Our Honest Icon of the Seas Review – What its REALLY Like on the World’s Largest Cruise Ship!

We are back from one of the first cruises on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. We have sailed on all of the largest cruise ships from the major cruise lines and find out how Icon of the Seas compares with this Icon of the Seas cruise review.

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ROYAL CARIBBEAN ICON OF THE SEAS REVIEW
0:00 Introduction
1:15 Layout and Design
3:22 The Pool Deck
6:38 The Sports Deck
9:50 Casual Dining
14:32 Bars and Lounges
18:55 Nightlife
21:30 Signature Entertainment
24:30 Onboard Activities
27:15 Main Dining Room
30:10 Specialty Restaurants
34:10 Staterooms
37:33 Service

ICON OF THE SEAS REVIEW
In our Icon of the Seas review, we rank this new ship in terms of dining, onboard activities, nightlife, entertainment, and more.
The first thing that surprised us about Icon of the Seas was the layout. Most travelers worry that mega-ships will be too busy and crowded. Luckily, the layout and enhanced neighborhood design dispersed the crowds well.
While most mega-ships have several pools, the 7 pools on Icon of the Seas all had a unique vibe and ambiance. Our favorite was the adults-only Hideaway Pool on deck 15 aft.
Essentially, Royal Caribbean took the typical outdoor area and broke it up into 4 unique neighborhoods. This includes Thrill Island. Along with staple amenities, like a Sports Court and Flowrider, this new neighborhood is home to Category 6, the largest water park at Sea. Yes, for this Icon of the Seas review, I tested out all the slides.

ICON OF THE SEAS RESTAURANTS AND BARS
Icon of the Seas boasts 40 ways to eat and drink. Among our favorite additions is the AquaDome market. This food hall at sea includes 5 different stalls, with one being better than the next. The 24-hour Pearl Café is home to an upgraded menu of sandwiches, desserts, pastries, and grab-and-go options, making it leaps and bounds better than other cafes in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

There are also fan favorites like the Park Café and El Loco Fresh, now open later in the evening.
It wouldn’t be a Royal Caribbean cruise without three-course elegant dinners in the main dining room. Cruisers can also eat as much as they want for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the Windjammer Marketplace.

While there were several new complimentary dining venues, Icon of the Seas has only a few new specialty restaurant offerings. We dined at Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, and Izumi Sushi for this cruise review of Icon of the Seas. We also pulled up a chair to try brunch and dinner at the new Pier 7. We tried Izumi in the park, the Trellis Bar, and dessert.

Even though we didn’t have a drink package, we could still make our way to the close to 20 bars on the ship. Among our new favorites were the Rye and Bean, which served espresso-based cocktails, the Hideaway Bar, and the Lemon Post.

Like most Royal Caribbean mega-ships, the entertainment on Icon of the Seas did not disappoint. Make sure to reserve seats ahead of time for all of the shows. These include the Wizard of Oz in the main theater and the Aqua Action diving show in the new Aqua Theater in the Aqua Dome.

There was plenty to do day and night on Icon of the Seas. A variety of music occurred in several venues. The new hotspot on the ship was the Dueling Pianos bar.

While Royal Caribbean enhanced several aspects of the ship, we were surprised that the staterooms received little of an upgrade. These rooms seemed rather bland when compared to the rest of the ship.

Overall, Icon of the Seas was another massive success for Royal Caribbean making it one of the hottest ships to sail on in 2024!

READ OUR COMPLETE ICON OF THE SEAS REVIEW BACK ON THE BLOG

We Just Returned from the First Cruise on Icon of the Seas, the Largest Cruise Ship in the World

——TRENDING VIDEOS FROM EAT SLEEP CRUISE——
The 15 Things Cruise Lines Need to Stop Doing in 2024: https://youtu.be/cNSsqH7NwLg
We Tested the 9 Newest Cruise Ships: https://youtu.be/XdoagV5JtMw
31 Cruise Embarkation Day Mistakes: https://youtu.be/6MHk9_3YbmM
Expert Princess Cruises Tips: https://youtu.be/L74OfxUlX-w

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#IconoftheSeas #RoyalCaribbean #Cruise

We’ve sailed on the largest cruise ships in  the world from all the major cruise lines so   a common question we keep getting is how  does the new icon of the Seas compared to   these other ships so we put together this  video to see how the world’s new largest  

Cruise ship compares to the competition  in terms of dining entertainment nightlife   and more with this icon of the Seas  Cruise review so let’s Dive [Music] In welcome board Cruisers I’m Don B from eat sleep  Cruise where we help you see the world one port  

