EL’s PATRICEA CHOW was invited by Royal Caribbean to join the inaugural media sailing of Icon of the Seas. She shares some highlights of her experience on the world’s largest cruise ship, departing from Miami, Florida.
The premise of cruise travel is simple – as your ship travels from one port to another, you can occupy yourself with a whole host of activities. Most importantly, you can shower and sleep comfortably on a bed.
No two ships are the same – the entertainment, dining options and fittings in the staterooms are different. Each sailing feels like you’re in a different all-in-one hotel on the sea.
I previously sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas and Spectrum of the Seas. So I had a basis for comparison for my cruise on Icon of the Seas. What I’ll say is that, despite having to fly almost 24 hours to Miami for this sailing, it was worth it!
More rooms for different family numbers
I was given an Ocean View Balcony on this Royal Caribbean cruise. It’s the same room category I’ve stayed on previous cruises – I like sitting in my pyjamas on the balcony for some fresh air.
For those who enjoy having a balcony without struggling with a door, Icon of the Seas has the Infinite Ocean View room. The balcony is separated by curtains so you can walk onto it simply by drawing the curtains open. A ceiling-to-floor glass window can be pulled down halfway for a breeze or kept closed for air-conditioning.
Most of the rooms onboard have a sofa that transforms into a bed. However, having previously cruised with my mum and two teenagers, I recommend getting a separate room for the teenagers as it can get tight. Or opt for a bigger room such as any of the suites, including the new Surfside Family Suite. This includes a sofa bed that can sleep one and the space for an additional rollaway bed.
The Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony fits six people and the Ultimate Family Townhouse fits up to eight. These new categories offer many family-friendly options. These include separate sleeping spaces for children and adults, split shower and toilet, or more than one bathroom. The Townhouse spans three decks, with a slide from the bed level down to the living, dining and karaoke areas. Even the adults will agree sliding down is more fun than taking the stairs!
Upgraded rooms on Icon of the Seas
What I was most pleased about are the new features and amenities. For starters, the room temperature is controlled via an electronic smart panel rather than a key card in a slot. The panel allows you to adjust the brightness of the room lights. You can also choose morning, evening, movie or night settings to suit your mood or needs.
There’s a mirror with an inbuilt LED light on both the vanity and the full-length mirror in the entrance way. On the wall facing the mirror is a row of hooks for easily hanging your bag, jacket or hat. After putting on my hat and bag, I simply turned to the illuminated mirror for a quick look before heading out.
There are more USB ports around the room than on other ships. This made it more convenient to charge multiple devices without using a multi-plug.
The toilet and shower configuration has become more linear, resulting in a better utilisation of space. The shower doors now swivel open, making it easier to enter and exit the cubicle. There’s a bench in the cubicle specially for older travellers who may need it when they shower. There are also more racks for hanging towels and clothes.
Keeping entertained
There are eight “neighbourhoods” on Icon of the Seas, designed for different experiences:
#1 Thrill Island
The top deck is the spot for adrenaline junkies, with the largest waterpark at sea with long slides and adventures such as Crown’s Edge, FlowRider and rock climbing.
#2 Surfside
This open-air deck is ideal for families with young children. It has water play experiences, a carousel and family-friendly food and drink options all on one deck.
#3 The Hideaway
For adults who want to soak in the sun with a drink, a DJ and uninterrupted ocean views. The Hideaway features the first suspended infinity pool at sea.
#4 Central Park
Another open-air deck, this one with dining and live music spots among more than 30,550 plants.
#5 Chill Island
Set over three decks, Chill Island has four pools and the cruise line’s first swim-up bar, Swim & Tonic, for those who want to kick back and relax.
#6 Aqua Dome
Head here for the wraparound ocean views at The Overlook and stunning aqua shows at Aqua Theater.
#7 Royal Promenade
This part of the ship features two fully connected decks of restaurants, bars and lounges. It also provides access to the Royal Theater and Absolute Zero, the largest ice arena at sea.
#8 Suite Neighbourhood
An area set aside especially for Royal Suite Class guests.
There were some neighbourhoods I didn’t spend time at as I was enjoying my time at other spaces. I initially had plans to go down as many slides as possible but there were strong winds throughout my trip, which meant that I always had my jacket on when I went up to the top-most deck.
I love an adrenaline rush, so straight after boarding I booked a slot for Crown’s Edge – it’s billed as an obstacle course at 154 feet (almost 50 metres) above the ocean, with a partial flying fox over the edge of the ship. Alas, the activity for the evening was cancelled due to strong winds and slots on other days were fully booked. So I didn’t get the chance to test my strength and courage.
