The 2023-built Icon of the Seas cruise ship (currently under construction) is RCG-Royal Caribbean's first ICON-Class vessel scheduled for delivery and inauguration in 2023-Q3 (November/December) being postponed from 2022-Q2 due to the COVID crisis. The liner is currently the world's largest (~6% bigger than Wonder OTS) and has two same-designed sisterships - Apex Of The Seas (2025-Q2) and Joy of the Seas (2026-Q2). "Project Icon" is the name for a cruise ship class ordered by RCG-Royal Caribbean Group (shipowner) and all units of the series will be built by Meyer Merf's Shipyard in Turku Finland.
The vessel (IMO number 9829930) will be Bahamas-flagged (MMSI tba) and registered in Nassau.
History - construction and ownership
Royal Caribbean International (RCI) is a US company, trademarked brand, and subsidiary owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (shipowner). RCI was established in 1968 and currently has over 1/5 of the worldwide cruise market. RCI also has RCG's largest fleet as both vessels number and GT tonnage (ship sizes and capacities). All RCI liners have names ending with "of the Seas".
Each vessel from the ICON series has passenger capacity 5610 (lower berths) and GT tonnage/volume 250800 tons, making the design Royal Caribbean's/world's largest.
On May 5, 2022, an RCI spokesperson announced that the ICON class will be bigger (as both passenger capacity and volume) than the OASIS class, which makes Icon of the Seas currently the world's largest passenger ship ever constructed. On October 20th, RCI revealed more details, including the vessel's exact volume (250800 GT-tons) and max capacity (9950/7600 passengers + 2350 crew). For comparison, the previously largest passenger ships (OASIS PLUS class) have GT ~227000 tons and max capacity 8800 (6410 pax + 2390 crew).
Initially, the ICON ship design was announced with passenger capacity ~5200 and GT tonnage ~200K.
Decks and Cabins
Of all Icon of the Seas staterooms (2805 total, in 39 grades), ~70% are balconies and over 50% are new to Royal Caribbean. The ship has 179x suites, 1815x balconies, 276x oceanviews (including 12x Panoramic) and 744x inside cabins (534x Standard plus 214x Interior-Facing/Promenade View Balcony). Infinite Balconies are 693 (615x Standard plus 78x Family). Wheelchair-accessible cabins are 50.
Icon OTS has several new for RCI cabin categories - Inside Plus, Panoramic Ocean View (redesigned/both cabins and suites), Infinite Balcony, Family Infinite Balcony, Surfside Family Suite, Sky Junior Suite, Sunset Suite, Sunset Corner Suite, Icon Loft Suite, and the Ultimate Family Townhouse.
"Panoramic Ocean View" cabins and suites are in the AquaDome Neighborhood and all are with floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows.
"Infinite Balcony" are "French Balcony" cabins with drop-down panoramic/wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling windows enclosing the terrace. These accommodations are designed as convertible, transforming the veranda into an indoor space (within the cabin/separated by accordion doors) at the push of a button. This category (as Edge Veranda Infinity) debuted on Celebrity Cruises' EDGE-class ships.
"Family Infinite Balcony" cabins accommodate 6 people and are with split bathrooms, a separate kids' bedroom (with bunk beds), and an infinite balcony.
"Surfside Family Suite" is in the Surfside Neighborhood, accommodates 4 people, has a separate kids' bedroom (convertible into a lounge room) and its occupants receive Royal Suite Class perks.
"Sunset Corner Suite" (fleet's first) represents aft-facing staterooms (located at the stern) featuring large wraparound terraces.
The "Ultimate Family Townhouse" is a 3-deck/level suite designed for families. The stateroom is with private access to Surfside Neighborhood and features an indoor dry slide, media room/cinema, karaoke room, huge terrace.
The 3-deck Suite Neighborhood houses all the top-tier staterooms. It features an exclusive 2-deck Sundeck and an expanded Coastal Kitchen (suite-only restaurant on 2 levels). There is a larger exclusive sundeck (accessed only by Star Class and Sky Class suites) with its own swimming pool and an outdoor Jacuzzi, plus a new, suite-only casual dining venue (The Grove) offering traditional Mediterranean cuisine specialties.
The suites are in categories (high to low grade) Family Townhouse, Royal Loft, Icon Loft, Owner's, Infinite Grand, Grand, Sunset Corner, Surfside Family, Sunset, Junior, and Panoramic (with windows).
ICON ships also have a new (patented design) crew cabin type.
The boat has 20 decks, of which 18 are passenger-accessible.
Shipboard facilities and amenities
RCI's ICON class features the OASIS class' Central Park Neighborhood - an inside-the-ship, open-air, multi-deck space which base level is fitted with live vegetation (trees, bushes, flowers). The design also includes the fore-located Solarium - a 2-decks spanning adults-only relaxation complex (covered by a glass rooftop) with its own cafe/bistro, bar, thalassotherapy pool, large Jacuzzies, indoor sunbathing area (deckchairs, loungers, daybeds), an outdoor sundeck.
