Icon of the Seas: New features onboard Royal Caribbean's next ship revealed

Speculation has been rife over details of a 46-foot tall sphere seen being loaded onto the ship at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. Known as the Pearl, guests will be able to walk up a staircase through the centre of the Pearl in the Royal Promenade, but Royal Caribbean declined to give further details on its features. 

Icon’s 2,805 staterooms are spread across 28 room categories, 14 of which are new, including the 78 Family Infinite Balcony extended staterooms, which are located in Surfside. The 285-square-foot rooms have a separate area for children at the rear, with bunkbeds and a secret den. 

There are seven pools, four of which are in the new three-deck Chill Island neighbourhood. They include the largest pool at sea, Royal Bay. The adults-only Cloud 17 area has the brand’s first swim-up bar, Swim & Tonic, a pool and whirlpool – one of nine across the ship. 

The Category 6 waterpark area is housed in the new Thrill Island neighbourhood, with six new waterslides. Pressure Drop is the industry’s first open free-fall slide; Frightening Bolt is the tallest drop slide at sea, where the floor drops out from beneath riders; Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter are the first family raft slides with four riders per raft; and Storm Chasers is cruising’s first mat-racing duo. 

Guests can head into the air to try the new Crown’s Edge aerial skywalk and ropes course, which involves traversing the ship’s huge logo. The brand’s Flowrider surf simulator, Sports Deck, Adrenaline Peak rock climbing and miniature golf are also in Thrill Island. 

AquaDome is another new neighbourhood, located at the top of the front of the ship with a fully-enclosed dome. Creating a distinctly different exterior profile to previous ships, it houses the AquaTheater, marking the first time the space has been inside. AquaTheater will have its largest-ever cast, with a new rain curtain. 

The beach-club inspired The Hideaway at the rear of the ship is home to the first suspended infinity pool at sea, where swimmers can relax 130 feet above the ocean, alongside a multi-level sun terrace. 

Three existing neighbourhoods include Royal Caribbean’s largest Suite Neighbourhood, which spans three decks and offers the new dining venue The Grove and an expanded two-storey Coastal Kitchen. Central Park features a five-storey living wall, while the Royal Promenade will house Absolute Zero, Royal Caribbean’s largest ice arena.

Details of the entertainment and food and beverage offering have yet to be announced, but Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International’s president and chief executive, said: “We’ve got some really fun, wacky stuff coming. One thing I cannot wait to talk about, it’s the best part of Icon, and you won’t believe it.”