Icon of the Seas - The largest ship at sea
The ship itself: Icon has a capacity of 5610 guests and 2350 crew. She is 5 times bigger than the Titanic, with all the fun happening over 18 guest’s decks. Now I know that sounds absolutely huge, and it is, but what I would say is that Royal Caribbean have got the design and organisation absolutely spot on. They’ve split the ship over 8 neighbourhoods and considering we were sailing over UK half term and at full capacity, it never ever felt crowded or even busy, even on sea days. So, let’s break it down into these neighbourhoods and some of my highlights
Thrill Island Category 6 is now the largest waterpark at sea, with 6 record breaking slides. In all honesty, this was the only place which ever felt busy with queue waiting times up to 45 minutes per ride on a sea day. That said it was easily accessible to the main pool, so we tended to do one ride, go back in the pool and then another ride later in the day, there’s also plenty of sunbeds in this area for family members not wanting to ride the slides. Height restrictions within Category 6 were a minimum of 48 inches. My oldest son Dexter is 9 and just made the cut, so this is for the older children of the family.
Surfside Surfside is a brand-new concept to the Icon class and is just fantastic. The kids basically have a whole deck to themselves! The waterpark at the aft of the ship is perfect for those under the 48 inches with plenty of deck chairs and sunbeds around for parents to watch over. Surfside is where you’ll find a small playground area out of the sun, the first and currently only carousel at sea, the arcade, Sprinkles ice cream as well as other eateries for snacks and drinks. This deck is a lot of fun!!
Crown’s Edge is an absolute must for you thrill seekers!! This is part skywalk, part rope course that leaves you suspended 154ft above the ocean. One of the scariest, but definitely thrilling things I’ve ever done and would highly recommend.
The Royal Promenade For those of you who have been on a Royal Caribbean ship before, you’ll know that all their ships have a Royal Promenade, but the Icon class has a very different look and feel. It has 15 eateries just on this one deck with the main attraction and brand-new feature being the beauty that is the pearl. A stunning staircase ideal for those picture-perfect moments. Behind the pearl is then pearl café. I loved it here. It’s basically Icon’s version of Starbucks (although there is an actual Starbucks also in this neighbourhood) but the super comfy seating area looks out over the ocean and was so peaceful and relaxing. The space on the Royal Promenade was used so well with a pirate parade one afternoon, 70s discos in the evening, shops, pubs and so much more right in the very middle of the ship.
Central Park Not new to Icon, but I absolutely loved this deck. It really is like walking through Central Park and felt absolutely stunning. This is where you’ll find more speciality dining including Izumi and a few designer shops.
The Hideaway I’ve talked a lot about facilities for children and families, but I honestly think that Icon is a ship for all ages and all-party sizes. My boys absolutely loved Adventure Ocean, which is the kids club, which gave us time to enjoy The Hideaway, exclusively for the adults. Everything about this area I felt was very 4-5* design and definitely has just the adults in mind. This is where you’ll experience the first infinity pool at sea, with the sunbeds being more upmarket and the bar offering exclusive, champagne cocktails, this definitely had high end beach bar vibes and is perfectly tucked away at the back of deck 15, offering stunning views both in port and out at sea.
The Overlook This is part of the AquaDome neighbourhood, and I’d probably say my favourite area on the ship. Not adults only but this definitely has a 5* feel to this area and for those of you who have sailed on a Celebrity cruise, Royal Caribbean have definitely taken that vibe, modernised it with technology and added it to Icon. The views here are just stunning, overlooking the ocean from a glass dome whether you’re escaping the madness during the day or dressed up for a drink in the bar by night.
Entertainment: The AquaDome is new to Icon. Incorporating new level technology, extreme athletic skill and a 55ft tall cascading waterfall, Aqua Action is a show NOT to be missed. Absolute Zero is Icon’s ice rink. All Royal Caribbean ships have an ice rink, but Icon is a new oval shape allowing more skill and more tricks and was my favourite show of all of them. Now, I love a London West End show and I was in two minds whether to watch Wizard of Oz in Icon’s Royal Theatre after seeing the show in London and not being that impressed, but my gosh am I glad I saw it on Icon. It was 100 times better than London’s West End, with more technology and by far more impressive features, bringing the story to life for all ages.
Dining
Icon serves 35,000 meals per day, serving around 2700 people every 90 minutes with around 40 dining venues and bars, so they really do cater for all dietery requirements. Whether it's a casual buffet or a classic restaurant with a 3 course set menu. Exclusive to Icon, AquaDome Market has several dining options to choose from, this with a ‘street food’ culture, with lots of small plates to choose from, but DO NOT miss out on the Crepes!! Basecamp: Don’t want to leave the pool or the waterpark. This is a great place to grab a drink and a hot dog without getting changed out of your swimsuits!! Hooked: This was the only specialty dining we tried as there are just so many eateries to choose from, but if you love seafood or a sucker for a top end surf and turf, then this is an absolute must.
We had such an amazing time; I think I could go on to write a book rather than a blog!! So, give me a call to talk about more dining, more entertainment and allow me to give you more of my top tips and recommendations, but put the kettle on and get comfy as I could talk all day about Icon and cruising in general!!