The Sun Deck (positioned midship) is on two levels and fitted with a large swimming pool surrounded by a sunbathing area. A series of columns (midship-aft) support the waterslides and the ropes court.
The stern (like on the OASIS liners) is open-deck and with cascading suite terraces.
Like all RCI boats, Icon also has a FlowRider (surfing simulator positioned aft-starboard on top-deck), an islad-themed Mini-Golf Course (Lost Dunes) and Rock-Climbing Walls (at Adrenaline Peak), Ice-Rink Arena (Absolute Zero/fleet's largest).
Neighborhoods
Icon OTS has 7x swimming pools, 9x outdoor Jacuzzies/whirlpools, and the fleet's largest waterpark with 6x waterslides (including the largest at sea). Next are listed pools' operational/opening hours.
- (Chill Island Neighborhood/Deck 15) Royal Bay Pool (starboard) and Cove Pool (portside infinity pool) are open between 9 am and 10 pm.
- (Chill Island Neighborhood/Deck 17) Cloud 17 Pool (adults-only, max 250 people, starboard-positioned, with a whirlpool) is open between 8 am and 7 pm.
Like the OASIS and OASIS PLUS ships, the ICON ships have 8x neighborhoods (themed decks) which are named AquaDome, Central Park, Chill Island, Thrill Island, Royal Promenade, The Hideaway, Surfside, and Suite Neighborhood.
(Deck 6) Royal Promenade Neighborhood houses staterooms plus 15 venues (bars, lounges, cafes, restaurants) including Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, Pearl Cafe (grab-and-go), Campfire Cookie (patisserie), Sorrento’s Pizzeria, Point & Feather (English pub with live acoustic guitar performances in the evenings), Boleros (Latin-themed bar lounge with live music performances), Schooner Bar (live piano music in the evenings), Spotlight Karaoke (bar), The Attic (comedy club lounge), Starbucks (coffee shop), Diamond Club (exclusive bar lounge for Diamond and above members). On Royal Promenade are also The Pearl () and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade.
(Deck 8) Central Park Neighborhood is 1/5th larger than on the OASIS ships (with thousands of live plants and live music performances) and houses several dining venues - Izumi Hibachi & Sushi (Asian/Japanese restaurant), Chops Grille (steakhouse), Park Cafe (casual restaurant for breakfast and lunch), Trellis Bar, plus two new (TBN).
Suite Neighborhood is spanning 3 decks and features a 2-floor exclusive sundeck (with swimming pool and Jacuzzi) and two exclusive/suite-only restaurants - The Grove (casual restaurant serving popular Mediterranean dishes) and Coastal Kitchen (fleet's first on 2 levels).
(Deck 15/aft) The Hideaway Neighborhood is a beach club-themed pool deck with a suspended infinity pool (the first at sea), and a surrounding 2-deck terrace with outdoor Jacuzzies, a dedicated poolside bar (Hideaway Bar) and a variety of seating. Here is also the Windjammer Marketplace (complimentary Lido buffet restaurant)
(Deck 14/forward) AquaDome Neighborhood is fully covered by a glass dome (transparent roof with unobstructed 220-degree outside views via floor-ceiling/wall-to-wall windows). AquaDome features the largest-at-sea waterfall (transforming in the evenings into AquaTheater) which waters fall right from the ceiling. During the day, AquaDome serves as a relaxation complex with a serene ambiance and various food and beverage options (restaurants and bars). In the evening, AquaDome transforms into a "nightlife zone" housing RCI's signature entertainment venue AquaTheater (redesigned, smaller-sized and indoor/glass-covered on ICON ships) hosting high-diving aquatic and aerial acrobatic shows. The AquaTheater has a transforming deepwater swimming pool and is fitted with modern technologies including multi-media equipment (superior light-sound-smoke effects, 3D flying projections), stage lifts, 4x robotic arms. Note: OASIS liners' outdoor AquaTheater (positioned at the stern) is replaced on the ICON boats with a family-themed activity deck. AquaDome has two dining venues - Hooked Seafood (seafood restaurant) and TBN.
(aft on Deck 7) Surfside Neighborhood (fleet-first) is specifically designed for young families - adults and kids aged under six. Surfside houses family-type staterooms as well as a swimming pool (Water’s Edge/infinity pool), a carousel, Splashaway Bay (kids' aquapark with a slide), Baby Bay (waterpark for toddlers, with a splash pool), Adventure Ocean (children's clubs/indoor facilities for age-appropriate supervised activities), Social020 (teen-only complex), Challenger's Arcade (classic and new games), The Lemon Post (family bar), soft ice cream station (complimentary), Sugar Beach (candy shop, gourmet ice cream), plus three dining venues - Mini Bites (grab-and-go), Surfside Eatery (TBN) and TBN.
