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Its new show is "Starburst," which is themed around the elements (carbon, helium, etc.). Group, solo and pair skating numbers are combined with next-level juggling by a character dubbed "The Starman." "Wizard of Oz" employs the biggest-ever orchestra at sea (16 pieces), so it's no surprise that Icon of the Seas' second theater show highlights their talents. "Showband!" was not running on my sailing, but the line describes it as an immersive, sensory experience, employing state-of-the-art technology. You'll find souvenir and jewelry shops throughout the ships, but predominantly in Central Park and along the Royal Promenade.
Bars
Gary Shteyngart: Crying Myself to Sleep on the Icon of the Seas - The Atlantic
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Icon Of The Seas itinerary program was officially revealed on October 20, 2022, and RCI opened Icon OTS' cruises for booking on Oct 24th (for loyalty program members) and Oct 25th (to the general public). Royal Theater's grand productions (90-min evening shows) are titled "Effectors" (themed on superheroes), "Wizard of Oz" (musical) and "SHOWBAND! Live. Music. Now." (stage performances by 16 musicians/string, woodwind, brass, percussion). Icon OTS' venues hosting grand shows are three - Royal Theater, AquaDome, and Absolute Zero (Ice-Skating Arena).
What is (Free) Included in a Cruise on Icon of the Seas?
Thrill Island refers to the collection of tubes that clutter the ass of the ship and offer passengers six waterslides and a surfing simulation. There’s the Hideaway, an adult zone that plays music from a vomit-slathered, Brit-filled Alicante nightclub circa 1996 and proves a big favorite with groups of young Latin American customers. While we don’t know all of the final details about this iconic cruise ship, Royal Caribbean has revealed exciting details about Icon of the Seas’ cabins, neighborhoods, entertainment venues, dining, suites, pricing, and more.
Stays with views for days
Icon of the Seas does not have a Boardwalk, but it does offer its own version of that neighborhood's popular AquaTheater. The AquaTheater — which hosts acrobatic and diving shows in a high-tech stage/pool — has been moved from its outdoor, lower-deck, back-of-ship location on Oasis-class ships to an indoor, upper-deck, front-of-ship spot on Icon. — With more than 40 restaurants and bars, you'll never get bored with your dining options on a seven-night cruise. And when the sun goes down, your night lights up with possibilities. With over 15 buzzing spots and live music venues, every evening onboard overflows with ways to raise the bar on spirit-sipping and show-stopping. The Windjammer Marketplace is a win; the company has managed to create a buffet with excellent options (including those for people with allergies) and an efficient layout that moves people through effectively.
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The cocktails here are on point, and the vibe is on par with what you’ll find at legendary clubs in New York City and my own home city, Chicago. Everybody has their own idea of what makes a perfect vacation. For some, it’s being able to pack every day with new adventures and thrills. Some people prioritize relaxation and the ability to disconnect. As any seasoned traveler will tell you, finding a vacation that caters to all these different preferences can be tough — unless, of course, you happen to be cruising on the right ship. Since Icon of the Seas will be introducing new categories of cabins, views and new neighborhoods, there’s a lot of excitement about what guests will encounter.
Suite neighborhood
During the passenger-free voyages, company employees (crew and service staff) acted as guests, to test/adjust the onboard procedures. The last test cruise (Jan 20-23) was attended also by Royal Caribbean executives, VIP guests, travel agents and media representatives. The voyage ended with the naming ceremony (Jan 23rd, in PortMiami) led by the ship's godfather Lionel Messi. Liquefied natural gas was envisioned as the primary fuel for the ICON-class ships, which decreases CO2 (carbon dioxide) and completely eliminates soot particles, nitrogen oxide (NOX), and sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions. On Royal Caribbean's ICON ships was introduced fuel cell technology, which combined with hull air lubrication means the vessels are among the most fuel-efficient ever built. Each ICON-class ship has 23 galleys/kitchens (serving 27 dining venues) and 425 chefs.
So the cruise line rethought out the promenade space on Icon of the Seas, and came up with a winning design that's lighter and more inviting. High above Surfside, at the back of Deck 15, is The Hideaway — Royal Caribbean's take on an adults-only beach club. The main attraction here is the first suspended infinity pool at sea. It's flanked by tiered lounge space, hot tubs and a bar specializing in Champagne and Champagne-based cocktails.
