5 ICONic Things about Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas!
By: Christina Szewczuk
May 28, 2024
Royal Caribbean currently own and operates the largest ship in the world at sea to date, the Icon of the Seas. I had 72 hours to preview her and these are the Top 5 things I think are ICONic about Icon of the Seas!
1) She is literally the largest cruise ship in the world!
Previously, the Wonder of the Seas held this title coming in at 18 decks, 1,188 feet and 235,600 gross tons. But now that the Icon is sailing, it has taken over that title coming in at 20 decks, 1,198 feet and 250,800 gross tonnage. Icon was intended to feel spacious and uncrowded, and they accomplished this goal. You can feel her size, but the ship is so expertly laid out and designed that it never felt overwhelming or uncomfortable. She is also very stable so you can’t feel much rolling while under sail.
2) The Pearl
Icon’s Pearl is an architectural element that provides structural support which doubles as an elegant design feature. It commands your attention as you walk onto the ship from the gangway. There are animated panels inside which appear almost like mermaid scales. These little panels synch together creating patterns that move like waves through the inside of the pearl. Colorful lights illuminate the pearl all day and night. Ascend the staircase nestled in the Pearl and you’ll come to the Pearl Café. This included eatery has a floor to ceiling wall of windows which brightens up the whole area and makes for a fabulous place to sit and unwind. Snacks, sandwiches, treats and beverages are available throughout the day and evening. We really liked this café and ended up having breakfast here two out of our 3 days!
3) Crown’s Edge
On deck 16’s Thrill Island, lives the ultimate (albeit terrifying to me) extreme test of bravery. (Spoiler alert: I failed miserably!) This is a combination skywalk/zipline/ropes course that is located on the side of the ship. So you’re actually walking off the side of the ship! You arrive 10 mins before your time so you can sign a waiver. Then they take you to get outfitted in your safety equipment while they show you a how to video. Then you line up and climb the stairs to your doom…. I mean, to the starting platform. At one point you “walk the plank” and the platform drops out on you sending you careening off the side of the ship hanging over the water as the zipline whirls you around and back onto the ship. Now, while this is my worst nightmare, my colleague, Sarah, couldn’t wait to try this out. She said it was exhilarating, a little nerve wracking and really windy. More power to her… I’ll pass. This is an activity that currently costs a cool $90, so make sure it’s something you really want to do.
4) Category 6 Water Park
The water park! Not only does Icon have a waterpark, but it’s also the biggest waterpark at sea! With 6 full size waterslides ranging in length from 106 feet long to the longest one at 431 feet, there are 2 drop slides, 2 raft slides, and 2 mat slides. Being short on time, we only tried 2 of the 6 slides. We did one of the drop slides and one of the raft slides. Both were great! This is an included amenity on the ship, and we felt that it was a good value add. If your kids (or you!) like waterslides, they’ll love Category 6. Just a note, you will have to remove your jewelry and watches. So, if you’re planning on hitting up the slides, it’s best to leave your jewelry back in the room in your safe.
5) Surfside Neighborhood
This is a new neighborhood created to replace the Boardwalk area that exists on some of the other ships in the fleet. The Surfside Neighborhood is geared towards families featuring an arcade, a brightly colored carousel with fun mythical characters to ride, a candy shop and a splash park area. Throughout the day they have entertainment and fun activities for the kids. There are several places to eat in this area, some included and some paid. Lemon Post, the bar by the splash pad, had some really fun drinks - both cocktails and mocktails. Sarah had a blue pouch mocktail that had some Swedish fish swimming around in it and my favorite drink there was the Sailor’s Delight. (I can confirm that it is indeed delightful.) We ate dinner at the included Surfside Eatery the first night. In my opinion, it was just ok, not my favorite. However, the chocolate chip cookies were a winner! As a whole, this Surfside Neighborhood is very well done with its fun but relaxed vibe and brilliant colors. Definitely a spot to check out whether you are there with kids or not!
These are only 5 of the many things that make Icon a special ship. I loved my stay and would undoubtedly return. I loved the color palate they used to decorate the ship. It is colorful but not overdone and they are very complimentary to the uniqueness of the ship. It is a pricey ship, but it has so much to offer. The shows, the foods, the pools and slides and the activities are so good you may not even want to get off at the ports! There are so many room categories to choose from, there is something for everyone here. I thought it was going to feel very crowded since it holds so many people, but it is so big and feels so spacious that it really didn’t feel crowded at all. I would recommend checking it out or at least considering Icon for your family. Talk to me, or one of our other Royal Caribbean trained cruise specialists here at Wishes Family Travel and we will fit you into the perfect “Iconic” spot.
**Our agency was invited to be one of the lucky agencies to preview the Icon before the revenue sailings began. Although, this was a hosted experience, the opinions expressed in this blog are my own. -Christina Szewczuk, Wishes Family Travel**