At a time now Heidi and I have been on over 75  cruises and we’ve sailed on the largest cruise   ships in the world for all the major cruise lines  so not just the mega ships in Royal Caribbean   Fleet but the larger ships from Cruise Lines such  as Norwegian Cruise Line Princess Cruises Carnival  

Cruises Celebrity Cruises well you get the idea  and in this video we comp compare the brand new   icon of the Seas to see how that ship Stacks up  to the competition and when we first stepped on  

Board icon of the Seas we quickly realized that  this ship was not just an enhancement of the Oasis   class ships The Vessel does share several layout  features found on the previous record-breaking   class of ships from Royal Caribbean yet icon of  the Seas has a unique personality all her own and  

In this review we’ll let you know where icon of  the Seas shine and where we think the cruise line   dropped the ball we were on the inaugural Cruise  which had about 5,500 passengers which basically   put the ship at Double occupancy and of course  with mega ships the one thing individuals worry  

About is crowding that’s one big knock we have on  the Prima class noran Cruise Line’s newest class   of Mega ships as the venues are just too small  for the amount of passengers on that particular   ship and we had similar concerns that icon of the  Seas might actually have the same crowding issues  

As that other class of ship of course there are  bound to be busy areas on any cruise ship but   icon of the SE disperse the crowds even better  than we imagined of course that might differ   when there are another 1,500 passengers on board  CU a ship can actually hold somewhere over 7,200  

Passengers when all the upper births are filled we  suspect there will not be a significant issue like   other cruise ships from competitor Brands another  Improvement icon of the Seas has over other Mega   ships is the enhanced neighborhood concept with  these areas designed to be inhabitable all day  

And this really eases some of the pain points  you might expect on a cruise ship with so many   passengers of course Royal cre is the first one  to introduce neighborhoods on the Oasis class and   there are some other cruise lines that have tried  a similar approach having zones on their Mega  

Ships but icon of the Sea’s neighborhoods provide  even more amenities including options for food and   drinks allowing Cruisers to spend an entire day  in one of the distinct areas of the ship without   having to leave for any any reason given each  of these neighborhoods does have a very distinct  

Aiiiance and Vibe so Cruisers can gravitate  towards whatever neighborhood fits their mood   on any given day now for us we love to explore the  ship so we were all over the place almost every   single day now speaking of those neighborhoods  the one neighborhood to get an extensive upgrade  

Is the pool deck this new cruise ship bow seven  pools all with their own unique Vibe and design   these seven pools are scattered around the ship  but many of them are found on decks 15 16 and  

17 comprising what you would typically think of  as a pool deck on an oasis class fessel the most   popular pool in our sailing at least for adults  was The Hideaway on Deck 15 the Hideway is one of  

The eight neighborhoods on icon of the Seas with  the entrance from thrill Island on Deck 16 this   AF pool area features the first suspended infinity  pool at se even though the pool didn’t officially   open most days until either 9 or 10:00 a.m. many  of the sunloungers on the Terrace Sund deck were  

Claimed by early morning like any cruise ship the  AP is the most desirable location so spending a   day at Sea with a drink from the Hideway bar  with some wake views well that makes for a   pretty relaxing SE day four additional pools open  to all Cruisers are located in the center of the  

Ship in the chill Island neighborhood the cloud  17 pool is on Deck 17 and it’s located for on   the starboard side and offers plenty of padded  loungers and a small infinity pool the deck 16   swim and tonic was another popular spot and it’s  Royal Caribbean’s first swim up bar at Sea and it  

Does have a specialty menu still we were able to  grab drinks one afternoon without much hassle here   Cruisers can relax in the pool or one of the in  pool loungers which actually this ship has a ton  

Of there’s also the secluded Cove pool on Deck 15  for those seeking a little shade once again this   infinity pool is surrounded by numerous seating  options in the shade along with some bright and   funky Furniture lining the port side of this deck  other pools include the record-breaking Royal Bay  

Pool given its large footprint two whirlpools and  several pool loungers this popular pool never felt   overwhelmed with Cruisers guess staying in a suite  have access to a private pool in the Grove on Deck   18 Ford families with little kids will have the  Surfside neighborhood on Deck s all to themselves  

After on this deck is the Splash Away Bay which  is designed for kids 6 years or younger it’s a   popular water feature on many Royal Caribbean  cruise ships and honestly this Splashway Bay   looked exactly like the Splashway Bays you find  on the ois class or the freedom class of ships for  

