Tickets for 2024 debut voyage of the world’s biggest cruise ship Icon of the Seas have
It’s the world’s biggest cruise ship and tickets are selling by the boatload.
Royal Caribbean has revealed that Icon of the Seas has been the fastest-selling ship in a maiden season in the cruise line’s history, with only limited spaces available for its debut Caribbean voyage in January 2024, which will depart from Miami.
And with CEO Michael Bayley telling investors this year that Icon of the Seas – which has a capacity for 7,600 guests – is the ‘best-selling product in the history of the business’, the mood at Royal Caribbean is undoubtedly buoyant.
Royal Caribbean’s floating city has been filmed out on the open water for the first time as she underwent sea trials ahead of her public launch.
Icon of the Seas sailed hundreds of miles on the open sea before returning to the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, where she’s currently under construction.
Royal Caribbean has revealed that Icon of the Seas has been the fastest-selling ship in a maiden season in the cruise line’s history
Incredible video footage shows the colossal vessel, which is 1,198ft (365m) long and weighs 250,800 gross tonnes, gliding through the water, dwarfing the tug boats deployed to help steer her.
The camera also spins around the multi-coloured slides on the upper deck of the vessel. They are among some of the standout features on board, which will also include the first suspended infinity pool at sea and a three-storey family suite.
A third scene offers a close-up of the ship’s livery, while other clips show workers testing the ship’s key technical areas.
Carrying out the sea trials involved more than 2,000 specialists, four 37 to 67-tonne tugboats and more than 350 hours of work, Royal Caribbean reveals.
It notes that during the trials, preliminary tests were carried out on everything from the main engines and the hull to the ship’s brake system, steering and noise levels.
However, it says that Icon of the Seas passed its first sea trials’ with flying colours’, with its second sea trial due to take place later this year.
Icon of the Seas is the world’s biggest cruise ship, taking the title from another Royal Caribbean vessel – Wonder of the Seas
Icon of the Seas has been filmed out on the open water for the first time as she underwent sea trials ahead of her January 2024 launch
The latest construction update for the ship is that the ‘crew neighbourhood’ is being built. A space spread over four decks, it’s designed to be a ‘home away from home’ for the 2,350 crew members on board.
Icon of the Seas is taking the title of the world’s biggest cruise ship from another Royal Caribbean vessel, Wonder of the Seas, which is slightly smaller at 1,187ft (362m) long and a weight of 236,857 gross tonnes.
The ship’s three-storey family suite comes complete with its own white picket fence and mailbox. Other room options for guests include the ‘Surfside Family Suite’, with alcoves for kids ‘tucked away from the adults’, ‘Sunset Corner Suites’ and ‘Panoramic Ocean View’ quarters.
Once they’re out of bed, guests will find so many water features they may have trouble distinguishing the boat from the ocean.
Incredible video footage spins around the multi-coloured slides on the upper deck of the vessel, which are among some of the standout features on board
For starters, Icon of the Seas will feature the largest waterpark at sea – called ‘Category 6’ – containing six ‘record-breaking’ slides: ‘Pressure Drop’ and its 66-degree incline – ‘the industry’s first open free-fall slide’; the 46ft- (14m) tall ‘Frightening Bolt’, the tallest drop slide at sea; ‘Storm Surge’ and ‘Hurricane Hunter’, the first family raft slides at sea – and ‘Storm Chasers’, which Royal Caribbean claims is ‘cruising’s first mat-racing duo’.
The waterpark will be on Thrill Island, which Royal Caribbean trumpets as a ‘lost island adventure where vacationers can test their limits and scale new heights’.
Icon of the Seas will also debut the line’s first swim-up bar at sea – called ‘Swim & Tonic’ – and ‘Royal Bay Pool’, the ‘largest pool at sea’. Both of these features will be on ‘Chill Island’.
The vessel will sail seven-night Caribbean voyages throughout 2024
Icon of the Seas passed its first sea trials ‘with flying colours’. Above is a rendering of the ‘Overlook Lounge’
Icon of the Seas will feature a multi-level room with its own slide, illustrated in this rendering
The suspended infinity pool, meanwhile, will be in an area called The Hideaway and surrounded by a multi-level sun terrace with whirlpools.
Once guests have dried off they’re sure to be lured to ‘AquaDome’, a ‘transformational place unlike any other’ that’s perched at the top of the ship.
Royal Caribbean describes it as a ‘tranquil oasis by day’, where guests can enjoy a bite or drink while soaking up wraparound ocean views and gazing at an ‘awe-inspiring waterfall’.
By night, we’re told, the venue becomes ‘a vibrant place that’s great for a night out, complete with restaurants, bars and aqua shows’.
The vessel will sail seven-night Caribbean voyages throughout 2024. And in 2025? Another Icon-class ship will be launching. Watch this space.
Royal Caribbean said: ‘Since we revealed Icon of the Seas in October 2022, we have seen an incredible reaction. This interest contributed to the single largest bookings day and highest volume booking week in Royal Caribbean’s 54-year history when we opened Icon for sale. The ship has continued to be one of the strongest preforming in our fleet with sailings across its maiden season sold out. In fact, we have seen the one-of-a-kind Ultimate Family Townhouse sold across all of 2023.
‘With a more than 50-year history in building incredible ships and delivering memorable vacations to millions of guests, we are excited to officially welcome it to the fleet in January 2024.’
Visit royalcaribbean.com for more information.