I Was Among the First To Sail On The World’s Biggest Cruise Ship—And Here's What I Thought

Icon of the Seas has arrived in Miami and it’s the new talk of the town.

While most cruise lovers are scrambling to get their first glimpse of Icon of the Seas—Royal Caribbean’s newest ship and the largest in the world—I’ve been lucky enough to experience her twice.

I was first introduced to Icon in May 2023, when I was invited to Finland to visit the shipyard construction site where she was being built for a sneak peek at what to expect. She was only 70 percent complete at the time, and though I could certainly appreciate the massive size, it was hard to imagine what she would look like with paint, furniture, unexposed wires and pipes, and working elevators to effortlessly move about the 20 decks—not to mention, food, drinks, entertainment, and all of the other amenities that go along with a vacation at sea.

Fast forward eight months to January 2024, when I flew to Miami—Icon’s official home base—to attend the media preview sailing just a few days ahead of her inaugural cruise. There she was, in the Port of Miami, in all her glory: big, beautiful, and beckoning me and my father (not to mention about four thousand other journalists, influencers, and industry insiders) to step aboard.

Related: 12 Things You Should Always Bring On A Cruise Ship

First Impressions: Did it Feel Huge and Crowded?

With only three days to explore all 1,198 feet of this vessel—for context, that’s more than three times the length of a football field and 11 feet longer than the previous world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas—and 18 passenger decks, I had my work cut out for me.

Considering that most of my roughly 20 other cruises have been on smaller ships (some as small as a few hundred passengers), I expected to feel overwhelmed by this task. In reality, I was shocked at not only how quickly I learned to navigate the ship (by day two, I barely needed to rely on the well-placed deck plans posted in every elevator bank) but also by how well-planned it was.

This was largely due to the “Neighborhood” design Royal Caribbean uses, and Icon has eight of them—each a distinct area filled with food, drinks, and entertainment options. That means I was never in a situation where I had to walk around the whole ship just to find a snack or a fun place to hang out unless I was craving a very specific cuisine or vibe.

The other decision that made a huge difference in crowd control and flow, as compared to Royal Caribbean’s other ships, was the use of destination-style elevators. Instead of choosing the up or down button at an elevator bank, you use a panel to select which deck you want to visit and it funnels you to the appropriate elevator for an express ride. The system was intuitive and helped reduce both wait times and travel times, since you never had to stop on every floor along the way.

Upon my return home, everyone’s top question was, “Did the ship feel crowded? Were there just hoards of people everywhere?” To be fair, my sailing had about 1,500 fewer guests because it was a preview cruise, so I don’t know exactly how it would feel if it were at its full double occupancy of 5,610 guests (and max capacity is 7,600 passengers—with 2,350 crew, that would be 10,000 people on board!). There were a few spots that felt congested at times (like outside the theater prior to showtime or the long Starbucks line a few hours before disembarking on the last day), but overall I didn’t feel like a sheep being herded anywhere (which is more than I can say for other large-ship cruises).

Navigating the Neighborhoods

Those who have sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class of ships are already familiar with three of the eight Neighborhoods: Central Park (an open-air area covered in greenery), Royal Promenade (filled with fun shops, bars, and restaurants), and the Suite Neighborhood (four decks of luxury suites). But Icon offers five new ones, including:

• Thrill Island, for the adventure-seekers. This is where you’ll find the largest water park at sea and six water slides, a surf simulator, and a skywalk/ropes course attraction that ends with a heart-pounding 154-foot drop over the side of the ship.

• Chill Island, for the ultimate relaxation. My favorite area of the ship, I expertly divided my time here between the multiple restaurants, swim-up bar, four swimming pools, and Sprinkles ice cream joint. Cloud 17, the adults-only retreat, resides here too.

• The Hideaway, for a beach club vibe. Let your cares melt away at a beach club with views for days, the cruise industry’s first suspended infinity pool, whirlpools, and a bar.

• Surfside, for young families. While I didn’t spend a ton of time here, I can certainly see why parents and their kids would: they have attractions (like a carousel) and eateries that cater to both age groups.

• AquaDome, for next-level experiences. This space houses the AquaTheater, where you’ll watch acrobats and divers perform in the evenings, and enjoy a tranquil oasis with wraparound ocean views during the day.