The adults in the Surfside neighborhood there’s  the waterers edge pool which is right behind the   splash pad this pool offers amazing ause for you  to enjoy while you’re little ones enjoy their own   water playground finding a spot one of these pools  was never an issue on our saling in fact we were  

Really surprised at how many loungers were still  available by noon time on a se de so overall the   pool deck on icon of the Seas function better than  almost any mega ship we’ve ever sailed on like  

Many aspects of icon of the Seas Royal Caribbean  took its typical Sports deck to new heights the   newly themed thrill Island includes many Staples  found on other ships in the fleet along with some   first at Sea of course there’s your typical Sports  Court suspended above deck 16 this unique design  

Opens up the after the ship enabling more public  venues and improving passenger flop below the core   on the port side is the Lost Dunes mini golf this  intricately them themed mini golf is complimentary  

And was open most of the day we gave the course a  test match and had a fun afternoon putting around   but we don’t have to mention who won adrenaline  Peak is the rock climbing wall on the ship it’s in  

A different location from The Oasis class actually  the design and layout of this rock climbing wall   reminded us more of the quantum class of ships of  course it wouldn’t be a royal caran Cruise Ship   Without A Flow Rider tucked away on the starboard  side the this surf simulator faces inward towards  

The ship on most vessels in the fleet the Flow  Rider actually is outward facing towards the   ocean though the highlights of thrill Island  are the two new attractions the Crown’s Edge   is Royal kin’s attempt at a ropes course on one  of the ships this upcharge activity is set to a  

Theme where adventurers need to escape from thrill  Island the big draw is when the floor drops from   beneath you and you zipline over the edge of the  ship while it’s fun other Crews on designs offer   more intricate courses with more exhilarating  experiences in our opinion for free such as the  

Ropes course on Norwegian Escape or even honestly  the ropes course on some Carnival Cruise Line   ships lastly the Crown Jewel of the sports deck  is the category 6 Water Park of course I had to   test out all the slides for this icon of the Seas  video review with the cruise line positioning icon  

As the best of every vacation the complimentary  water park is certainly a direct competitor to   theme parks on land with five unique attractions  these slides are undoubtedly the best at Sea they   have plenty of rideability but for those who don’t  want to bother with the water slides thankfully  

Category 6 is separate from the pools so Cruisers  wanting a more relaxing pool day don’t have to   worry about this attraction unlike other ships  where the water slides are usually right next to   the other pools on the deck during our cruise  the war slides had small lines but the cruise  

Line claims that it can process 1,500 passengers  in about an hour so you shouldn’t be waiting all   day even during summer vacation to experience the  best water park at Sea if you’re looking for the   biggest thrill I suggest you head straight for  the frightening Bolt the tallest drop slide at  

Se Royal kbin boasts that there are over 40 ways  to eat and drink on icon of the Seas of course   we we made sure to try all the restaurants during  our sailing and if you’re looking for a detailed  

Look at all the dining check out our video right  here on YouTube where we eat and drink everything   on icon of the Seas but we can just give you a  little taste of what that video is like in this  

Review along with the new Concepts there are many  returning favorites when it comes to Casual eats   Lal fresh still serves up TexMex nachos burritos  and tacos on the pool deck till around 8:00 p.m.   likewise Park Cafe in Central Park still features  breakfast sandwiches a bagel bar salad bar and  

Thankfully for me the Royal Kimi sandwich this  casual restaurant has a new upscale look and feel   with comfy seating making it more like a trendy  Cafe than a cruise ship quick service restaurant   what’s new is the Park Cafe now offers toas in  the evenings like mini meatballs and meat and  

Cheese plates icon of the seats upgraded it’s 20  24hour dining spot to the new Pearl Cafe finally   Royal Kuan has significantly improved its menu at  the onboard coffee shop the new steak and cheese   breakfast sandwich and the barbecue chicken  biscuit were vast improvements over the small  

Bites typically found at the cafe promon on other  Royal Caribbean ships and while we like this menu   far better than other Royal cine ships we would  still probably say that the international cafe   on princess Cruz’s Royal class of ships is the  best 24-hour cafe across the major Cruise Lines  

Taking a nod from Virgin voyages the Pearl Cafe  also features new grab and go items so you don’t   have to wait in line to get something from the  pastry case or one of the warm sandwiches you  

