When we speak of Royal Caribbean International’s (RCI) newest ship, Icon of the Seas, we must pose the question, “Does size really matter?”
Well, let’s look at the media frenzy surrounding the launch of the world’s largest cruise ship to date. The Icon is a social influencer’s dream assignment. Just open up Instagram or TikTok or any other platform and like it or not, currently you will be inundated with dazzling images, short videos, and endless drones capturing every inch of this massive creation. But there are critics who seriously think bigger is not better. Well, I was just invited to the naming ceremony and christening of the Icon and spent days exploring it while sailing from Miami to the Bahamas to RCI’s private island CocoCay.
The ship is bright, beautiful and jaw droppingly huge. The water park on the top deck is breaking records with 6 colorful water slides and 7 pools, including the world’s largest suspended infinity pool. Icon of the Seas is 1,198 feet in length, which is longer than 3.5 soccer fields. It’s 20 decks high and has a gross tonnage of 250,800. In comparison, the Titanic was a mere 46,329 tons. There’s a maximum guest capacity of 7,600 and a total crew of 2,350.I could go on endlessly with facts and numbers, but what I really needed to do was discover what it felt like to cruise on a ship of such dimensions.
Rear View of Icon of the Seas (Photo by Arthur Wooten)
My first concern was how were they going to coordinate getting all of us checked in and on the ship. From the beginning, the boarding experience was seamless and I think a lot of that has to do with RCI’s app. It’s very user friendly and alerts you to documents and verifications you need to provide prior to the trip. You then have the opportunity to pick a time to board the ship. Once you arrive at the cruise terminal, your photo is taken, you’re handed your sea pass identification card and you’re checked-in. Once on the ship you can book reservations for shows or meals in restaurants at the touch of a finger with the app. It’s also capable of answering any questions you may have about your journey.
Upon boarding, you immediately experience The Pearl. Icon’s designers wanted us to be able to see right through the Pearl and out through her floor to ceiling windows on the opposite side of the ship. It allows more daylight into the Promenade and the Pearl also serves as a structural element. The Pearl supports 3 decks so it’s an integral part of the stress support of the ship, as well as being a work of art. And when you walk up the marble staircase and through the Pearl to her café, you witness over 3,600 kinetic tiles shifting and shimmering. It’s an enormous feat of style and function.
The Pearl (Photo by Arthur Wooten)
Within Icon of the Seas you’ll find there are over 40 restaurants and bars, so the big challenge is deciding where to sip cocktails or dine. For lunch, I headed for the AquaDome Market where the options include: Crème de la Crepe, a crepe making stand, GNGR for Asian inspired dishes, Mac’s which offers several iterations of mac and cheese, and the Toast and Garden with great sandwiches. My fave, however was Feta, their Mediterranean option. A falafel salad with freshly made tzatziki sauce served with warm pita bread was perfectly delicious lunch option. Plus, it was never crowded.
In regard to my favorite watering holes, situated along the main promenade 1400 ended up being my go-to choice for libations. I also loved the Rye and Bean up in the AquaDome at the top front of the ship. Their espresso martinis are very popular. The bar is right to the side of the AquaTheatre and in front of that is a super chill area, the Overlook, where you can actually sit in elevated pods as you sip and gaze out at the sea.
Overlook (Photo RCI)
Often on these big cruise liners I prefer the main dining rooms for dinner. The Icon was no exception. The openness of the three-deck high restaurant felt airy and remarkably, even at full capacity. Their Surf and Turf main entrée was perfection. The medium rare filet mignons were tender juicy on the inside, with a beautiful sear on the outside. And the lobster tails were perfection: soft and buttery, they were pillows of decadence. True confessions: one evening, instead of ordering dessert, I ordered a second lobster tail.
One night on the ship I was treated to a specialty dinner at RCI’s signature steak house, Chops Grille, with three other media representatives. After cocktails and great conversation our waiter appeared to take our orders. I trusted his suggestion and decided upon their porterhouse. Again, size is the issue here. A porterhouse is a filet mignon and connected to it is the NY strip. No, not even I could finish all of it, even though it was mouthwateringly delicious.
Lobster at Chops Grille (Photo by Arthur Wooten)
Icon of the Seas is so new and fresh that traveling on her felt like when you’re driving a brand-new car. Being the first guests, there wasn’t an iota of wear and tear. My ocean view balcony state room was very stylish. With a slight tropical theme, the cabin was 205 sq feet with an open balcony of 50 sq feet. And being on the 14th deck, it commanded a breathtaking view of the sea. The Icon has 28 different accommodations to choose from including inside cabins that aren’t really your traditional inside cabin. Some of their balconies face inward and over several of the ship’s neighborhoods.
One of the main reasons for this press and media cruise was to witness the naming and christening of Icon of the Seas. The chosen Godfather for the event was soccer star Lionel (Leo) Messi. We were first treated to a show with the AquaDome performers. Suddenly, the floor transitioned into a deep pool as a 55-foot-tall waterfall started raining down onto the stage. An aerialist appeared from the heavens and descended into the pool. He seemed like he was under water for an eternity until he finally reemerged holding onto, not one, but two swimmers as they were hoisted way up into the air. Left and right swimmers started coming to the surface of the water. Some were executing intricate dance moves, while others had perfected their synchronized swimming and gymnastic maneuvers. During all of this, divers were doing full gainers and back dives with flips and twists off of extremely high platforms.