But there was plenty more for me to enjoy on board. During the day, I would head to Aqua Dome and sip on a coffee-infused cocktail as I sat admiring the ocean views at Rye & Bean. If any of the pods at The Overlook were available, I’d spend time lounging in one. In the evening, the Aqua Theater would be filled out 20 minutes before show time. High divers, aerialists, synchronised swimmers and robots came together in an exciting water show, which I ended up watching twice.
Equally impressive was The Wizard of Oz, a performance at Royal Theater. I initially wanted to skip it but I’m glad I didn’t – the acting, live orchestra music and visual effects transformed the well-loved movie into an exciting stage spectacular.
Another of my favourite things was to spend time at Central Park, enjoying an outdoor breakfast at Park Cafe or strolling among the greenery after picking up a flute of bubbly from Bubbles champagne bar.
Food and drinks for all palates
One aspect of cruising that I enjoy is the access to food and beverages at all times.
Most of the specialty dining spots and cafés are located at the Royal Promenade, which spans decks five and six. One of my favourites was Pearl Cafe, open 24 hours with deli sandwiches and salads, sweet bites and beverages by Starbucks. I liked having my morning matcha latte here – natural light flooded in through floor-to-ceiling windows that provide sweeping views of the ocean.
From here, I would head downstairs through The Pearl. Rising over three decks, it has approximately 3,600 kinetic tiles that change colour, giving off a disco vibe in the middle of the ship.
A few steps on is 1400 Lobby Bar on deck five, showcasing a vintage design. The cocktails are inspired by the history of shipbuilding and developed with Tony Abou-Ganim, a renowned mixologist. My vote went to Free Fall, a combination of botanical orange blossom vodka, Campari, Cointreau, blood orange puree, lemon sour and soda water.
Besides the Main Dining Hall, I also ate at Giovanni’s Kitchen, whose selection included antipasti, salads, pastas, pizzas and Italian classics such as lasagne and osso buco. The kids will love it here!
Royal Caribbean’s private island
At present, Icon of the Seas offers six seven-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean year-round. We didn’t visit any of these islands on the media sailing but we did stop for a day at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island that’s included in five of the trips.
Perfect Day has seven beaches and a freshwater lagoon with complimentary deck chairs, umbrellas and towels. Complimentary food and snacks are available at three spots around the island.
Hideaway Beach is the first adults-only beach in The Bahamas but it was too busy for my liking. I preferred the tranquillity offered by Coco Beach Club, which is an added cost for a day pass. It includes a complimentary meal at its exclusive restaurant, plus private beach access and use of its clubhouse and infinity pool. I felt like I was given the VIP treatment here, on my own private island getaway.
I took my three-course lunch on the restaurant’s outside terrace, beginning with a sample plate of the menu’s five starters. As I was undecided between seafood or meat, the kitchen served a half portion each of a broiled lobster and a herb-marinated fillet mignon. The meal was completed with a Bahamian rum-soaked cake.
The alcoholic beverage package I purchased for this Royal Caribbean cruise could be used anywhere on Perfect Day at CocoCay, so I indulged in a cocktail or two as I soaked in the infinity pool or lazed on a deck chair. The Coco Cuvee – the Club’s unique concoction of champagne, rum, coconut and pineapple juice – personified the Caribbean vibe.
Looking for a faster pace on the island? Try Splashaway Bay, an aqua park with waterslides, fountains and pools. Or you can pay to fly across three zip-lines, take a ride in a helium balloon that floats up to 137m or conquer all 14 waterslides at Thrill Waterpark. There’s also an island market for souvenir shopping and live music entertainment. You’ll definitely be kept fully occupied from 8am to 5pm on your day here.
Stamp of approval
I may not have seen the islands that are included on the ship’s regular sailing itineraries but there was more than enough to keep me busy on Icon of the Seas.
By the end, I had done, seen and tasted many things but felt like there was still so much that I missed out on.
Would I pay to fly 24 hours to Miami for a seven-night sailing on Icon of the Seas? Absolutely! And next time I’ll ensure that I check off all the spots on my to-do list: Hideaway bar and pool, Empire Supper Club, Dueling Pianos, Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues and, of course, Crown’s Edge.
Icon of the Seas fact file:
Royal Caribbean bills Icon of the Seas as “the travel industry’s first-of-its-kind combination of the best of every vacation”. So whether you’re a family with young kids, a family with teenagers, a couple or travelling buddies, you’ll be able to experience a theme park adventure, resort living and beach retreat all on this ship. Here are some stats!
- It’s the largest cruise ship class ever constructed, and the first of three ships in Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class.
- At 364.75m long, it’s 17m longer than Spectrum of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas, both in the preceding Quantum Class.
- There are 20 decks (18 accessible by guests) – four more than Quantum Class – with 28 types of staterooms, 14 of which are new.
- There are more than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges.
- There are seven pools and nine whirlpools.
royalcaribbean.com/icon-of-the-seas
This article first appeared in the April 2024 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe so you never miss a copy!
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