Can grab a pre-made salad fruit cup or sandwiches  and just head out for the day the Pearl Cafe still   serves Starbuck Coffee which is included in the  Royal crey drink package or the Cafe Select Coffee   Card the licensed Starbucks location which is  actually down one deck in the royal promade  

On Deck five is not included in the drink package  not to mention the overall Vibe of PE Cafe is just   much different than the cafe promad you find  on other ships the area is open with Florida   ceiling ocean views comfy seating options and  plenty of outlets so Cruisers can relax or do a  

Little work while enjoying some coffee and snacks  throughout the day another new dining venue is the   base camp on Dex 16 some of the quick bites here  at this thrill Island location are complimentary   like pretzel bites tater tots or a hot dog but  the menu also has upcharge items like the waffle  

Chicken nuggets for $7 and a shrimp bow bun for $8  while we did sample those during the 3-day preview   Cruise we’re not really sure if they’re worth  the upcharge but our favorite addition to the   ding lineup on icon the Seas is the Aquadome  Market there are five unique stations that  

Are open most of the day starting usually around  from 10:30 a.m. serving a variety of casual Fair   of course we tested all the small bites here for  this icon of the Seas cruise ship review and they   were all great we appreciate the perfectly sized  portions and fresh food quality it was tough to  

Pick our favorite but I was fond of the Euro at  feta Mediterranean the ginger beef from Ginger   and the strawberry Nutella crepes and Heidi liked  the chicken from Ginger and the mac and cheese as   well in the Surf Side neighborhood there are two  more casual complimentary dining options the Surf  

Side eery is a family forward Buffet open for  breakfast lunch and dinner there’s a dedicated   kids menu and some options for the adults some  of the fan favorites include items like lasagna   bites and taquitos however of all the dining in  the ship we would say this was our least favorite  

But you can’t go wrong with a popcorn chicken or  a pizza toasty at the nearby Surf Side bites this   takeout window also has Burgers hot dogs and  the irresistible cinnamon churros this venue   is open most days until 6:00 p.m. and with a menu  like that you might think you’re dining at one of  

The Florida theme parks here’s a pro tip grab some  soft sered ice cream for the nearby sprinkles and   top it with a couple cheros trust us of course  it wouldn’t be a Royal Caribbean ship without   the Wier Marketplace the staple Royal Kuan Buffet  offers breakfast lunch and dinner every day of the  

Cruise finally it wouldn’t be a royal crean Ship  Without sarentos serving up slices of pizza into   their early morning hours and while I’m not really  a big fan of sento’s pizza I did think the sento’s  

Pizza here was on par with the sentos pizza you  get on any other Royal Caribbean ship so it’s   not any better but it’s not any worse good thing  is they were never ever really long lines Royal  

Cribbon has also elevated its beverage program  along with all of the new dining icon in the Seas   has nearly 20 bars including 10 new establishments  of course we made sure to pop into each venue to   try at least one signature cocktail thankfully R  didn’t change the drink prices on icon the Seas  

So most specialy cocktails are covered in the  rooll Caribbean Deluxe drink package the 1400   Lobby Bar is the new hip watering hole right on  the Royal promot this trendy and modern space   serves up cocktails themed after the different  Royal Caribbean ships with the 1400 in honor of  

The icon class this bar is the perfect addition  to the completely redesigned two-story Royal   prominant chill island has four lime and coconut  bars including the brand new Frozen bar featuring   poolside favorites like a Miami Vice of course  the three other locations still shake up favorites  

Like the signature lime and coconut drink the  first swim up bar in the Royal Caribbean Fleet the   swimming tonic is a very popular pool bar serving  cocktails like the iconic Jin tonic and the lemon   cello tonic the new Hideaway neighborhood has an  upscale outdoor bar too the Hideway bar boast Lux  

Outdoor furniture and a signature drink menu  with new favorites like the oh my God and the   bay at the beach margaritas and mezcals are on the  menu at Cantina fresa on chill Island conveniently   found near eloo fresh this bar first debuted on  wonder of the Seas and it’s a welcome addition  

To the bar and lounge lineup here on icon of the  Seas Cruisers can also get some liquid coverage   from the rum base specialy cocktails at the base  camp bar in thrill Island further the new aquad   doome neighborhood is home to a few new bars too  these include the Overlook Bar with the signature  

Overlook Spritz the new Rye in bean coffee bar  serves up espresso infused cocktails and other   coffee drinks the espresso matinis here are a  must especially as a pre-show drink while some   Royal Caribbean ships do have jazz clubs lose  Jazz and Blues on Deck 8 in Central Park is an  

