First Look: Royal Caribbean’s New Icon of the Seas Cruise Ship

It’s Royal Caribbean’s next major ship: Icon of the Seas, slated for delivery in late 2023. 

And now the cruise giant has revealed the first look at the ship, the first in the line’s new Icon class. 

“With each new ship, we raise the bar in the travel industry while enhancing what our guests know and love,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “From the moment they step on board, every experience is specifically designed to give them the best vacation anywhere on land and at sea. With Icon of the Seas, we’ve taken this to a new level and made the ultimate family vacation.”  

The ship will include a number of “firsts” for the brand, including what Royal Caribbean calls the first open free-fall slide at sea, the tallest drop slide at sea and even family raft slides, with four riders per raft. 

There will be seven pools on board, including Royal’s first-ever swim-up bar; and the new Royal Bay Pool, the largest pool on any cruise ship. 

That’s part of eight overall “neighborhoods” on the ship, and 28 different room categories. 

Most notable, though, is that the ship will be the first-eve Royal Caribbean ship powered by liquefied natural gas. 

Icon will be sailing a mix of seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries out of PortMiami, all of which will visit the company’s Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas. 

“Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of delivering memorable experiences and our next bold commitment to those who love to vacation,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Now more than ever, families and friends are prioritizing experiences where they can bond and enjoy their own adventures. We set out to create a vacation that makes all that possible in one place for the thrill-seekers, the chill enthusiasts and everyone in between, without compromise. It’s this first-of-its-kind combination that makes Icon the future of family vacations, and that future is here.”

For more, visit Royal Caribbean.