Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas Cruise Ship REVIEW

Have you wondered about sailing on the largest cruise ship in the world? Our family was excited to set sail on this massive Royal Caribbean cruise shipe – icon of the seas cruise ship. I have so much to tell you about the food, entertainment, staterooms, service, tips and more. So keep reading to discover one of the best family vacation options!

Icon of the Seas Cruise Ship

What makes the icon of the seas cruise ship so special. Well besides that this Royal Caribbean cruise ship is the largest vessel in the world, it has a lot to offer it’s guests.  Our family of 8 just spent a week on this family cruise ship to get all the details, pictures, and handy tidbits so you can learn all about the Icon of the Seas to better decide if it is the right choice for your next family cruise vacation.

Are you debating between disney cruise or royal caribbean – read 17 ways Royal Caribbean comes out on top and ways Disney wins the disney cruise vs royal caribbean. Plus find lots more tips and tricks for you as you plan a family cruise!

Icon of the Seas Size

Let’s take a quick look at the stats of the largest cruise ship in the world!

• Size- This ship spans 1,198 feet in length, that is 3 football fields long! It will take you 15 minutes to walk from one end of the ship to the other.
• Capacity – This huge ship has a passenger capacity of over 7,600 people and a crew of around 2,350.  But don’t let those numbers scare you,  this floating city is designed to spread out the crowds. In our week on board not once did it feel crowded. (more on that below!)
• Decks – There are 20 decks to explore. Quickly find what you are looking for in the Royal Caribbean ap or by a map conveniently located by the elevator shafts on each floor.  There is a lot ot see and explore onboard.
• Staterooms – There are lots of options to choose from in the 2,800 staterooms including unique family suites, private balconies facing the park or ocean, inside staterooms, fabulous lofts with amazing views, and more!
• Largest water park at sea with six water slides, surf simulators, and multiple pools, including a stunning infinity pool offering breathtaking ocean views.
• Dining Options – Over 40 dining venues of both included and premium options conveniently located throughout the various onboard neighborhoods.

Icon of the Seas Style

Before I get into the nitty gritty of this massive ship, I wanted to take time to talk about the beauty, style, and how well laid out this vessel is. I was afraid I would be overwhelmed by the size and it would feel crowded. Boy was I wrong. The ship never felt crowded, never once. The ship is impressively laid out in neighborhoods that distribute the guests well; each neighborhood has bathrooms, free food, pay food, enteratinment, and more. Because all guests aren’t shoved to the same show or funnelvisions, people spread out.

There was always lounge chairs, even for our large group. There was always room in the pool, and there was always a table to eat meals and snacks. Oh, and there was always a restroom nearby with no wait. Seriously!

The design itself was so fun and refreshing. The ship had lots of color everywhere, but not obnoxiously so.

Instead of making all seating options the same there was a wide variety of places to hang out in – sun and shade – and types of chairs.

Icon of the Seas Swings

You can sit in a traditional lounger, half in the water, lay on a mat, grab a day bed, pick a comfy booth for 10, grab a swing, etc. We were so impressed.

The colors everywhere made the ship so cheery and upbeat.

Icon of the Seas Slides

There were also fun hidden surprises at many turns like a dry slide for kids to go from one level to the one below it.

Icon of the Seas Ping Pong

There were ping pong tables, pool tables, pickle ball, basketball, shuffle board, and other fun games throughout the ship – not all shoved in the same place.

Icon of the Seas Soccer at a Table

My kids especially liked the Subsoccer soccer game at the table where they used their feet, but didnt’ have to chase the ball.

Icon of the Seas Relaxing

One of my absolute favorite places to relax on my family cruise was the Aqua Dome. You go behind the theatre and are in the dome which is air conditioned, is bright and cheery, quiet, and has views for days!  Plus you can grab a yummy snack at the adjacent Aquadome Market or bar. There are so many choices of fun, creative, and comfy chairs! Plus there are these ice cream cone (or olympic torch) booths in the sky that allow your family and friends to chill out together. There are tables to set things on and even charging stations for your convenience!