Entirely reimagined space with a sultry smooth  Vibe and Specialty cocktails like a hurricane   and Jazzy SZ it’s a relaxing departure from other  bars on the ship Cruisers also have the option of   enjoying enjoying the music inside the venue or  outdoors in the park or they can enjoy the scenic  

Surroundings of Central Park from bubbles the  new Champagne Bar takeout window there’s also   the spruce up trellis bar this venue offers the  standard beverage menu as well as a top as menu   that’s available for an upcharge the family can  grab a drink at the lemon POS on Deck 7 together  

All the drinks here feature flavor lemonade with  a wide selection of adult concoctions like the   shade thrower along with zero proof offerings for  the little ones inside the loyal Royal Cruisers   will find a typical lineup bars and lounges though  some are in new locations the scoa bar overlooks  

The two-story promon on Deck six starboard side  recently Royal crean updated this classic bars   menu luckily Heidi’s favorite lavender daquiri  is still available along with the new toasted   marshmallow oldfashioned to go along with the  nightly live piano music likewise boleros remains  

On the Royal prominade but it’s now now found on  Deck six across from the scoter bar the blers menu   has received a minor update as well the point and  feather is a newly updated English pub this venue   features a variety of als’s and loggers some  new cocktails and the same great live music  

Venues like Spotlight karaoke the Music Hall and  even the new dueling posos all feature the same   musically inspired menu however each one has a  signature cocktail to enjoy during the nightly   performances overall we liked the variety of  venues and drink menus while some bars were  

More popular than others this was primarily due to  the live entertainment in those particular venues   but even when the venues were busy we never waited  too long to get a drink from the bar or one of the  

Roaming servers along with distinct cocktails many  of icon of the Sea’s venues are home to live music   and performances in the evenings bolos features  Latin dance music and alternates between a Duo   or a band Phoenix rocked out the music hall with  classic rock tribute shows this venue was also  

Home to a DJ and some parties and other activities  later in the evening on select nights Kevin philli   was the pub acoustic performer with a Scottish  accent and lineup of typical hits and single   alongs this was a Rowdy good time most nights the  Pub’s new open design incorporates more promad  

Eating without interfering with the passenger flow  in this of and busy area brand new to the cruise   line is a dueling Pian bar while Royal kman spent  only a few minutes thinking about what to call   this venue they obviously did their homework this  Lounge quickly became the most popular nighttime  

Spot the venue is open to the promade so those  without seats can still peek in and enjoy the show   Cruisers will want to arrive early to get a seat  so they can sing along with Tim and Sarah during  

One of their several sets throughout the cruise if  you’re a night owl you’ll probably have a better   shot at getting a seat during one of the 11:00  p.m. or midnight shows but the weight is worth   it as both performers kept the crowd cring all  night despite the addition of duing pianos the  

Scab bar is still home to classic piano music  and DC offered relatively standard Renditions   each evening while new we were surprised that  the jazz club was never all that busy even though   it had some great cocktails and live band music  out in Central Park there were often live music  

In the evenings as well with either strings  or an acoustic guitar these soothing Tunes   provide a lovely backdrop as Cruisers enjoyed  the surroundings with a drink and good company   the attic has been newly relocated to the second  floor of the royal prominade and featured comedy  

Shows on most nights of the cruise while Royal  Caribbean typically has two comedians this special   sailing featured three including the fan favorite  and one of our personal favorites Simeon kules   reservations can be made pre- Cruise or once on  board however we actually went standby later in  

The cruise and had no issues getting to one of the  shows of course A Royal Caribbean cruise wouldn’t   be complete without parties and parades along with  embarcation day midnight balloon drop there’s also   the ships aoy parade as well as a family-friendly  and adult oriented hush silent party among other  

Events for us Royal Caribbean offers the best  entertainment in in the cruise industry the cruise   line has pushed the envelope offering Broadway  Productions and unique entertainment stages while   not deing any new venues on icon of the Seas Royal  Gan has enhanced several of its one-of-the-kind  

Entertainment spaces the most significant change  to the icon of the Seas is relocating the aqua   theater to the top of the ship on Deck 15 forward  in the new aquad dome neighborhood while we were   skeptical of this change after experiencing the  ship we think it better utilizes the space plus  

There’s no longer a need to cancel shows due to  rain for now there is one featured production   Aqua action this intense diving and aqua Show  attempts to replicate an action movie utilizing   state-of-the-art pools lifts and robots a second  show pirates vers mermaids will debut at a later  

