Destinations

Sneak preview of Icon of the Seas: Pictures of Royal Caribbean’s latest ship

Royal Caribbean’s much-awaited Icon of the Seas — the brand new titleholder of world’s largest cruise ship — arrived in Miami on Wednesday prematurely of its first sailings with paying passengers, and The Factors Man was one of many first media retailers allowed on board to see it. Though, contractors have been nonetheless placing the ending touches on a number of areas of the vessel, a lot of it’s prepared for company.

TPG was in a position to discover the ship’s 5 new neighborhoods — such because the younger family-focused Surfside and the glass-domed AquaDome — and check out a number of the new onboard eateries. We even bought to satisfy Rover, the ship’s resident Chief Canine Officer.

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We’ll provide you with a extra in-depth report as soon as the we board the ship in simply over every week for a three-night preview cruise. However right here, to whet your urge for food for essentially the most talked about ship of the 12 months, are pictures of the general public areas and some suites on Icon of the Seas.

Royal Promenade

The Pearl on Icon of the Seas. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The Royal Promenade stays the Essential Avenue of the ship, as it’s on earlier Royal Caribbean ship lessons. However on Icon, the house feels way more spacious, light-filled and ethereal due to partitions of glass home windows on either side of the ship and the removing of cabins overlooking the thoroughfare. The primary focus is The Pearl, a walk-through sphere that’s really the structural assist holding up the ship for the reason that glass partitions are situated the place most ships have a structural metal body.

Pearl Cafe. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The Pearl Café replaces Café Promenade because the all-day, all-night grab-n-go snack spot and low store. You will discover a larger high quality of snack right here than you is perhaps used to on different ships. We predict that is going to be a key hangout and assembly spot for company.

Pearl Cafe. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

We’re informed the whale sculpture above the seating space is sized to scale!

Sorrento’s Pizza. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Sorrento’s complimentary pizza makes a return on Icon of the Seas.

Giovanni’s. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Giovanni’s has moved from Central Park to the Royal Promenade. The impact is that the restaurant may have a extra bustling and energetic really feel than quiet date spot.

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Boleros. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Boleros returns for late-night Latin dance events.

ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Dueling Pianos is a brand new bar-with-entertainment venue on the Promenade.

Highlight Karaoke. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

You might be the star at Highlight Karaoke, a devoted venue for visitor leisure.

Schooner Bar. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

However don’t be concerned, the fan-favorite Schooner Bar continues to be right here, now with the brand new craft cocktail menu Royal Caribbean launched in 2023.

Level & Feather Pub. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The Level & Feather is Icon’s incarnation of the promenade pub. Its façade is open, fairly than closed off with indoor and outside seating just like the pubs on different ships.

1400 bar. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Royal Caribbean partnered with grasp mixologists to create lots of the drink menus on the ship. Yow will discover a few of their craft cocktail creations on the indoor-outdoor 1400 Foyer Bar.

Royal Promenade. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Royal Caribbean is thought for its enjoyable artwork, and we giggled at this statue of a canine marking his territory on a lamppost.

Icon of the Seas’ Rover. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

However the true hero of the ship is Rover, the Chief Canine Officer who might be a everlasting resident on Icon of the Seas. She’s right here for the enjoyable and to make the crew smile once they’re removed from house, however she’ll greet company, too, when she’s within the temper.

Essential eating room on Icon of the Seas. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The three-level most important eating room, with its beautiful chandelier, is situated aft of the Royal Promenade on decks 3,4 and 5. As a substitute of the everyday two set seating instances, Icon will provide company a selection of 5, in addition to versatile My Time Eating.

Additionally on the decrease decks are the On line casino Royale, Music Corridor evening membership and the principle theater.

Surfside

Surfside. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Surfside is the brand new family-focused neighborhood on Icon of the Seas. Its mascot seems to be a larger-than-life pink flamingo.

The world is meant to create a no-compromises household trip expertise the place mother and father can take pleasure in a resort-style pool, elevated informal eating and inventive cocktails concurrently their youngsters can splash in water-play areas, journey a carousel and discover climbing buildings.

Splashaway Bay. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Surfside is house to Splashaway Bay, discovered on the pool deck of different Royal Caribbean ships.

Eating places embrace the Surfside Eatery buffet, the place everybody can take pleasure in a straightforward meal, and Pier 7, an extra-fee (for those who’re over 12, that’s) California-style restaurant, which additionally serves breakfast all day.

Surfside Bites. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Seize-and-go child meals from Surfside Bites and an ice cream cone from Sprinkles.

The Lemon Put up serves matching cocktails and mocktails so everybody in your loved ones can quench their thirst.

Central Park

Central Park. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Central Park is as inexperienced and serene as on the Oasis Class ships, with just a few venue swaps.

Izumi. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Izumi Sushi and Teppanyaki is now situated right here, with a brand new Izumi to Go quick-service window.

Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues brings a bit extra power to the house with dwell music.
Enjoyable truth: Search for the highest of The Pearl peeking out between Lou’s and Izumi.

Empire Supper Membership. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The Empire Supper Membership is an intimate eating venue, starring an eight-course meal and dwell leisure.

AquaDome

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Icon of the Seas has a novel beluga-whale type silhouette due to the rounded glass dome on the high ahead part of the ship.