Icon of the Seas Statues

Okay, one last thing before I move on to the main parts of the ship. Something that added a unique touch, flair, and fun I Spy type of concept were the statues sprinkled thorughout the cruise ship. My kids were always on the look out. From statues taking pictures up above to workers popping out of floor grates, high divers to peeing dogs, there are lots of fun sculputes to find!

Icon of the Seas Restaurants

Royal Caribbean is known to combine both free dining options as well as upgraded dining options. We were surprised and thrilled by how well the options were dispersed throughout the cruiseship. There were both free and for fee options in each “neighborhood” of the ship.  Speaking of neighborhoods, that is how Royal organizes and speaks about the areas of the ship.

Free Icon of the Seas Restaurants

If you are like our family, you are looking to get your money’s worth. You saved and paid a pretty penny to get on this ship and you probably don’t want to be shelling out extra money if you can help it. Here are the complimentary Icon ofthe Seas restaurants.

Icon of the Seas Main Dining Room

Let me start with the positive. The main dining room is beautiful and elegant. The staff is helpful, attentive, and efficient. What left us dissapointed is the food. We felt like the food served in the main dining room was the most dissapointing food on the entire ship. The choices were mediocre with many repeats from day-to-day. The presentation was lackluster at best. It was not the fine dining you expect of a cruise. Part way through our food we stopped coming to the dining room and opted to spend time enjoying the rest of the amazing food onboard with more flexibility and better flavor.

Icon of the Seas Windjammer Café

The warm welcome with the washy washy song, the well laid out stations where you can grab what you are looking for without waiting in a feeding trough, the wide variety of entrees (including filet mignon, carved meats, and seafood), plus the food carvings (cheese, vegetable, chocolate, and ice) all left us really impressed and incredibly delighted at every meal. The food here was so much better than the main dining room where you had to pay extra for filet mignon and there was no fancy presentations. Instead of mediocre bread service at the dining room, the buffet offered almost a dozen bread options including breadsticks, cheese bread, and more.

Aquadome Market

The Aqua Dome Market is our new favorite spot. Nestled by the beautiful aquadome with quiet, comfy, and plentiful seating you will find this gem. Grab food from one of the booths such as a homemade pitas and at Feta Mediterranean to Korean Beef with Broccoli, a sandwich like a Monte Cristo or gourmet Mac and Cheese, plus my personal favorites crepes made to order!

Restaurants Included for Suite Guests Only

The Coastel Kitchen and Grove are exclusively for suite guests. If that’s you (it wasn’t us) you can enjoy upscale selections in casual elegance at Coastal Kitchen. The Grove is also exclusively for suite guests and presents Mediterranean entrees and elevated dining you can enjoy inside or outside, enjoying the sun.

Park Café

Park Cafe is a delightful option if you are strolling through central park. Choose from ready-made deli items such as a healthy salad, yummy panini, and guest favorite prepared sandwiches. Don’t miss the signature “Kummelweck” which is a popular roast beef! They also have breakfast sandwiches not found elsewhere and parfaits for breakfast.

Basecamp

Base Camp offers mainly paid comfort food up by the mini golf and waterslides, but there are some complimentary snacks too. We enjoyed the soft pretzel bites with complementary cheese dipping.

Pearl Cafe

Pearl Cafe is located in the heart of the ship, the indoor main thorough fare – the Royal Promenade. You will apprecaite this eatery is open 24 hours a day, perfect for late snacks or a quick breakfast before an early morning excursion. They serve coffee, and a have a variety of included snacks, pastries, and grab-n-go sandwiches. You will also find pasta salads and fruit in a cup.

Sorrentos

Sorrento’s is a staple in Royal Caribbean ships and is a place to grab complimentary pizza. It may not look like much, but always hot and ready in the heart of the royal prominade, this thin crust pizza is delicious!

Surfside Eatery

Surfside Eatery is located in the neighborhood it is named after, by the kids water features and free carousel. This casual buffet offers kid staples with a twist. We enjoyed the beach ball banana muffins and straberry iced donuts for breakfast which were only available here!

Free Soft Serve Ice Cream

There are two locations for free soft serve ice cream on board – the surfside neighborhood by the carousel and deck 15 between the aqua dome and the main pool.

