’s most sustainable ship to date, and marks the next step in parent company Royal Caribbean Group's journey to introduce a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.

Icon of the Seas will homeport year-round from PortMiami, sailing a variety of 7-night Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises. Bookings on sailings through Spring 2025 on Icon of the Seas are now available for booking. 

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