Icon of the Seas is schedule for launch in early 2024.
Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas has already set booking records before it has even started its massive engines.
According to Royal Caribbean, it saw its largest booking day in the companies 53-year history when the upcoming ship's reservations opened back in October. The enthusiasm is an indicator of great things to come for the revolutionary ship.
For the last few years, everything about Icon of the Seas has been a mystery. "Project Icon" was announced by Royal Caribbean in 2018. The only thing revealed was that the ship would be the companies first-ever Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) powered vessel. It was said at the time the ship would be between Quantum-Class and Oasis Class in gross tonnage.
We now know that upon launch, Icon of the Seas will become the world's largest cruise ship, taking over the top spot from the Oasis Class ships that have held the title since 2009. It will also be a complete revolution in Royal Caribbean ship design. Coincidentally, that was the last time this much buzz was created around a new build.
Before I go any further, if you are unfamiliar with Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class of ships, you can click here for an overview of those ships so you can have a point of reference for this discussion.
When Oasis of the Seas launched in 2009, it was a game-changer for the cruise industry. Aside from shear size, it featured never-before seen elements at sea. The Aqua Theatre, neighborhood concept, zip line, open air mid-ship, and more were mind-blowing revolutions for ships at that time.
Don't get me wrong, I love Oasis Class vessels. The entertainment, food, and activity options are second-to-none. There was always one problem, though. Everything was on the interior of the ship. You were extremely limited when moving about the ship from seeing the ocean. The neighborhood concept was terrific but out of the 7 neighborhoods, you could only see the ocean from two of them.
We've sailed on Oasis Class ships three-different times (Oasis x2, Harmony x1). Each time the trips were amazing, but I kept going back to the lack of intimacy from the ocean. For this reason, I always recommend Oasis Class to first-time cruisers who are worried about feeling trapped while on a ship. It is easy to forget you are at sea. For some, that's great. For me, that's an issue.
Back to Icon of the Seas. It takes everything a step further, and corrects a big issue I've had with Oasis Class. There will be 8 neighborhoods on Icon of the Seas, you'll be able to have great views of the ocean from 6 of those neighborhoods.
The ship features the cruise line's first infinity pools, dedicated seaside lounge areas, and even some adventure activities that are ocean facing.
Chill Island, Suite Neighborhood, Thrill Island, The Hidewaway, Surfside, and the Aquadome, are all built with the ocean in mind. Surfside, Suite Neighborhood, and the Hideaway all feature infinity pools. Thrill Island features water slides and other adventures that are on open decks and even protruding over the side of the ship.
Another positive of the new design, is the separation of different types of experiences. Until 2016, Royal Caribbean had no waterslides on its ships. When added, they tended to be right in the middle of regular spaces that previously were uncrowded or open. This was mostly a space issue due to retro-fitting but depending on the experience you were looking for on the pool deck, you could find yourself in the middle of a waterpark.
The neighborhood layout for Icon of the Seas fixes this. Surfside is a neighborhood dedicated for families. Royal Caribbean bills the area where families can spend an entire day without leaving. Thrill Island and Chill Island being separated excites me. If I'm trying to chill when another traveler is trying to get a thrill, there could be some conflict of happiness there. The Hideaway is an exclusive area that features its own bar, restaurant, and infinity pool.
It will be fun to watch as more information comes out on Icon of the Seas. There's still a ton we don't know about many of these areas. What I do know is that it's created as much buzz and excitement as any ship I've seen launched in recent years. The intimacy with the ocean combined with the size and spectrum of the new build makes this a must-cruise-soon ship for me.
Deck plans for Icon of the Seas are available by clicking here.
Icon of the Seas is now open for booking at royalcaribbean.com. It's first voyage is scheduled for January of 2024. CruiseNReview.com will continue to track progress and announcements as they are made available by Royal Caribbean.
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