On Deck 8, it lures adult cruisers to its bars and restaurants for a romantic date night or walk in its onboard park, featuring live trees and plants. New venues here include a grab-n-go window for Izumi's sushi, the intimate and upscale Empire Supper Club, jazz club Lou's Jazz 'n Blues and the walk-up Champagne venue, Bubbles. Instead, the cruise line wanted to create an epic family vacation experience that would rival not only other cruise ships, but the best resorts and destinations on land. To do that, the line would need to put a wide variety of delicious dining venues, appealing watering holes with modern cocktail menus, inviting hangouts and attractions and entertainment for all ages onto one ship. The Music Hall (dance lounge/disco nightclub introduced on QUANTUM-class RCI boats) is a 2-level venue (decks 3-4) and provides live music entertainment (band performances daily and DJs in the evenings). The 3-deck Suite Neighborhood houses all the top-tier staterooms.
The majority of Icon of the Seas' cabins are balcony rooms, ranging from 196 to 285 square feet in indoor space, with private verandas of 50 to 70 square feet. The ship introduces four new types of balcony cabins to the fleet. I loved the extra cabin space and the additional sitting area facing a window. However, we rarely opened the window because it messed with the entire room's climate control as heat (or, in my case, chilly breezes) flooded the cabin.
And because there are so many onboard activities, attractions and experiences to look forward to, here’s a useful guide to some of the ones I’ve shortlisted for my own Icon of the Seas escape. I'm most looking forward to the seven pools onboard, including the largest pool at sea and the largest swim-up bar. And that's barely scratching the surface of what the first-ever Icon Class ship has to offer.
My favorite amenities on Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas cruise ship - Business Insider
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But during my three days on Icon, I returned to the centrally located space more often than expected. I spent my time there perched at one of its in-water loungers, contently splashing my legs around the water, wondering if I actually hated cruises. The 7,600-guest Icon of the Seas has seven pools and nine hot tubs. As a kid-fearing adult, I loved the grown-ups-only suspended infinity pool. Of course, when you're on a Royal Caribbean ship, you can't help but embrace your inner child. And for me, that was plummeting down a few of the six high-intensity waterslides on board, despite unseasonably cold temperatures.
Speaking of vibes, if you're looking for a secluded place to drink (as in, not the swim-up pool bar), few will top the Overlook Pods, perched just behind the AquaDome. The mega-ship's food hall wasn't nearly as diverse or exciting as the one on Norwegian Prima. I enjoyed the thoughtful cocktails at 1400 Lobby Bar that paid homage to Royal Caribbean's history, as well as the tropical frozen drinks at the Lime and Coconut bar.
Sunset Suites and Sunset Corner Suites feature extra-large balconies and beds that face the ocean rather than a wall. I stayed in an Infinite Central Park View Balcony cabin, which has the same cabin design as the regular Infinite Balcony room but overlooks the interior neighborhood instead of the sea. As I said above, I adored the additional interior space, but didn't make much use of the window. In addition to climate control issues, when I opened the window in my room, the noise from around the ship flooded my cabin, and I'm not sure any conversations I had on my "balcony" would be private.
The Royal Promenade is a Royal Caribbean staple found on all Voyager, Freedom and Oasis Class ships. Icon of the Seas offers a two-deck version of this indoor mall-like space with multiple shopping, dining and drinking establishments. Going into the sailing, I knew a three-night stay wouldn't be nearly enough time to experience everything the ship had to offer, so I spent my days scurrying around trying to sample as many of its amenities as I could.
Though the ship is the line's largest, it's easy to get around, with lots of crowd control measures in place. You will, however, want to book quickly to obtain your preferred restaurant and show reservations. It might be difficult to be spontaneous and still get to see and eat everything you wish. T-shirts, shorts, athletic wear, casual sundresses and bathing suits are commonly worn on board and ashore. Royal Caribbean guests of legal drinking age can bring one bottle of wine or Champagne onto Icon of the Seas at boarding.
And as I leaned out over my balcony, I beheld a slight vista of the sea and surf that I thought I had been missing. The sea was frothy and infinite and blue-green beneath the span of a seagull’s wing. And though it had been trod hard by the world’s largest cruise ship, it remained.
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