Date during our sailing Aqua action was only a  little over half done still it featured amazing   performances by high divers synchronized swimmers  dancers and aerial artists the digitally enhanced   Dome added a layer of Storytelling and immersion  into this fast-paced meticulously choreographed  

Show it certainly cannot be missed likewise The  Studio B ice rank found on several rollerman ships   has been transformed into the new absolute zero  it does take a little searching to find this venue   all the way out on Deck six Cruisers must walk  through a retail shop and then playmaker sports  

Bar an arcade to find the entrance to absolute  zero absolute zero is now the largest ice rink at   Sea and features a new circular design with better  sight lines this venue is home to two signature   shows Starburst Elemental Beauty brings the  basic elements of the universe to life through an  

Intricate mix of ice dancing skating and special  effects there’s also a familyfriendly Once Upon   a Time the king’s royal ball which will happen  on one C day of your cruise in the main theater   there is The Wizard of Oz this Broadway adaptation  of the classic story perfectly fits this family  

Focused cruise ship the state-of-the-art theater  brings all aspects of the original to life from a   tornado whipping through the theater to flying  monkeys and strolls down the yellow brick road   this is one of the best full-scale Productions  at Sea the the cruise line is still preparing for  

Its second the to show showband thus during our  cruise there were a variety of headliner acts many   of these entertainers will be familiar to regular  Royal Cruisers like Mosaic overall we thoroughly   enjoyed all the entertainment and recommend  Cruisers Reserve available live entertainment  

Pre cruise we believe these spectacles will  Amaze you even if you’re not a show person   it’s not a surprise that the largest Cru ship in  the world offers a variety of activities most of   what you can find on the cruise Compass the  ship’s daily list of activities is typical of  

Any Cruise Line there were a variety of trivia  and competitions throughout the day from general   trivia to sports trivia music geography movies  these sessions happen each day of the cruise   various additions of games like Name That Tune  or finish that lyric game show occur throughout  

The week as well themes range from one hit hit  wonders to ’90s hits country and everything in   between many of these competitions were family  focused and often occurred in dueling posos or   the spotlight karaoke across the various venues  there were other activities and staff light events  

And absolute zero there were sessions of open  skating all Cruisers need is socks and long pants   and the cruise line provides the rest there’s also  laser tag usually on C days the rise of Poseidon   an inflatable course is the biggest weav ever  see organized scavenger hunts riddle challenges  

And puzzles also made up the list of regular  activities throughout the week of course there’s   also the seaside Carousel and an arcade found in  the Surfside neighborhood and while the carousel   is free of course those arcade games will cost you  money on the outdoor decks along with open Play  

There were volleyball competitions basketball free  throw challenges pickle ball table tennis and Bago   among other sports events yes there were also pool  deck favorites including the sexy legs competition   and the belly flop contest occurring in the Royal  Bay pool Heidi and I love game shows on cruises  

But while several were offered they were usually  at off times for instance the very popular Love   and Marriage game show occurred at 3 p.m. on a  C Day others including Family Feud and majority   rules were game shows we could not catch due to  Showtime conflicts we did attend the Liars club  

And the always a good time crazy Quest trying  to get everything done in one week is nearly   impossible so much going on around the ship so  we often missed many of these game shows or other  

Activities in lie of other events but if you’re  looking just relax there are plenty of areas to do   so as well perhaps the most beautiful SP icon of  the Seas is the new Overlook All the Way Forward  

On Deck 15 this POS space features 220° views and  plenty of comfy furniture including the first of   their kind Pods at Sea is a great place to chill  with a book or a drink anytime of day or dare I  

Say a great place to check your email and if you  have to do a little work the main dining room is   one area Royal Caribbean didn’t change much on  icon of the seats the three-story main dining  

Room is on decks 3 through five aft from layout to  decor and menu the dining room felt like any Royal   Caribbean men mega ship the dining room featured  daily breakfast and lunch on two of the C days a  

Relatively new offering in the main dining room  is a C Day brunch on the first C day which for   our cruise was day two the menu Isn’t just a mix  of lunch and breakfast it offers unique dishes  

That Cruisers can enjoy from 8:30 a.m. to noon  for dinner the main dining room did offer the   new themed menus since our last Royal Caribbean  cruise these menus have been slightly tweaked for   instance the cheese plate is back on the menu we  ate at the MDR a total of three evenings during  

The first FAL night there was a special menu  which was a slightly altered version of the   taste of France menu we also died at the MDR on  The Taste of Italy and the Bon vage nights overall  

