The Icon of the Seas cruise ship, owned by Royal Caribbean, has been making waves since it embarked on its maiden voyage from Miami Port in January this year
The ‘Icon of the Seas’, the world’s largest cruise ship, set sail on its first journey from Miami Port in January. This colossal sea giant stretches nearly four city blocks, features 20 decks, and measures an impressive 1,200 feet from bow to stern.
Owned by Royal Caribbean, this floating marvel is kitted out with seven pools, an ice rink, a theatre, and more than 40 spots for dining and entertainment, and has the capacity to host up to 7,600 guests along with 2,350 crew members. Football legend Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates were present to give the vessel its official send-off as it embarked on a week-long tropical island-hopping escapade from South Florida at the year’s outset.
“Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of dreaming, innovating and living our mission to deliver the world’s best vacation experiences responsibly,” declared Jason Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. He further stated: “She is the ultimate multigenerational family vacation, forever changing the status quo in family travel and fulfilling vacation dreams for all ages on board,” reports the Daily Record.
As the ship made its grand departure, Royal Caribbean cruises experienced a spike in online interest. Since December, the company’s ambitious nine-month “Ultimate World Cruise” has been seizing – and sometimes perplexing – the imaginations of a loyal band of social media followers, as reported by the Mirror, according to the Express. Millions are living the voyage vicariously through the posts of passengers who are documenting their life at sea, where they will reside for nearly a full year. To some followers, this journey has all the hallmarks of a reality TV show.
The Icon of the Seas, first unveiled in October 2022, sparked the largest single booking day and highest volume booking week in Royal Caribbean’s 53-year history, according to the cruise line. The massive ship is divided into eight distinct neighbourhoods across its 20 decks. It boasts six waterslides, seven swimming pools, an ice skating rink, a theatre and over 40 restaurants, bars and lounges.
US Mirror reporter Dave Monk went on the ship where he revealed a new thrill-ride called Crown’s Edge which involves walking on a series of shapes, including crosses, before you wait for the platform below to give way and propel you into the void. He said it was even scarier than riding the tallest drop slide at sea, which he had done earlier in the day. Dave went on to explain there was even a production of The Wizard Of Oz – which was “as good as anything you’d see in the West End – including a puppet Toto and Dorothy flying in a bed above the audience during the cyclone.”
He said: “These were the highlights of just one day on a preview cruise on Icon of the Seas, which is so big it’s like a moving island rather than a cruise ship. With 2,350 crew, it can carry up to 7,600 passengers. Crammed into its 18 passenger decks are eight separate ‘neighbourhoods’, more than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges, plus seven pools.”
Despite spending three days on board the cruise ship, our reporter couldn’t sample all of the culinary delights – including a steakhouse, sushi bar, Italian cuisine, and seafood offerings – or visit every one of the many bars. Crew members aren’t forgotten either, with a dedicated ‘staff neighbourhood’ complete with a clubhouse featuring a coffee shop, a pub, a crew market selling items from their home countries, a gaming room, gym facilities, a karaoke room, and outdoor spaces designed for enjoying the views over a drink.
For guests, there’s an extensive array of entertainment options, offering over 40 ways to dine, drink, and have fun. The ship’s waterpark, named Category 6, boasts six record-breaking water slides, seven pools, and nine whirlpools. Among these is the ‘Pressure Drop’, which at a 66-degree angle claims the title of “the industry’s first open free-fall slide”; the towering 14-meter ‘Frightening Bolt’, set to be the tallest drop slide at sea; and Storm Surge, hailed as the first family raft slide at sea.