Indulging in the Dining, Drink, and Nightlife Venues

The only time I felt overwhelmed on my sailing was when I tried to figure out how on earth to visit each of the 40 restaurants and bars—a tall order in only three days, and one that I failed. While I wasn’t able to hit them all, my favorites among what I visited included:

• AquaDome Market, the brand’s first food hall featuring a Mediterranean concept, a mac and cheese stall, an Asian stop, a sandwich and salad station, and a creperie. This is an especially great place to come with a group, as everyone’s cravings will be satisfied simultaneously.

• Bubbles, a walk-up champagne bar in Central Park; take a to-go glass and stroll through the lush landscape, day or night.

• The Lime & Coconut bar, a poolside spot with fruity cocktails perfect for relaxing on deck.

• El Loco Fresh & Cantina Fresca, a Mexican buffet of make-your-own tacos and all the fixings.

• Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues bar, where I spent one evening listening to live jazz while sipping clever cocktails.

• Giovanni’s Italian, which serves up family-style Tuscan-inspired flavors.

• Surfside Bites, where you can grab a fruit skewer, popcorn chicken or donut holes.

• Desserted is the place to hit when you’re craving gourmet milkshakes with or without a boozy infusion.

Finding Comfort in the State-of-the-Art Cabins

Icon has 28 different types of cabins, which means you’ll find an accommodation to fit any need—whether you’re traveling with kids and want them to have their own bunk beds and TV screens or are on your honeymoon and looking for a romantic Sunset Suite with floor-to-ceiling windows.

My dad and I stayed in a balcony cabin, and were impressed with the size and layout: It had a ton of storage options (including shelves, closets, drawers, and bins—there were so many that we even left some empty, which never happens), plenty of plugs and USB ports, great one-touch lighting options to suit various times of the day, a desk and a sofa.

The best part? The enormous glass-enclosed shower, the absolute biggest I’ve ever experienced on a cruise ship. On some ships, I avoid my cabin beyond sleeping and showering, as they feel cramped and dated—on this cruise, I literally wished I’d had more time to just chill in my room, but I was too busy exploring the ship.

Being Wowed by Next-Level Entertainment

Love Vegas-style shows? So do I, and Icon delivers. Aside from the aforementioned AquaTheater shows, there are also ice shows (on the largest rink at sea), a 16-piece orchestra (again, the largest at sea), karaoke, and live music at venues all around the ship—you’ll never run out options.

But hands-down the best production on board is the 90-minute Wizard of Oz show in the Royal Theatre. I oohed and ahhed along with the rest of the audience at the entire journey through Kansas, Muchkinland and Oz—the set and costumes were spectacular and clever, the talented puppeteer controlling Toto (created by Jim’s Henson’s team) was a total scene stealer, and the actors absolutely did the beloved characters justice.

Icon’s Itinerary: Eastern and Western Caribbean

Icon will exclusively sail seven-day, round-trip Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises. The Eastern Caribbean itineraries include St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Thomas, and St. Martin; the Western Caribbean itineraries include stops in Honduras and Mexico (Cozumel and Puerto Costa Maya). All itineraries include an entire day at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s exclusive island oasis northwest of Nassau in the Bahamas—think beach club meets water park.

How To Book Your Iconic Cruise Vacation

Icon of the Seas bookings are currently available through April 2026. Given all of the world-class amenities and activities on board this brand-new vessel, prices are noticeably higher than on Royal Caribbean’s other ships. The average price per person sits near $1,800 for an inside cabin on a seven-night cruise (a similar Eastern or Western Caribbean cruise aboard the Wonder of the Seas starts at about half that, at around $867 per person).

Final Thoughts

I’d never been on a brand-new ship before, so it was especially fun to see everything in perfect shape. Every detail was impeccable, every area flawless. I kept imagining that I was literally the first person to sleep in my cabin’s bed, the first person to lounge on this particular deck chair, and the first person to snap a picture at this Instagram-worthy spot.

Icon features so many firsts to wow guests, including the cruise line’s first swim-up bar at sea, the largest pool at sea, the largest waterpark at sea, the largest ice-skating arena in the fleet, and the largest orchestra at sea—just booking a cruise on this ship is like being a part of history in real-time. It’s hard to imagine how any cruise line will top this, but I’m sure they’ll try. 

Related: You Can Cruise From New Orleans To Spain Next Spring

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