Food quality is what we have come to expect from  the Royal Caribbean main dining room my New York   strip was cooked medium rare and well seasoned it  was actually one of the best stakes in any main  

Dining room likewise I enjoyed the braz Lamb on  the final night and Heidi always enjoys the turkey   dinner which is also on the last night of the  cruise the food was always delivered well plated   and at the appropriate temperatures even though  we had my time dining we did get the same weight  

Staff on those three evenings and the service from  our waitress Lena was on point as well we were in   and out of dinner in about 75 minutes each evening  enjoying all three courses however there’s one new   restriction the cruise line still allows guests  to order multiple starters Entre and desserts but  

Servers can only deliver one dish at a time so  when I wanted the mushroom RTO Entre alongside   my steak I couldn’t have them on the table at the  same time and this just seemed kind of silly to me  

Honestly pre Cruise options for traditional dining  were 5:30 p.m. or 80000 p.m. simp since neither   of those times worked for us we selected my time  dining and then made reservations for most nights   at the same time 6:45 p.m. during our cruise the  main dining room seemed relatively empty perhaps  

With all the new complimentary venues open later  more passengers decided to skip the MDR we’re a   prime example as Heidi’s adamant that we always  go to the main dining room yet on this trip we   actually had two casual dinners as there was just  so much to try now never mind all the specialty  

Restaurants across the two cruises on icon of the  Seas we spent 10 nights on board and dined at four   specialty restaurants while several new dining  Concepts exist for complimentary venues there   are only a couple new specialty restaurants among  the new specialty dining venues we tried was Pier  

7 located on Deck s in the Surfside neighborhood  this casual specialty restaurant serves brunch   on C days and dinner every night we tried brunch  and dinner and the latter was our clear favorite   at night some standouts were the lettuce wraps  Korean fried chicken and the Buddha bowl also the  

Caramel waffle was a delectable ending to the meal  this art venue is priced from $16 to $18 per dish   the dinner menu Was A Step Above included dining  however the breakfast items like the pancakes and   eggs your way look like something you would get  get on other cruise lines for free plus Cruisers  

On The Limited Dining Plan only receive a $20  credit when choosing to eat at this restaurant   though one positive note is that kids under 12  eat free off the menu during the 3-day preview   cruise we dined at chops Grill the signature  Steak House located in Central Park did not  

Disappoint my crab cake was crispy with a moist  Center for an entree I opted for the new iconic   Huts the wagu fle was tender and cooked to the  ideal medium rare temperature though these Cuts   do come at an upch charge in addition to the  standard cover charge at Shops Grill then on  

The first evening of the inaugural cruise we dined  with some friends at giovan’s Italian Kitchen this   venue is now found on the second level of the  royal promade on icon of the Seas with some   extra people we didn’t feel bashful ordering  several appetizers the pizza hair is always a  

Safe betat with a thin handcrafted crust and just  a right comb combination of toppings it is Leaps   and Bounds better than sento’s pizza for starters  the stroli and the meatball were also favorites   at our table for Entre Heidi with the chicken  parmesan and I did the awesome boo which were  

Similar to our previous dining experiences at this  venue then it was on to dessert the Go bananas is   a dessert Str buoi combining Nutella and bananas  there was also the canoli which was filled with a   sweet regata reminiscent of similar offerings in  Boston North End finally for specialty dining we  

Dined with a friend at a Zumi Sushi towards the  end of our weeklong cruise we are fans of Asian   Cuisine and the mix of small and large plates  that we shared here were on point the fried  

Rice dumplings and udon noodles served up the Pan  Asian flavors we’ve come to expect from this Royal   Caribbean staple specialty restaurant I also  tried the spicy crispy tuna roll but it wasn’t   one of my favorite Sushi offerings next time I  would probably go with something different other  

Specialty restaurants on icon the Seas include  playmaker sports bar the Empire Supper Club aumi   Habachi and hooked Seafood the Empire Supper Club  features an elevated menu paired with cocktails   and live music to set menu so we opted not to  dine here given Heidi has a picky pallet not to  

Mention there were a few snack locations with  upcharge items as well and of course we wanted   to test them out for you too besides besides  base camp which we already mentioned there’s   a zomi in the park and the deserted milkshake  bar of the two we preferred isumi in the park  

The takeout window serves Sushi and some delicious  bubble cones which were way better desserts than   the milkshakes at deserted now it is true the  milkshakes at deserted are pretty Instagram   worthy but they’re also pretty pricey we would opt  to spend our money on the bubble cone from isumi  

