Sports Icon Lionel Messi Celebrates Icon of the Seas Christening
An icon has been named by a fellow icon. Royal Caribbean’s newest ship Icon of the Seas, was officially christened at an exclusive ceremony in Miami with sports star Lionel Messi. Last month, Royal Caribbean bestowed Messi with the ship’s official ‘Icon’ title. Icon of the Seas is gearing up to make its grand debut with its first passenger sailing on January 27, 2024.
In his role as ship ‘Icon’, Lionel Messi participated in the traditional maritime naming celebration for the vessel, bestowing safekeeping onto the new ship, its crew, and the millions who will sail on Icon of the Seas in the future. Messi is regarded as the greatest fútbol player of all time, with a prestigious career that includes winning the Ballon d’Or award eight times and being named TIME’s 2023 Athlete of the Year. Royal Caribbean is the Main Partner and Official Vacation Partner to Inter Miami CF, of which Messi is a team member.
“Family is everything to me, and it was exciting to take part in welcoming what is the world’s best family vacation to Miami,” said Lionel Messi, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of Icon. "Everything I’ve seen on Icon of the Seas is next level. There are experiences for the whole family to make memories that they’ll remember forever.”
Messi was joined on stage for the ceremony at the Icon of the Seas AquaDome by Captain Henrik Loy, Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, as well as event host and four-time Emmy award-winning host Mario Lopez.
“Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of dreaming, innovating and living our mission – to deliver the world’s best vacation experiences responsibly. She is the ultimate multigenerational family vacation, forever changing the status quo in family travel and fulfilling vacation dreams for all ages on board,” said Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty. “With Lionel Messi presiding over the ship’s naming, we are thrilled and honored to have someone iconic for delivering memories for millions of fútbol fans around the world and who values making iconic memories with his family even more.”
Icon of the Seas has made many waves, breaking many records for Royal Caribbean. In 2022, the itinerary reveal of the new world’s largest cruise ship spurred the single largest booking day and highest volume booking week in Royal Caribbean’s 53-year history!
“We did it! After seven years of pursuing the bold vision to create a one-of-a-kind vacation for every type of family and adventurer, Icon of the Seas has become a reality,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International. “Officially naming Icon marks more than the introduction of a new ship; it is the start of a new era of vacations, and we’re excited to see tens of millions of families and friends make their mark with memories they create together and on their own adventures without compromise.”
The Icon of the Seas features several first- and next-level favorites for guests of all ages. Onboard guests can enjoy eight distinct neighborhood areas (five of which are new concepts for Royal Caribbean), over 40 restaurants/lounges, cutting-edge entertainment venues, a whopping seven pools, and 28 types of stateroom categories.
Want to be among the first to sail on the Icon of the Seas? Bookings on sailings through Fall 2025 are open. The ship will homeport from Miami, offering 7-night Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries.
Book your cruise on Icon of the Seas today!
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