The 250,800 gross tonne, nearly 1,200-foot-long, and whimsically striped carousel, along with seven swimming pools, groves of tropical greenery, and twisting waterslides in shades of pink, blue, orange, and green, top off Royal Caribbean's new Icon of the Seas, which resembles a multilayered birthday cake with frosting.
After sailing across the Atlantic from the shipyard in Turku, Finland, where it was built, the $2 billion ship arrived in the Port of Miami on January 10 with music blasting. It was met by a banner flag flypast and a flurry of fireboat salutes. Traffic on the causeway leading to Miami Beach, which runs parallel to the cruise ship canal, came to a stop due to the disturbance, according to CNN.
As the Icon of the Seas' "godfather," Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi was even present for the ship's initial fanfare on January 23, when the 20-deck vessel was christened.
With Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, which will debut in early 2022, trailing closely behind at 1,188 feet long and 235,600 gross tonnes, the ship is formally the largest cruise ship in the world.
Passengers may also anticipate some cutting-edge experiences at sea when Icon of the Seas embarks on her inaugural journey from Miami on January 27 for a fully booked, seven-night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean.
The ship boasts the largest swimming pool (40,000 gallons) and ice arena (Absolute Zero, where guests can skate or attend a performance) at sea, along with the first cantilevered infinity pool.
The first-ever at-sea rendition of “The Wizard of Oz,” complete with flying monkeys, and the largest orchestra at sea (16 pieces) are just two of the ensembles that about 50 musicians and comedians use to keep passengers entertained. Even Rover, the Chief Dog Officer, a resident golden retriever who is still a puppy, comes and goes on her own schedule with a committed handler.
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