Icon of the Seas Reveal - Raising the Bar and Setting New Boundaries

Royal Caribbean’s newest, largest and most spectacular vacation experience yet.

Royal Caribbean International has revealed more details regarding the Icon-class cruise ships. Flagship Icon of the Seas is now scheduled for a January 2024 debut.

Icon of the Seas - Family Down To The Keel

In the press release by Royal Caribbean International, the cruise line described Icon of the Seas as “the travel industry’s first-of-its-kind combination of the best of every vacation”.

“With each new ship, we raise the bar in the travel industry while enhancing what our guests know and love,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “From the moment they step on board, every experience is specifically designed to give them the best vacation anywhere on land and at sea. With Icon of the Seas, we’ve taken this to a new level and made the ultimate family vacation.

“Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of delivering memorable experiences and our next bold commitment to those who love to vacation,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Now more than ever, families and friends are prioritizing experiences where they can bond and enjoy their own adventures. We set out to create a vacation that makes all that possible in one place for the thrill-seekers, the chill enthusiasts and everyone in between, without compromise. It’s this first-of-its-kind combination that makes Icon the future of family vacations, and that future is here.”

Five New Neighbourhoods - Setting new benchmarks as the Icon of Vacations

Neighbourhood One: Surfside

Surfside is the family-friendly neighbourhood located on Deck 7 aft. The space has been designed from the ground up as a family-oriented space that adults can enjoy with their children all day long. The highlight for Surfside would be its three swimming pools, each catering for different age groups.

Baby Bay for toddlers
Splashaway Bay for kids and teens.
Water’s Edge pool for adults.

Keeping to its family-oriented theme, Surfside will also be home to youth facilities like Adventure Ocean for guests aged 3 to 12, and Social020 for teens aged 13 to 17.

Neighbourhood Two: The Hideaway

Tucked away at the top of the ship, the Hideaway will offer guests a beach-club like atmosphere, featuring a multilevel zone with whirlpools and the first suspended infinity pool at sea. Perched 135 ft above the ocean, it boasts incredible uninterrupted views from its unique vantage points.

Neighbourhood Three: Chill Island

Icon of the Seas will feature 7 pools in total, 4 of which will call Chill Island home. Chill Island will offer a mix of both sun and shade, offering guests a different poolside experience. One of these experiences is Cloud 17 - the adults-only retreat offering the quiet getaway adults crave amongst the fun around the ship.

There’s a myriad of bar options located in this neighbourhood. Fancy drinks and a swim? Visit Swim & Tonic - the first swim-up bar in the Royal Caribbean fleet. Or try the popular Lime and Coconut Bar - an island-themed bar serving up poolside cocktails. If you prefer something cooler, Chill Island will also have Royal Caribbean’s first frozen cocktail bar.

Chill Island will also be home to the Royal Bay Pool - the largest swimming pool at sea, and the Cove Pool, an infinity-edge pool offering guests a different viewpoint of the ocean and beyond.

Neighbourhood Four: Thrill Island

As its name suggests, Thrill Island will be the place to go for your daredevil thrills and screams! It will be home to Crown’s Edge, the sports hub of Icon. The centrepiece - a sky walk and ropes course located 154ft above the ocean.

For some wet and wild fun, change into your swimsuits and go to Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea with six record-breaking slides:

Pressure Drop - an open free-fall slide with a 66-degree incline - an industry first.
Frightening Bolt - the tallest drop slide at sea
Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter - the first family raft slides at sea, up to 4 riders per raft.
Storm Chasers - A pair of slides, and cruising’s first mat-racing duo.

Of course, classics such as the FlowRider surf simulator, Mini Golf at Lost Dunes and the signature Rock Climbing Wall at Adrenaline Peak will make their return to Icon as well.

Neighbourhood Five: Aquadome

Just by looks, you can tell that the Aquadome is the icon of Icon. The fully-enclosed dome will be a transformative venue - a relaxing environment during the day, and vibrant nightlife entertainment in the evening. The centrepiece of the Aquadome would be the reimagined AquaTheatre, now equipped with four robotic arms and a 55 feet indoor waterfall.

Being located inside the fully-enclosed Aquadome also allows the cast members to continue with AquaTheatre shows, regardless of weather conditions - something Royal Caribbean tried to improve with Wonder of the Seas.

