First look at largest cruise ship in the world – with 7,600 passengers, swim up bars and the biggest water park at sea
THE world’s longest, largest cruise ship is nearing completion at Finland’s Meyer Turku shipyard – and Head of Travel Lisa Minot was there this week for an exclusive first look at the £1.2billion leviathan.
Royal Caribbean’s Icon Of The Seas is six years and more than a million hours in the making.
Over 3,000 shipyard workers are bringing the 20-deck liner to life, using 12,000km of onboard cables and enough wiring to wrap around the world TWICE.
The ship will set sail from Miami on year-round Caribbean voyages from January and will call at Perfect Day At CocoCay, the cruise line’s very own private island in the Bahamas.
Icon Of The Seas can hold 7,600 passengers and is billed as the ultimate family vacation, featuring eight unique neighbourhoods and more than 40 restaurants and bars.
Benjamin Bouldin, Royal Caribbean’s UK boss, said: “Icon Of The Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of Royal Caribbean’s innovation in providing the best experiences possible. I am beyond excited to welcome guests when we set sail next year.”
Lisa reveals what guests can expect when the ship is complete including a 55ft-high waterfall and other cruise firsts.
The Hideaway
WHILE the ship has acres of space dedicated to family fun, grown-ups will love the unique Hideaway with its chilled, beach club vibe.
The world’s first suspended infinity pool at sea features floating sun loungers and jaw-dropping ocean views from eight storeys up.
There are multi-level terraces filled with beds for sunbathing – or an afternoon snooze – multiple whirlpools and a dedicated bar with resident DJ for the ultimate sundowners.
Central Park
THIS returning Royal Caribbean favourite – a five-deck-high open-air park – has been given an upgrade with 50 per cent more flora and fauna than ever before.
Lining the lush pathways are a host of shops and restaurants including new champagne bar, Bubbles, and Lou’s Jazz ’n Blues.
Depending on the time of day, the walls of the live music venue can be removed to bring the inside out.
Plus, there are two high-end restaurant favourites: Chops Grille, for surf and turf, and Izumi.
Royal Promenade
FORK out for the best staterooms and you will stay in an exclusive neighbourhood.
Spanning four decks, there’s a multi-level sundeck with its own pool and the two-level Coastal Kitchen restaurant, overlooking the all-glass Aquadome.
For families, the ultimate stay is in the three-storey-high Townhouse.
It sleeps eight and comes with its own garden and a helter-skelter slide from the bedroom to the living area.
A week’s stay will cost you 75,000 dollars, though . . .
Suite Neigh’hood
THE buzzing heart of the ship is filled with bars and restaurants.
But The Pearl, the sphere-shaped steel structure spanning two decks, is an engineering marvel.
Weighing more than a Boeing 787 and standing taller than the Hollywood sign, it acts as a weight bearing device to physically support the ship and Central Park above it.
As you ascend its steps, the walls can move and change colour.
This neighbourhood also welcomes a new piano venue and the cruise line’s largest ice arena.
Surfside
DEDICATED to young families, parents will find plenty of places to relax with a cocktail while keeping an eye on their little ones.
The open-air thoroughfare has a giant beach-themed carousel, playground and arcade as well as lots of water fun at Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay.
The Adventure Ocean kids’ club is nearby plus you can find child-friendly food at Surfside Eatery and The Lemon Post, for sweet treats head to Sugar Beach, and Pier 7 serves up a kids-eat-free brunch menu.
Thrill lsland
SPANNING two decks, Thrill Island is home to the largest waterpark at sea, Category 6.
Among its six slides are Frightening Bolt, the tallest onboard drop-slide, and Pressure Drop, the first open freefall slide that can jettison riders over the ship’s edge in a clear bowl.
There is also Hurricane Hunter and Storm Surge, the first family raft slides at sea.
The vast area also features Crown’s Edge, a terrifying obstacle course that sees guests suspended 154ft above the ocean, and returning favourites like the Flowrider surf simulator and mini golf course.
Chill Island
THIS three-deck aquatic paradise has pools for every age and mood.
The Royal Bay Pool, the largest at sea, features 40,000 gallons of water, while Swim & Tonic is the line’s first swim-up bar.
And those looking for the perfect Instagram moment will love the infinity edge and ocean views at The Cove Pool.
The Royal team have upped the ante with colourful cabanas jutting out over the sea.
New spots to eat include El Loco Fresh and Catina Fresca, and guests can grab a frozen cocktail at Lime & Coconut.
AquaDome
THIS is the first freestanding geodesic dome on a ship.
The AquaDome – made of steel and 600 panels of glass and measuring 82ft high and 164ft wide – features a stunning 55ft-high waterfall that plunges on to a stage.
By day, guests can enjoy a bite to eat or drink in its many bars and restaurants including the popular Hooked Seafood.
But at night, it is a vibrant hotspot where guests can take in shows at the Aqua-Theatre, with its 60ft dive platforms, aerial artists and state-of-the-art technology.
Go green on poop deck
ICON is Royal Caribbean’s most green liner to date and its first ship to be powered by liquefied natural gas – the cleanest-burning marine fuel.
The ship can harness and repurpose excess heat from its engines and is the first to use MAPs technology to convert bio waste – the poop of its 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew – into energy.
Icon can also produce 93 per cent of its fresh water by reverse osmosis and desalination, and aims to reduce single-use plastics by 60 per cent.