More Free Food

• Also in the Sufside neighborhood is the grill serving up complimentary burgers, fries, churros and more!
• El Loco Fresh is a delightful surprise offering  classics like burritos, chips & salsa, and tacos. Unfortuantely, it tended to have the most restrictive hours sometimes only opening from 12-7 which was a bummer, but the food was delicious!
• Room Service Room Service – For a fee you can get any meal (or snack) delivered to your stateroom, it is available 24/7

Icon of the seas specialty restaurants

If you are looking to try something new and are willing to pay extra, there are a lot of options to choose from.

• Chops Grille – If you are looking for the really good cuts of meat on Royal Caribbean, check out their signature American steakhouse.
• Hooked seafood -Dive into Hooked Seafood  for a casual taste of New England with fresh seafood and raw bar delights!
• Izumi Hibachi – Enjoy the an Asian-inspired dining experience featuring fresh sushi, tableside teppanyaki, and outdoor seating in Central Park!
• Empire Supper Club – Experience luxury dining in Central Park with an 8-course menu. Expect American cuisine and an unforgettable evening. This venue has seating for 42.
• Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen – Enjoy family-style Italian dining at Giovanni’s, featuring al fresco seating at Gio’s Terrazzo with stunning Boardwalk views.
• Pier 7 – Enjoy casual beachside dining where you can indulge in mango shrimp tostadas and surf ‘n’ turf tacos
• Playmakers sports bar and arcade -Indulging in relaxed eats in this location filled with games and screens to enjoy your favorite sports.
• Celebration Table – Become a VIP for dinner with this exclusive experience for 12 in AquaDome. You will enjoy a family-style meals from a prix fixe menu, signature cocktails, and customizable ambiance!
• Starbucks – get all your favorites from home right on the crusie ship. This is located in the main promenade on deck 5

Icon of the Seas Staterooms

There are rooms for every family size, style, and budget onboard this iconic ship! I love the more modern rooms with clever nooks and cranies for storage. The cheery yellow colors immediately brightened our mood. The only thing we didn’t care for were the metal baskets for storage as they kept making terrible scrapping noises when slid in and out of their shelf.

• Interior Staterooms are a good option for those on a budget. While they may be a little smaller, you will have all the necessities and plenty of common space to enjoy around the ship. I highly recommend hanging out in the many seating options in the Aqua Dome. You will probably spend little time in your room anyway.
• Ocean View Staterooms are a nice step up. You can see when it is day, enjoy the view of the ocean or what the port looks like. Personally, my favorite part is letting in natural light.
• Balcony Staterooms can be surprising affordable at times and allow you to book 1-6 guests in one room. There are balcony staterooms that face the central park, surfside, or ocean. Then you need to choose from Infinite Ocean View Balcony or the standard balcony stateroom.  You will either love or hate the new balcony staterooms. The perks are that you get the extra 50 square feet of balcony square footage to use in your room with 2 comfy chairs and table – bigger room! You control the infinite balcony blinds from the control panel by the window. You will also open and close the infinite balcony window on the same control panel. The blinds do a great job of keeping the cabin dark at night while sleeping. The downsides are that if the window is open, your entire rooms air conditioning shuts off until the window closes. Your room can get very stuffy, very quickly. The other downside is that it doesn’t feel like a balcony where you go out and feel the wind in your hair. It feels like an ocean view with a window that opens. Personally, I prefer the old fashion balcony rooms, but if you plan to be in your room a lot and think you’ll use the extra seating – then perhaps you will enjoy the infinet balcony.
• Family Balcony. We got upgraded to the family infinity balcony with kids bunk area and it was fabulous! The room felt huge because the couch never had to be turned down. The bunk area was super cute and the kids loved their own tv and cubbies to store things. I liked that they were so far away…. it made bedtime a breeze. The chalkboard was lots of fun to doodle on when the kids were bored – just ask your stateroom attendant for more chalk and an eraser.
• Suites – If you are looking for a larger room, to eat in the suite dining areas, or for a truly luxurious getaway – they have lots of different options for a wide range of budgets from . With spacious living areas, premium amenities, and stunning views, you can enjoy the height of comfort and style. Options include: Surfside Family Suite, Junior Suite, Ocean View Panoramic Suite (No Balcony), Sunset Corner Suite, Owner’s Suite, Icon Loft Suite, or the Royal Loft Suite.