(aft on Deck 16) Thrill Island Neighborhood is adventure-themed and dedicated to outdoor activities. It houses Crown’s Edge (activity zone) and "Category 6" (aquapark, currently the largest at sea). The water park groups 6x slides - ranked the industry's tallest (Frightening Bolt/height 46 ft / 14 m), longest (Storm Chasers), and fastest (Storm Surge & Hurricane Hunter). The slides are named "Pressure Drop" (free-fall slide/incline 66-degrees), Storm Chasers (dual mat-racing slide) and "Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter" (suspended dual raft-racing slides/max capacity 4x riders per raft). Crown’s Edge zone (another fleet-first) combines a glass-bottomed skywalk (positioned off the superstructure's midship-portside), a ropes course, zip-line, bumper cars, water slides, and a thrill ride as in a surprising moment the skywalk's floor drops and guests start swinging 154 ft / 47 m above the sea.
Deck 20 is Category 6 Wtarpark's entry-level for the slides. The waterslides' min-height/max-weight requirements are as follows: Frightening Bolt and Pressure Drop (55-inches/265 lbs), Storm Chasers (42-inches/265 lbs), Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter (48-inches without parents, 55-inches with parents/595 lbs).
The midship-positioned Chill Island Neighborhood spans 3 decks (15-16-17) and houses 4x (of the ship's 7x) swimming pools and is served by the poolside bar "Swim & Tonic" (RCI's first shipboard swim-up bar/capacity 12 people). Chill Island has the largest on-a-cruise liner swimming pool (Royal Bay Pool), Cove Pool (infinity-edge), Sprinkles (complimentary ice cream bar), the Cloud 17 (adults-only retreat, with a Smoking Area), and is served by The Lime & Coconut Bar Lounge (with four locations, including the fleet-first frozen co*cktail bar) and Swim & Tonic.
Both adventure-themed top decks are served by the following dining venues - El Loco Fresh (grab-and-go Mexican food), Cantina Fresca (Mexican-themed bar), plus two (TBN) venues positioned below Sports Court (deck 16).
Besides the 22x lifts/elevators (positioned in the forward and aft atriums) and all staircases, an escalator interconnects decks 2-4-5.
The ship's Main Dining Room/MDR is on 3 levels (decks 3-4-5) and is traditionally positioned aft.
Absolute Zero (decks 4-5) is an Ice-Rink Arena and RCI fleet's largest ice-skating stadium (complimentary show lounge/theater). Daily, Absolute Zero is operated with 45-min sessions (max 50 guests per session) for ice-skating, ice games, hockey, demonstrations, adult scavenger hunts. In the evenings, there is a live RCI original production show (professional ice show). Absolute Zero is a complimentary venue (equipment is provided) and reservations are not required but tickets must be obtained in advance. Here is also played "Clash for the Crystal City" (laser tag game).
The 2-level wellness complex (decks 12-14) consists of Vitality Spa, Vitality Cafe (open for breakfast and lunch), and To Dry For (blow-dry bar for quick beauty fixes/hairstyling, with a beverage service). Vitality Spa groups ShipShape Spa, YSPA (teen spa), Beauty Salon, treatment rooms (for massages and treatments), Razul Room (mud treatments), Medispa (botox treatments), Jacuzzi Room, Thermal Suites (heated ceramic beds, saunas, steam rooms, rainforest showers).
The 2-level Fitness Center (decks 5-6) consists of Gymnasium (complimentary, with Life Fitness equipment for cardio/resistance training), Aerobics Studio (for classes), and private training rooms. The Gym has modern bodybuilding and training exercise equipment (free weights, weight machines, treadmills, steppers, ellipticals, stationary bikes, Kinesis wall). In the mornings/afternoons are scheduled health seminars and wellness presentations (free of charge/timeshare events).
The Music Hall (dance lounge/disco nightclub introduced on QUANTUM-class RCI boats) is a 2-level venue (decks 3-4) and provides live music entertainment (band performances daily and DJs in the evenings).
Signature RCI restaurants available on Icon OTS are also Wonderland, Chef's Table, and Johnny Rockets.
Itineraries
Icon Of The Seas itinerary program was officially revealed on October 20, 2022, and RCI opened Icon OTS' cruises for booking on Oct 24th (for loyalty program members) and Oct 25th (to the general public).
Icon OTS' Maiden Voyage departs from homeport Miami Florida on January 27, 2024.
The ship is currently scheduled to operate alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries (7-day roundtrips from Miami), all visiting CocoCay Bahamas. The voyages' call ports include Philipsburg (St. Maarten), Basseterre (St Kitts), Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas, US Virgin Islands), Coxen Hole (Isla Roatan, Honduras), Mexico's Cozumel and Costa Maya.
