Royal Caribbean’s new Icon of the Seas has recently come out and surpasses Wonder of the Seas as the largest cruise ship in the world. Royal Caribbean is a Norwegian cruise line under which Icon of the Seas sails. The ship’s construction began in June 2021 in Finland, a European country, and was completed in early to mid-2023. Additionally, the ship’s construction cost was 2 billion US dollars. Not to mention, Icon of the Seas sets sail from the Miami, Florida port, known to be one of the world’s largest passenger ports. The cruise ship typically sails for seven days. The ship travels to various destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico. One of the stops on this cruise is CocoCay, a Royal Carrbiean’s own island in The Bahamas.
Nearly 7,600 passengers can be onboard Icon of the Seas at once, and about 2,000 staff. That’s almost a staggering 10,000 individuals on a single ship. The ship has 20 decks; compared to Wonder of the Seas, it has two more decks. In addition to having more decks than Wonder of the Seas, the new Icon of the Seas has many more food and entertainment options. This gigantic vessel holds more than 40 restaurants, including Surfside Bites, with numerous options for young children onboard to eat, and Pearl Cafe, which offers typical cafe food and drink options.
Moreover, entertainment options include live music, Broadway shows, and ice skating shows. In terms of waterslides on board, there are six waterslides and seven swimming pools. On the waterpark on the ship, there is a 55-foot-tall waterfall. When talking about how fast the Icon of the Seas goes, 22 knots. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “The term “knot,” in reference to currents, is defined as one nautical mile per hour and is used to measure speed.” The average cruise ship goes about 20 knots, so the Icon of the Seas is above the average.
On Icon of the Seas, guests can purchase about 27 different types of rooms. In total, there are an estimated 2,805 cabins on the ship. Guests onboard can choose from rooms in suites, balconies, ocean views, and inside rooms. The most expensive room onboard, the Ultimate Family Townhouse, costs 100,000$ per WEEK. The least costly room onboard costs about 2,000$ per week. Suite members onboard get access to their lounge, a specialty restaurant, a sun deck, and many more perks.
I interviewed Inessa Khizantsyan, a 7th grader from Team Tambo. I asked Inessa if she would ever go on the Icon of the Seas if she knew that the ship went to places she had been to before or would enjoy. She responded, “Yeah, I would go on it even if it’s going to go to places I have been to before.” The second question I asked them was whether or not they had ever been on a Royal Caribbean ship. She has. The last question I asked her was whether or not she thinks Icon will outperform other Royal Caribbean ships. She believes that “Yes, it absolutely will.” In summary, Icon of the Seas has lots to offer for guests onboard and has the potential to become one of the most enjoyable cruise ships in the world.