Me over the milkshakes here during both cruises we  stayed in traditional balcony cabins for the seven   night cruise we stayed in Cabin 14258 while icon  of the Seas debuted a new cabin type for Royal   Caribbean the infinite balcony there are still  regular Ocean View balcony State rooms on this  

Ship our midship state room was closer to the  AFT elev Bank on the ship’s port side given all   the enhancements and trendy design of the public  venues we were actually pretty surprised by the   state room while royal king added more luxurious  finishes and updates to most aspects of the ship  

The state rooms received only some minor updates  for the most part the cabin’s layout and function   were identical to other ships in the fleet  immediately upon entering our room the bathroom   was to the right on the midship wall the bathrooms  were redesigned offering a new rectangular shower  

With glass door and seat this updated layout was  a nice change from the tubular showers found on   most of the other Royal Caribbean vessels the  shower also utilize the inward-facing hinges   found on Excel class ships in the carnival Fleet  and the Prima class on NCL ships similar to Sister  

Brand Celebrity Cruises Edge class the cabins and  icon of the Seas maximizes interior space too the   miror hides the safe and additional shelves for  storage which are in addition to the closet and   desk drawers likewise our closet was tucked around  the corner from the bathroom it had a closed bar  

With some metal storage Cubbies below we use  these to store shoes but really wish they were   on a sliding track of some sort when it comes to  closet setup in storage the quantum class is still   our favorite layout for Royal Caribbean ships the  desk and sofa followed with the bed next to our  

Balcony once again the desk and sofa were pretty  typical one nice added feature in the cabins on   icon of the Seas were the power outlets there were  the most Outlets spread throughout the cabin that   we’ve seen on any cruise ship cabin there was  the usual lineup of power options on the desk  

Along with two additional USBC ports there was  also a USB port on each side of the bed and one   of them also had a power outlet Additionally the  cruise line added some small shelves and more USB   Outlets tucked around the corner from the desk  this was the perfect place to store electronics  

And served as my charging station throughout  the week we were pleasantly surprised with   the balcony size while some cruise lines have  reduced their balcony sizes on newer ships this   one was deeper than expected the two chairs small  table and Ottomans made it the perfect place to  

Do a little work in the afternoon or to watch our  sale away from ports of C given our room location   support beams did partially block The View though  however when we stayed on the starboard side of  

Deck 14 we did not have the support beams overall  we would say that the balcony cabin on icon of   the Seas was functional we were able to unpack  all our clothes and gear for the week using a  

Few of our trusted Cruise cabin hacks still we  expected the cabin to feel more like Norwegian   prima’s balcony stat room which we would argue are  the best for a contemporary Cruise Line one of the   biggest concerns Travelers have with larger ship  is service they’re worried about not being able to  

Escape the crowds or waiting in long lines for  food and drink but we’re happy to report this   was not the case the icon of the Sea Service  was excellent whether it was Harry or Oliver  

In the pearl cafe or one of the servers at the  lime and coconut most of the crew were cheerful   and talkative service at the Casual restaurants  was also prompt and attentive even at Peak dining   times most of these Quick Service venues were  manageable and finding seats took minimal work  

As we mentioned we had my time dining with the  same weight staff and the meals were perfectly   placed with our three courses typically taking  about 75 minutes we did dine at a few specialty   restaurants and service day was equally impressive  however these dinners all took close to 2 hours  

Even when members of our party indicated they  had a show reservation to catch the server   couldn’t speed up our dinner orbit our state room  attendant worked around our schedule to make up   our room daily like many contemporary Cruise Lines  Royal Caribbean has reduce servicing rooms to only  

Once a day though given this was a new ship and  we expected to find some Kinks we really didn’t   most venues had adequate Staffing and crew members  seemed genuinely happy and excited to be working  

On this new ship the cruise line certainly has  many of its a team crew members on board and it   shows we can honestly ly say that the only venue  where we felt the crowds was the dueling posos   with a little planning and making reservations  prior to the cruise you’ll hardly realize that  

You’re on the largest cruise ship in the world we  are sure that this icon of the Seas Cruise review   has you super excited to cruise on this brand  new mega ship but before you do check out our  

Complete icon of the Seas ship tour and walkr in  that video we go through all eight neighborhoods   explore all 20 decks and share everything with  you about icon of the Seas that way you are one   step ahead of everyone else on board and your  icon the Seas cruise will be smooth sailing