Something my family always looks forward to are the towel animals. We learned that they only do towel animals every other day now, but when they saw the kids were dissapointed they did do one every day, but they were small, hand-held creations. Just so you set expectations for your kids.

Icon of the Seas Activities

As you can imagine, the largest cruise ship in the world has lots of fun things to do onboard! The many water slides, flow rider, rock climbing, and mini golf are all in the Thrill Island neighborhood up on deck 15.

Water Slides on Icon of the Seas

There are 6 water slides on the Iconic newest ship of Royal Caribbean’s fleet. All of them are free to enjoy. My hint is to head up early, go late, or enjoy on a port day for shorter lines. It is worth noting that they will weigh you to ride the water slides. The light will turn red or green. They do have a numer indicator that is small and hidden for only the emplyees to see if they needed to. Also good to know, they will not let you ride the raft rides alone, so you need to have at least one friend who keeps you in the weight requirements to ride.

• Hurricane Hunter is a fun raft ride where up to 4 people, weighing a combined total of under 595 pounds can enjoy a moderate thrill. You must be at least 48″ to ride.
• Storm Surge is the more thrilling raft slide where up to 3 people, weighing no more than 441 lb combined can enjoy this thrilling ride at sea. You must also be 48″ tall to ride.
• Storm Chasers Surgers is a fun mat racing duo that allows riders to slide side-by-side.
• Pressure Drop is an open free-fall slide which will make you fee weightless for a few seconds before you pluge.  To ride you must be at least 52″ tall and weigh less than 300 lb.
• Frightening Bolt is the most intense slide onboard; it currently holds the record for tallest slide at sea.
• Head to the surfside neighborhood for kiddie waterslides in the water park play and splash area! Maximum weight is 300 lbs. and minimum height is 42”.

Pools on Icon of the Seas

This ship features seven amazing pools – including the largest pool at sea —completely free! Whether you want to lounge by a different pool every day or soak up the sun at the largest pool at sea, there’s something for everyone.

• Royal Bay is the main pool located in the heart of ths hip on deck 15. This pool is the largest pool at sea, with over 40,000 gallons of water. You will be able to get in, sit half in a comfy chair, or sit pullside in a variety of lounging options.
• Swim & Tonic is the largest swim-up bar at sea.
• Cloud 17 is an adult only oasis up on deck 17 with view for miles and miles.
• The Cove Pool is another adult only escape that features fun islands in the middle of this inifine pool.
• Water’s Edge Pool is one of the best pools onboard for parents and kids. It’s located on Deck 7 adjacent to Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay,
• The Hideaway Pool is the only suspended infinity pool at sea.
• Private Pool for suite level guests in a star or sky level suite

Icon of the Seas Pools

There are also 9 whirlpools located throughout the ship!

Adrenaline Peak Rock Climbing Wall

Take the challenge and climb up the impressive 40 foot rock climbing wall that faces the ocean. This activity is included in your cruise fare, but is not open continuously so check your ap for hours for your age.

FlowRider Surf Simulator

The FlowRider is always an anticipated attraction on Royal Caribbean ships! Get a chance to surf with this thrilling surf simulation that is included in your cruisefare. If you prefer, you can sit in the stands and enjoy watching others master or fail miserably.

Lost Dunes Mini-Golf

Head to deck 15 to enjoy a complimentary minigolf game anytime you like! This super creative activity offers plenty of obstacles in the form of shipwrecks, plane crashes and fallen palm trees. The trick is to get here when the ship is relatively quiet or people (adults included) walk in and out of the course, over your game constantly.

Sports Court

There is always something to do at the sports court. Whether you want to play a pick up game of basketball, pickleball, or something else – there is always active fun to be had if you can brave the heat up on deck 15.

Splashaway Bay

If you have younger kids, you will want to head to Deck 7 and the Sufrside neighborhood. You’ll know you are there because you will be at the back of the boat with a beautiful view, large whimsical flaingo, and lots of happy kids playing! The kids waterpark on the Icon of the Seas has lots of colorful waterslides, water cannons, fountains, pools, tipping water buckets, and whirlpools for tots to tweens (and their parents). There is also a pool adjacent for both kid fun and water views. This area is for potty trained children only; they can not be wearing a diaper. jFor the slide there is a minimum height of 42″ and maximum weight of 300 pounds.