P.S.: Don’t you think the Aquadome bears a striking resemblance to the Jewel at Changi Airport?

Three Returning Neighbourhoods - Familiar Favourites, Reimagined

Neighbourhood Six: Royal Promenade

Guests will be greeted by the completely redesigned Royal Promenade, now with floor to ceiling windows offering sweeping views of the ocean. 15 Food and Beverage options will flow through the Promenade, including Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar. It will also house The Pearl, (the sphere seen in Turku) which will act as a transitional venue, with a staircase and filled special panels that can produce all sorts of special effects. It will give access to the Pearl Cafe.

The Royal Promenade is also where you’ll find Absolute Zero, Royal Caribbean’s largest ice arena at sea, where Olympic-level ice skaters bring showstopping entertainment to guests.

Neighbourhood Seven: Central Park

Central Park has been re-designed and injected with new life. The 5-storey living wall will be the main backdrop of the park, retaining the al-fresco dining concept of the restaurants located within. And within the park, guests will find F&B options like Izumi, serving Asian-fusion cuisine and 150 Central Park. Besides dining, Central Park remains a natural stage backdrop for live performances and sets by the entertainment team.

Neighbourhood Eight: Suite Neighbourhood

After the success of the Suite Enclave and Neighbourhood on Spectrum and the Wonder, Royal Caribbean has expanded the offerings and improved on the concept. Icon of the Seas’ Suite Neighbourhood will span across three decks with a Suite Sundeck spanning multiple decks. Guests can also enjoy the pool and whirlpools in ultimate privacy, while enjoying spanning views of the ocean.

Suite dining also got an upgrade, with suite-exclusive Coastal Kitchen being expanded across two decks. It now offers more seating, and views of the Aquadome while you enjoy fine dining in the restaurant. The Suite Neighbourhood will also be getting a new dining option - Grove, where guests can enjoy Mediterranean Cuisine and Al-fresco Dining throughout the day.

A Whopping 28 Accommodation Options

With 28 ways to stay, Icon of the Seas’ staterooms are thoughtfully designed for every type of vacationer. It’s come one, come all with more choices, ocean views and room.

There are new layouts made for families of three, four, five and more, like the Family Infinite Balcony and Surfside Family Suite – with kids alcoves tucked away from the adults – and the three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse, complete with its own white picket fence and mailbox. When it comes to views, among the best are from the brand’s first Sunset Corner Suites and Panoramic Ocean Views in AquaDome.

Ultimate Family Townhouse

Icon of the Seas will debut the first Ultimate Family Townhouse. Spanning three levels, the perfect home away from home for families features an in-suite slide, a cinema space, karaoke, a spacious balcony, a private entrance to the ultimate family neighborhood, Surfside, and more.

Surfside Family Suite

Vacationers can leave compromise at the door in the Surfside Family Suite on Icon of the Seas. The new room, nestled in the new Surfside family neighbourhood, welcomes a family of up to four guests. There’s a cozy kids alcove, which transforms into a living space for all, along with a private balcony and Royal Suite Class perks.

Panoramic Ocean View Suites

The Panoramic Ocean View suites and rooms on Icon of the Seas are among the best seats in the house. Vacationers can unwind at their home away from home with stunning perspectives of the sea, sky and destinations, thanks to wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Family Infinite Balcony

Inside Plus

The new Inside Plus rooms on Icon of the Seas feature a new intuitive layout and a deluxe closet.

Plan Your Iconic Adventure

Ticket sales will open to the public on October 25th, 2022, while Crown And Anchor Society members will get special access to bookings on October 24th, 2022.
Icon of the Seas’ inaugural season will see her sail 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations from Miami, Florida. Every cruise will visit Royal Caribbean’s top-rated private island destination - Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas. The ship will also call at gems of the Caribbean, such as Cozumel, Mexico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Roatan, Honduras.

DISCLAIMER: While due diligence has been taken to ensure all information presented is accurate and up-to-date, the information is subject to change, and discrepancies in, but not limited to, themes, timings and/or ports-of-call may occur. In the event of such a discrepancy, the cruise line’s itinerary will prevail. You are advised to contact the cruise lines directly for information, or to speak with your preferred travel consultant. Singapore Cruise Society will not be held responsible for any discrepancies found in the information provided.

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