Icon of the Seas First Cruise Sold Out in 24-Hours – Cruise Maven

Royal Caribbean’s new, ultimate family cruise ship, and the largest ship soon to be at sea, Icon of the Seas, is now also one of the biggest stories to hit cruising in over a decade.

When Icon of the Seas departs from Miami in January 2024, the ship will be the first of a new class of mega ships to hit the open seas in over 15 years.

Icon of the Seas First Cruise is Sold Out

As the ‘Icon of Vacations’, aptly dubbed by Royal Caribbean, ushers in a new era of cruising, Icon of the Seas will offer eight distinct cruise ship neighborhoods.

When reservations opened on Monday, October 24 to Crown and Anchor members and Tuesday, October 25 to the general public, the inaugural sailing sold out in the first 24 hours.

The first sailing for this 2,805-passenger cruise ship is scheduled for January 27, 2024 on a 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary.

“With each new ship, we raise the bar in the travel industry while enhancing what our guests know and love,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “From the moment they step on board, every experience is specifically designed to give them the best vacation anywhere on land and at sea. With Icon of the Seas, we’ve taken this to a new level and made the ultimate family vacation.”

Iconic Neighborhoods & Waterparks

Guests can literally try a new pool, view, or neighborhood on every day of a 7-day cruise, including never-before-seen nightlife options and restaurants. The neighborhoods design features five brand-new experiences as well a return of three favorites.
Icon is already making a splash as she will debut the largest water park ever built on a cruise ship. An impressive six waterslides intertwine in a swirl of neon colors and epic poolside entertainment.

“Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of delivering memorable experiences and our next bold commitment to those who love to vacation,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Now more than ever, families and friends are prioritizing experiences where they can bond and enjoy their own adventures.”

Classic Caribbean Itineraries, All New Fun

The first Icon of the Seas sailings will be seven-night voyages to the Caribbean departing from Miami in January 2024. The Icon of the Seas will alternate between Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.

• Seven-night Eastern Caribbean sails to St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
• Seven-night Eastern Caribbean sails to St. Maarten (the Dutch side of the island of St. Martin), St. Thomas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
• Seven-night Western Caribbean sails to Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. This is the most of any itinerary, with 31 voyages.
• Seven-night Western Caribbean will sail to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

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Sustainability At Icon’s Core

Icon of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean’s first vessel to feature fuel cell technology and operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG), the cleanest-burning ship fuel.

The ship will also have shore power connection and waste heat recovery systems making Icon of the Seas the most sustainable ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet.

The Ultimate Iconic Vacation

Royal Caribbean is breaking the mold in their newest class of ships and Icon’s design and attention to detail – and traveler needs – is unparalleled.

• Cabins for larger families are now a possibility on Icon. Brilliantly built, these accommodations can host families of five or more. 
  • The three categories include the Family Infinite Balcony, Surfside Family Suite and the three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse.  Each comes complete with unique features and amenities like a white picket fence and mailbox.
  • The Grove is the largest Suite Neighborhood spanning three luxury decks that offer a multilevel suite sun deck with a private pool, whirlpool, and custom dining options.
  • • Perched at the top of Icon, AquaDome has a calming waterfall and ocean view by day and the mesmerizing, hydrotechnical AquaTheater at night.Thrill Island – This lost island adventure is home to highlights:
      • Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, has six record-breaking slides:
        • Pressure Drop and its 66-degree incline make it the industry’s first open free-fall slide
        • 46-foot-tall Frightening Bolt, the tallest drop slide at sea
        • Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter, the first family raft slides at sea with four riders per raft
        • Storm Chasers, cruising’s first mat-racing duo.
      • Crown’s Edge will have you saying, ‘don’t look down!’. A first at sea, the skywalk and ropes course allows daring passengers to swing 154 feet above the ocean, over the side of the ship.
      • Chill Island features Royal Caribbean’s first frozen cocktail bar and features a set of four stunning ocean-view pools.
      • Surfside is a neighborhood made for young families. Adults can enjoy Water’s Edge pool, while still being able to watch their kids (six and under) at Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay.
      • The Hideaway boasts the first suspended infinity pool at sea, this pool retreat is surrounded by a multilevel sun terrace complete with whirlpools

Icon of the Seas is currently being built at Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.  Following this first Icon Class ship, Royal Caribbean has ordered two additional ships in Icon Class.  No date has been set for their debut.

Jamie Kennedy

Jamie lives and works in Jacksonville, Florida. While her day job keeps her busy managing digital customer experience strategies for global brands, her passion is writing and finding new, eco-friendly ways to see the world. You can find her chatting about marketing, eco-tourism, and adventurous travels on Twitter @jamieckennedy.