Icon of the Seas will set sail in 2024.
Fifteen restaurants, seven pools, an indoor aqua theatre, the world’s largest waterpark at sea and even a 55ft waterfall, Icon of the Seas is perhaps less cruise ship and more floating city.
Billed as the ‘ultimate family vacation’, the much anticipated Royal Caribbean vessel will hit the water in 2024, with an inaugural voyage on January 28, 2024.
The huge ship is still under construction but when completed, it will boast no fewer than 20 decks and is expected to sail the Caribbean year round.
Icon of the Seas has a swimming pool for every day of the week.
One of its biggest attractions is the waterpark, which will offer six ‘record-breaking’ slides including the Pressure Drop - cruising’s first open free-fall slide, the Frightening Bolt - which at 46ft is the tallest drop side at sea, as well as Storm Surge, Hurricane Hunter and the first family raft slides at sea.
“From the moment (guests) step on board (a Royal Caribbean vessel), every experience is designed to give them the best vacation anywhere on land or at sea,” said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean’s president and chief executive officer. “With Icon of the Seas, we’ve taken this to a new level and made the ultimate family vacation.”
Eight themed ‘neighbourhoods’ offer entertainment and dining spaces. They include Thrill Island which hosts the waterpark and Crown’s Edge, a part-skywalk, part-ropes course which includes a rope swing experience more than 150ft above the ocean.
Hanging around on the ship's Crown's Edge rope course.
Chill Island is home to four of the ship’s seven pools, including Swim & Tonic, Royal Caribbean’s first swim-up bar at sea, Royal Bay Pool, which is billed as the largest pool at sea, adults-only Cloud 17 and infinity-edge Cove Pool.
Surfside is designed specifically for young families, with Baby Bay, Splashaway Bay and Water’s Edge Pool all suitable for kids under six years.
And The Hideaway channels a beach club vibe with uninterrupted ocean views and the first suspended infinity pool at sea.
Inside the Ultimate Family Townhouse.
Rooms on Icon of the Seas can accommodate family groups of five or more and include Family Infinite Balcony and Surfside Family Suite with kids alcoves tucked away from the adults, a three-storey Ultimate Family Townhouse, as well as Sunset Corner Suites and Panoramic Ocean Views.
Icon of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s first ship to use fuel cell technology and is powered by the cleaner-burning liquefied natural gas. According to Royal Caribbean, this is their most sustainable vessel to date, with greener applications such as waste heat recovery systems and shore power connection.
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