Surfside Neighborhood Fun for Kids

Head to deck 8 aft to slide down the red slide to enter into surfside!

This is the best place to hang with preschool and elementary age kids! This colorfully decorated area has a cute larger-than-life flamingo to welcome you to the fun. This area has lots of seating, 2 places to snag free food, plus lots of entertainment. There is a and candy store (for a fee).

Arcade

On the right you will find a very cleverly decorated arcade (not included) where you can play a variety of single or two player games. The prizes are handled by a machine. Personally we found the cost ofthe games to be incredibly expensive!

In the middle is a carousel that is free for kids and kids-at-heart to enjoy as much as they want for FREE!

Kids Playground

Let kids get the wiggles out in the clever dry Playscape playground filled with a variety of climbing items and hideouts to explore.

Beyond you will find the Splashaway Bay we mentioned above for some water fun. This area is also home to fun games like giant jenga, cruise team led events, band concerts from time-to-time, the free ice cream machine, quick grab-and-go burgers/fries/ churros,  and a complimentary buffet with kid favorites in mind.

Icon of the Seas Entertainment

While you can go explore and play on the ship at your own pace, there are also lots of scheduled entertainment to enjoy.  I want to make sure you know that Royal requires you to get FREE tickets to see any of their shows. This allows them to spread out the crowds, but if you forget and they are sold out you will need to go standby which means waiting in a line that only allows you to get seated 2 minutes before showtime if  there are seats left. For days you have reservations, make sure to arrive 30-45 minutes early to get your pick of seating choices – there are not only differences in the row, but in some venues the type of chair (bench without back, benchwith back, cushion, sofa, etc.).

Live Music

Throughout the day, but especially the evening, you will get a chance to enjoy something Royal does better than any other cruise line – live music! From string quartets to marching band, dueling pianos to singing your favorite songs, there are lots of opportunities to catch some delightful music.

There is even a moving pianist that you may even catch in the elevator! One of the shows to enjoy live music is Show Band where the ships orchestra gets to shine as they play some toe-tapping big band music that everyone will love.

Speaking of elevators, you will either love or hate the elevators on the Icon of the Seas. You enter the deck number on a keypad of where you want to go and the screen will give you a letter of what elevator you need to take. You and other guests will go to your assigned lift which will stop only at the floors entered, no changing your mind part way. It worked fairly well, but the system does not take into account size of groups. So at least 40% of the time the elevator arrived full and we had to wait for it to leave to try our luck again. Or sometimes all of us waiting for the same elevator were way to many and some of us waited just to not fit and wait again.

Game Shows

There are a variety of crew led activities, typically one-a-day. You will find classics like Love & Marriage (very well attended in the theatre), Battle of the Sexes, Majority Rules, Friendly Feud, Karaoke, adults-only ascavenger hunt — Crazy Quest, and more.

Aqua Dome

One of the most innovatives features of Royal Caribbeans entertainment is their AquaDome shows. On the Icon the show is indoor and they have ten the show to a whole new level. (Hint: this space is fantastic for relaxing during the day.) The Aqua Action show is a high energy, exciting, and loud show that combines music, lights, water spray, choroegraphy, sycronized swimming, high diving, and high-flying acrobatics for a phenomenal show you will love.

HINT: Get your reservations for early in the cruise and then go see it again standbye.  You will see it from a different view point (if you get in) from the side – we enjoyed it a lot.

Ice Skating Show

Enjoy not one, but two ice skating shows in the ice skating arena which is strangely tucked behind playmaker sports bar. The headliner is Starburst – Elemental Beauty which tells about elements in the periodic table through ice skating. We were impressed with the larger rink, projections with make the whole floor a changing backdrop for the various choreographed songs, and the stunning moves by the fabulous skaters. The show itself was a little odd for my taste – not one of our favorite Royal Caribbean ice skating shows – but it was fun to see once.

There is also a family ice skating show called Once Upon a Time that retells some classic fairy tales. The whole family loved this show with beautiful dances, whimsical costumes, and lovely backdrops / props.

