Royal Caribbean gave travel advisors and journalists a tour of the
in-progress Icon of the Seas at the Meyer Turku shipyard on 12 August,
and enough is built to envision how the ship will live up to its billing
as the ultimate family vacation when Icon debuts in January.
A walk through the Surfside neighbourhood -- and a few of the suites
that tower over the neighbourhood -- left little doubt that as a resort
at sea, this ship will reach heights even higher than the massive ships
in Royal Caribbean's popular Oasis class.
At 250,800 gross tons, the Icon will be 6% bigger than the largest
Oasis-class ship (Wonder of the Seas), and every bit of it is needed to
accommodate the Thrill Island waterpark's six slides, a massive
resort-style pool and a swim-up bar cleverly called Swim & Tonic.
And that's just the pool deck.
For the pinnacle in size and luxury, there's the Ultimate Family
Townhouse, an accommodation that spans three decks and averages around
US$55,000 for a seven-night cruise.
A Family Infinite Balcony Suite on Icon of the Seas. The top half of the balcony window can open and close electronically. Photo Credit: Jerry Limone
Royal Caribbean showed off what has been completed in the townhouse
already, such as the frame of an in-suite slide and a bedroom with
wraparound balcony. When it's all done, there will be cinema space and
karaoke in this extravagant home away from home.
Royal Caribbean also gave a tour of the AquaDome neighbourhood, which
will be a place for dining, relaxation and entertainment. Royal
previewed the water-light-music shows that will wow guests at the
AquaTheater.
Adjacent to the theatre is the Overlook lounge -- similar to the
Two70 space on the Quantum-class ships with a massive mosaic of
floor-to-ceiling windows.
The Overlook lounge in the AquaDome neighbourhood on Icon of the Seas. Photo Credit: Jerry Limone
AquaDome will be a great spot for ocean views but certainly not the
only one. Royal Caribbean is striving to achieve the ability to see the
ocean from public spaces everywhere on Icon, from the Royal Promenade to
Central Park to the Surfside neighborhood.
Source: Travel Weekly