Icon of the Seas, biggest cruise ship ever, arrives in Florida for first sailings
The biggest cruise ship ever built is finally in position for its first sailings with paying passengers.
Royal Caribbean's massive, 20-deck-high Icon of the Seas arrived in Miami on Wednesday after undergoing regulatory inspections in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The long-awaited vessel, which is aimed at the family cruise market in a way we haven't seen before, will be based year-round at the port of Miami for seven-night sailings to the Caribbean. Fares for the voyages start at $1,707 per person, not including taxes and fees — an inordinately high price for a mass-market cruise ship that speaks to the strong demand for the vessel.
Icon of the Seas' first sailing with paying passengers — a seven-night voyage to the Eastern Caribbean — is scheduled for Jan. 27. But TPG will get an early glimpse at the ship Thursday at an event in Miami (stay tuned for our first photos from inside the vessel).
A multiperson team from TPG will also be reporting live from a three-night Icon of the Seas preview sailing for media and travel agents scheduled for Jan. 20.
Biggest cruise ship ever built
At 250,800 tons, Icon of the Seas is the first in a new series of ships at Royal Caribbean that will be bigger than anything seen before.
The giant vessel is, notably, more than 6% bigger than the current size leader among cruise ships, Royal Caribbean's 1-year-old Wonder of the Seas. It's able to hold up to 7,600 passengers — a new record for a passenger ship.
Add in 2,350 crew members, and Icon of the Seas could sail at times with nearly 10,000 people on board — also a new record.
Icon of the Seas was built over nearly three years at the sprawling Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland — one of the only shipyards in the world big enough to construct a vessel of Icon of the Seas' size.
Related: Peek inside Icon of the Seas under construction
Weekly sailings to the Caribbean
While the first sailing of Icon of the Seas with paying passengers is an Eastern Caribbean itinerary, the vessel will operate voyages to the Western Caribbean, too.
The ship will rotate among four different itineraries across the Eastern and Western Caribbean that visit such destinations as St. Thomas; St. Maarten (the Dutch side of the island of St. Martin); Roatan, Honduras; and Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.
Every sailing of Icon of the Seas also will include a stop at Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Cruising fans are particularly excited about the arrival of Icon of the Seas as it will mark the first time in 15 years that a cruise line has launched a new class of ship that will eclipse all others in size and amenities. The last time that happened was in 2009 when Royal Caribbean unveiled its much-ballyhooed Oasis Class of vessels.
Related: Royal Caribbean just took delivery of a ship that can hold 10,000 people
The Oasis Class included the previous size leader in the cruise world, Wonder of the Seas.
Icon of the Seas size and features
Icon of the Seas boasts 18 passenger decks — two more than Wonder of the Seas. There also are two crew-only decks at the bottom of the ship, giving it a total of 20 decks.
Icon of the Seas also is longer than Wonder of the Seas, by a tad. It measures 1,198 feet long — 10 feet longer than Wonder of the Seas.
Still, the ship's biggest difference may be in the number of passengers it holds. Its maximum capacity of 7,600 is about 7% higher than Wonder of the Seas' maximum capacity of 7,084 passengers.
The bigger passenger capacity is in part due to the ship's greater focus on family travelers. Icon of the Seas was built with a lot more cabins that have plenty of extra bunks to accommodate families with many children. It also has more amenities geared to families, including a new-for-the-line outdoor "neighborhood" called Surfside, dedicated to families with young children.
Related: TPG's ultimate guide to Icon of the Seas
Surfside, notably, features splash areas for babies and kids, pools and lounge spaces for parents, family-friendly eateries and shops, and a bar with "mommy and me" matching mocktails for kids and cocktails for grownups.
Icon of the Seas also features the largest water park ever built on a cruise ship, with a record six decktop waterslides. In addition, it'll have a record seven pools, including what Royal Caribbean is billing as the first suspended infinity pool at sea.
In all, the ship offers eight neighborhoods, as Royal Caribbean calls the distinct areas of its bigger ships themed around specific activities. Five of the neighborhoods are new to Icon: the Surfside area mentioned above; Thrill Island, which is home to the ship's waterslides; Chill Island, which encompasses the ship's pools complex; the AquaDome, a massive, glass-enclosed area at the top of the ship housing its AquaTheater; and The Hideaway, a pool retreat with a beach vibe.
Three neighborhoods — the plant-lined Central Park, the indoor Royal Promenade and the Suite Neighborhood — are returning from the line's last series of giant ships, the five-vessel Oasis Class.
The eight areas feature more than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges, including entertainment across four stages. There are 2,805 cabins on the ship spread across 28 types of accommodations.
Icon of the Seas is just the first of three sister ships Royal Caribbean has on order for delivery by 2026 that will make up its new Icon Class. The line also has one more Oasis Class ship, Utopia of the Seas, on order for delivery later this year.
The arrival of the Icon Class is one of the biggest stories in the cruise world in more than a decade — on a scale with the debut of the Oasis Class in 2009.
Royal Caribbean's first Oasis Class ship, Oasis of the Seas, began sailing in 2009. The line added additional Oasis Class vessels in 2010, 2016, 2018 and 2021, with each of the vessels being a little bigger than the last.
Ranging from 226,838 to 235,600 tons, the five Oasis Class ships are, in turn, more than 10% bigger than any other cruise vessels afloat.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.