AquaDome’s AquaTheater. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The AquaDome is a neighborhood all its personal, centered round an enhanced AquaTheater with much more high-tech components than on the Oasis Class.

Circling the pool-theater are the Hooked Seafood Restaurant, Oasis Bling brand jewellery retailer (coming quickly: a Crown & Anchor throne simply begging for pictures) and the Rye and Bean espresso bar.

Our favourite space is The Overlook, bar with enjoyable lounge seating with views for miles out the wall of home windows that make up the dome.

Do not miss the AquaDome Market, a five-stand meals corridor serving candy and savory crepes, mac n cheese, Asian favorites, Mediterranean dishes and sandwiches.

Thrill Island

Thrill Island. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Class 6 is the most important water park ever discovered on a cruise ship, and it is situated within the aptly named Thrill Island neighborhood.

You will discover six water slides, together with a drop slide.

Additionally on this neighborhood is the Crown’s Edge ropes course that can take a look at the bounds of your braveness, the rock-climbing wall, FlowRider surf simulator and a ship- and plane-wreck themed mini-golf course.

If all that racing adrenaline leaves you hungry, seize consolation meals at Basecamp. The pretzels, sizzling canines and tater tots are free, however you will pay further for hen and waffle bites and Wisconsin-style cheese curds.

Or amp your power up even additional with a large sugar rush at Desserted, a milkshake bar serving towering ice cream drinks topped with cookies and brownies (with or with no shot of alcohol).

Chill Island

Chill Island. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The three-deck-high Chill Island is Icon’s model of a Lido or pool deck.

Deck 15 is swimming central with Royal Bay — the largest pool within the fleet — and the Cove Pool, nestled up towards the facet of the ship for sea views.

El Loco Contemporary. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

El Loco Contemporary serves up complimentary tacos and quesadillas, and the Lime and the Coconut (you will discover one on every of Chill Island’s decks) quenches your thirst with cool and refreshing cocktails. The Sprinkles soft-serve ice cream station is a returning staple.

Chill Island. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Colourful seating and play areas name to adults and children alike.

Swim & Tonic. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

You will discover Swim and Tonic, the primary swim-up bar on a cruise ship, on Deck 16. The Cloud 17 pool and sizzling tub are, in fact, on Deck 17.

The Hideaway

Scorching tubs. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Icon of the Seas’ iconic back-of-ship cantilevered pool might be reserved for adults 18+. It should have a seashore membership vibe with a DJ, sizzling tubs, bar and lounge house. (Sadly, crew members have been conducting water security coaching after I went to {photograph} the house.)

Professional tip: The Hideaway is on Deck 15 however you could entry it from above because it backs as much as the Windjammer buffet.

Suite neighborhood

Coastal Kitchen. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Royal Caribbean has been on a journey to create a cohesive suite space over the previous few new-builds, and the thought has lastly come collectively on Icon of the Seas. The multi-deck suite neighborhood on decks 16 by 19 creates a ship-within-a-ship expertise with the whole lot upscale vacationers will want.

Coastal Kitchen. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

Coastal Kitchen, the suites-only restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner is now two decks excessive with large home windows overlooking the AquaDome. Although the venue is the best guest-rated restaurant throughout the fleet, Royal Caribbean nonetheless selected to take the menu up yet one more notch. The dinner menu will now characteristic lobster in some kind each single day.

The Grove. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The Grove is the title for each the quick-service alfresco Mediterranean restaurant on Deck 18, but additionally the suite-exclusive solar deck on decks 18 and 19. It is the largest suite solar deck within the fleet and encompasses a bar, sizzling tub and pool.

Many of the cabins on board have been closed to guests however we did get to see three suites.

The Proprietor’s Suite is 658 sq. ft with a 190-square-foot balcony.

The Icon Loft Suite is a two-deck-high suite with a dwelling space beneath and a main bedroom upstairs.

The Royal Loft Suite is the fanciest suite on board (for those who do not depend the large however family-friendly Final City Home). It is bought two flooring, two bedrooms and a number of dwelling areas, and might sleep as much as six individuals.

Spa

To Dry For salon. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The Vitality Spa largely has the soothing, neutral-colored look widespread throughout the cruise business. Nonetheless, the To Dry For salon rocks a sassy vibe with pops of sizzling pink and graffiti-style wall artwork.

ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The thermal suite affords saunas, aromatherapy showers and heated loungers.

Two {couples} therapeutic massage rooms and a brand new Quartz mattress are simply a number of the facilities you will discover within the spa.

ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The spa additionally options the Vitality Cafe, smoothie and juice bar.

The health middle isn’t adjoining to the spa, however on Deck 6 previous the Royal Promenade.

Journey Ocean

Journey Ocean. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY

The children areas of the ship are conveniently situated near Surfside. Go down the steps towards the Royal Promenade however take an instantaneous U-turn. Journey Ocean is split into play areas for infants and tots, preschoolers and school-aged youngsters. There’s even a theater house.

Throughout from Journey Ocean are Playmakers Sports activities Bar and Arcade, teen membership Social020 and the Absolute Zero ice skating rink. Sadly, the ship was internet hosting non-public features in that space and so they have been inaccessible to guests.

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