AquaDome (Photo RCI)
Once the show was completed the audience erupted into applause and magically the water disappeared and within seconds Mario Lopez walked out on stage as MC. He introduced Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International as well a Jason Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. Also on stage was the ship’s Captain Henrik Loy who has been with RCI for over 25 years. With pride and joy, the men congratulated all who made Icon of the Seas a reality. And most of those people, from cabin stewards to executives, to the top builders and designers were present.
Next was an unexpected performance by the Red Hot Chili Pipers, a Celtic rock band from Scotland comprised mostly bag pipers with a specialty drummer. Following a rousing applause, it was time to introduce Leo. He wished the ship safe travels and good fortune, and then an aerialist flew back down from the top of the theatre and handed Leo a soccer ball. With a countdown, he placed the ball on the giant release button which launched the champagne bottle that christened the hull of the ship. The celebrating continued long into the evening which included a gorgeous display of fireworks.
While sailing on the Icon of the Seas you will have a chance to experience and enjoy eight distinct and separate “neighborhoods,” each with their own style and vibe. For example: there is Central Park which has over 30,550 real plants. And along the walkway are restaurants, bars and park benches. One night, before dinner I grabbed a glass of champagne at Bubbles walk-up champagne bar. Each neighborhood is open and with it being a very mild night at sea it was glorious to sit there, looking up at the stars and feel the ocean breeze while sipping some bubbly.
Thrill Island, The Largest Waterpark At Sea (Photo RCI)
There’s also Thrill Island where you can test your nerves walking out onto the Crown’s Edge. Although I was secured to a life line you walk out onto these blocks that are like steps but it’s out over the ship at 154 feet above sea level. I confess, my knees were shaking. There’s also rock climbing, miniature golf and of course, RCI’s signature FlowRider surf simulator. I’m coordinated, but some of these guests, especially a grandmother and an 8-year-old girl were two of the best surfers I’ve witnessed in years.
Speaking of water, there’s a Category 6 Waterpark in Thrill Island. I dare you to experience their Frightening Bolt, the tallest drop slide at sea. Or maybe check out the Storm Chasers, the first mat-racing duo at sea, 425 feet long. To calm your nerves just walk next door to Chill Island where there are pools, bars and restaurants to quell the adrenaline rushing through your body.
Surfside Neighborhood (Photo RCI)
If you have children, hang out in the Surfside neighborhood which is especially designed for young families. In particular, Adventure Ocean is for kids 6 months to 12 years old, while Social020 is for teens 13-17. And you may even bump into Rover! Rover is RCI’s golden retriever puppy who lives on board and brightens up everybody’s day. She’s a star!
Speaking of kids, and adults who act as kids, cruise couldn’t be complete without a visit to A Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas. RCI owns the island and there are the typical amenities like kayaking, snorkeling, and zip lines as well as cabanas, several restaurants and bars, and water slides. But unlike other cruise lines, RCI has built a pier to handle her huge ships, so no need for time-consuming tender boats. Just walk off the ship and back on. And while I was exploring CocoCay there was an unexpected aerial show with a daredevil demonstration by a Red Bull stunt flyer. Daredevil doesn’t describe the stunts he/she pulled off…death defying yet exciting!
Icon of the Seas at A Perfect Day at CocoCay (Photo RCI)
When it comes to theatrical productions, there are many wonderful option onboard. One of my favorite took place at Absolute Zero, the indoor ice-skating rink at the back of the ship where I was thrilled to watch the production of Starbust: Elemental Beauty. It’s Nick Weir, senior vice-president of entertainment, who oversees all of the theatrical productions onboard and he outdid himself with this show. Boasting several Olympic ice skaters, it also starred America’s Got Talent juggling star, Viktor Kee. The storyline of the show was a bit obscure but the talent of the skaters plus the lights, music and costumes were really fantastic.
Another fun entertainment option is The Casino Royale. I’m not a gambler, but occasionally I’ll partake in throwing away a few dollars in a slot machine. I’m also old school, so I like the diamonds and the lucky sevens with the arms you can pull. So, I sauntered through the spacious and glittering room trying desperately to look like I knew what I was doing, looking for something familiar and after circling the casino once, I found a lucky sevens. Feeling a bit anxious about tossing money away, I took a deep breath and threw caution to the wind. I slipped a small bill into the machine and pressed the button. A hit…a small hit but a hit. I pressed again…a second hit, a little higher. I was playing the highest number of lines you can which means I had one more chance left…another hit. A bigger one. It dinged for a long time and while I was embarrassingly waiting for it to stop, a crowd appeared, including an attendant. The machine finally was silent. You could hear a pin drop as everyone was trying to figure out the amount. $1,500! Not bad.
So, back to the initial question: Does size really matter? Yes and no. I still love my smaller vessels. There’s something very comforting and warmly embracing about them. But when a company does super-large like RCI has, it also works. They’ve managed to create a floating city at sea, where there is the possibility of a guest feeling overwhelmed and overstimulated, and instead they’ve made it engaging, accessible, and beautiful.