Live Musicals

There are two musicals to see onboard. The Wizard of Oz was out of this world amazing. You will be dleighted with the live orchestra (largest at sea), fantastic vocal talents, over-the-top stage set, and the amazing show which will include dorothy flying over the entire theatre on her bed and in the arms of a flying monkey. I will never forget that moment looking up and seeing Dorothy and the flying monkey staring down into my sons eyes. It was amazing.

The second show is the “B show” and less attended, but still really good. It will play the last day or two onboard and tells a super hero story. The vocals are really good, the set is nice, the story line is pretty good. Our favorite part was the way the show used drones. A fleet of 25 or so drones flew over the audience’s head in formation several times in several different formats, once with a super hero. It was a really fun take on a super hero story. I wouldn’t move heaven and earth to go, but if you have time and enjoy live shows, this is a fun family show.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Escape Room

While there is suppose to be an escape room on the ship, it was not open for our voyage. We were super dissapointed by this.

Juggler

We really enjoyed the funny, high energy juggler!

Adult Comedy

We have always loved the Disney cruise ship adult comedy shows. They have more adult themes, but are still funny. We were so dissapointed and downright appaled at the show on the Icon. It was basically an excuse for a comedian to stand up their and curse at the audience. Anyone who went to leave was signaled out, laughed at, and made jokes at (which always included profanity). It wasn’t funny, just a comedian who got paid to shout curse words.  Be warned.

Icon of the Seas Kids Spaces

The kids club onboard is called Adventure Ocean. The spaces have been upgraded in this Royal cruise ship. From more screens mounted on walls and tables to a theatre room, there is lots of potential in this space. The hours are good as far as most cruise ships (not 8-midnight like Disney), but require you to pay attention to avoid $1/minute/child fee if you are late.

The programs seem to be more a guideline than a promise as many of the events we dropped our kids off for never happened. The other caveat is the huge line that forms for drop off/ pick up that can take you a good 20 minutes – so plan accordingly.

Walking Path on Icon of the Seas

There is one path to walk or jog on the Icon of the Seas. This outdoor walking  path is on deck 5 with 2.4 laps equal 1 mile. This area wasn’t very well designed in my opinion, although it was well labeled. First the lanes were narrow and when rounding corners you could easily run into others. Runners got frustrated and walkers felt like they were in the way. In addition, because of how they have the life boats affixed you really can’t see the ocean well from most of the deck. The whole point of taking a stroll onboard is to see the ocean.

Getting off the Ship

THe Icon of the Seas makes it a breeze to get on and off the ship at ports with excalators and a large security space designed to handle the 7600 passengers onboard!

Icon of the Seas Review

Overall I was very impressed with the Icon of the Seas.  The bold colors, unique design, fun “statues” and celverly layed out ship were not only innovative, but perfectly executed. Despite being sold out, the ship never felt crowded – not once. I was sure I’d be overwhelmed by the enormous ship, but it is so well layed out in neighborhoods that I had the lay of the ship down the first day and could easily get from one place to the next. There is always plenty of seating throughout the ship, lounge chairs for a group to sit together, and activities throughout the ship to keep families having fun on vacation. I also never waited to use a restroom, they were in just the right places, always clean, and always available.  The shows were amazing, truly out-of-this-world amazing. The free food choices, except for the main dining room, were readily available in every neighborhood and filled with flavor and variety.  The staterooms were well updated with bright colors and modern style.

What didn’t we like on the Icon? We were so terribly dissapointed in the food at the main dining room which is one ofthe draws of a cruise vacation. Getting tickets for shows was a little tedious, although I understand why they do it. The ship was so big I didn’t feel like I was on a boat at all, but rather a very large oceanside resort; I didn’t feel the motion at all and with the sheer size I had to work to see the ocean at all. The outdoor walking path around the promenade was shared with joggers and walkers so it was a little hectic at the turns, plus the low-hanging large life boats blocked the views almost entirely.

This ship certainly lives up to it’s name – it is ICONIC!

Learn about the largest cruise ship in the world – Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas in our thorough review: food, entertainment, staterooms, and tips for a fantastic family vacation!