A milestone in the construction of Royal Caribbean's first Icon Class cruise ship will begin this weekend.

"Icon will depart from the Turku shipyard for the first time ever during the weekend, when Icon's week-long sea trials begin," confirmed Meyer Turku's Facebook page. 

Over the course of the week, certain systems and features will be tested that cannot when she the ship is docked. 

"Thank you to everyone involved in the Icon project! Icon's seaworthiness is the result of the combined expertise of Meyer's top professionals from many different fields."

"Let's wish a good voyage to Icon of the Seas, and prepare to welcome Icon back to the shipyard after her trials!"

The Meyer Turku Facebook page stated that they will post more pictures of Icon of the Seas once she official departs. 

Related: 9 new things about Icon of the Seas I learned during my shipyard tour

What are sea trials?

Sea trials test a cruise ship's navigational and technical systems. This is the final part of a cruise ship construction prior to delivery.

During these tests, everything from the ship's propulsion to navigation and engines are tested. It is imperative that everything be in tip-top shape when the ship officially joins the fleet. 

Sea trials range in duration. Wonder of the Seas', for instance, was only four days. Moreover, sometimes it is common for there to be two different sessions. 

The sea trials are conducted with a combination of shipyard employees, as well as Royal Caribbean crew members.

First ship of her kind

Royal Caribbean has not launched a new class of ship since 2014, making Icon of the Seas that much more exciting.

Not only will she be the largest cruise ship in the world, but she will also feature many firsts for both the cruise line and industry, including the record-breaking Category 6 water park.  

Upon completion, she will be 6% larger than Wonder of the Seas, who currently holds the title for largest cruise ship in the world.

The 250,800 gross ton ship will be nothing short of thrilling, offering something to appeal to everyone!

From relaxing on the revamped pool decks, to catching an exciting show at the AquaDome, spending quality time together in the family-centered Surfside neighborhood, and indulging in brand-new culinary experiences, Icon of the Seas is set to offer the ultimate family vacation. 

"We think it's going to be the best family vacation in the world," said Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley.

"And all of the energy and time that's gone into creating this ship is just mind blowing."

Related: Why are new cruise ships still being built?

Demand is so strong for Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship that hasn't even begun sailing yet that the line has sold out every single reservation for its most expensive suite ever for the year.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas is the cruise line's first new ship class in almost a decade, and the company is betting big on its success.

Despite being more than 7 months away from the first sailing in January 2024, it's already seeing record-breaking demand from customers.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked about how strong the business is right now, and highlighted an eye-opening statistic about sales for the new ship.

"I think the entire ship is just stunning. And I think we're seeing that in the bookings," he said during a webinar with travel agents on Wednesday.

"The sales for icon are amazing. The the yields are just fantastic. So again, we're very happy with how Icon is playing out."

To exemplify just how much demand there is for Icon, Mr. Bayley talked about how well the most expensive suite onboard the ship is selling.

The three-story "Ultimate Family Townhouse" is located in the Surfside neighborhood for young families.

"I think we mentioned that the Ultimate Townhouse, I think is pretty much sold out completely for 2024 at an average rate of about $78, $80,000 a week."

Bookings for Icon only opened up in October 2022.

This cabin is a 1,772-square-foot Ultimate Family Townhouse that will be three decks high and sleep up to eight people.

It features an in-suite slide, movie-viewing room, karaoke machine and a "backyard" with a ping pong table, outdoor seating and a white picket fence leading directly to the Surfside area.

Icon of the Seas will offer guests a variety of room options spanning across 28 unique categories, offering some of the most spacious rooms Royal Caribbean has ever designed. 

"Icon is going to be the best family vacation in the world,” said Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer in a video update from January 2023. "You can’t have an ultimate family vacation without a purpose-built neighborhood for families."

Royal Caribbean has created its first neighborhood on Icon of the Seas dedicated entirely to young families. It's an open-air space at the back of the ship.

Surfside was designed to become an area of the ship where families with kids ages 6 and under can play all-day together, where parents don't need to give up their relaxation time just because their kids want to play.

You'll find a giant aqua park designed for families: Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay splash parks for kids and the Water's Edge pool for parents. 

Surfside neighborhood will also offer family-friendly dining venues. 

Next to Splashaway Bay and next to a deep water pool, you have a grab-and-go eater at Surfside Bites. Then there's Surfside Eatery, which is Royal Caribbean's first buffet just families.  The Lemon Post bar is also a new concept that is the first bar to feature an adult menu and a kids menu. This will serve traditional tropical cocktails, as well as mocktails.

There's also a new specialty restaurant, Pier 7, which is described as a casual Boardwalk eatery.

The 1,198-foot-long mega-ship will be able to accommodate 7,600 guests across its 2,805 staterooms, which will make it the world's largest cruise ship once it debuts.

Icon will be 10 feet longer than Wonder of the Seas, which is currently the world's largest cruise ship.

The first sailing of Icon of the Seas will be a 7-night cruise from Miami on January 27, 2024.

The ship will sail year-round out of Miami in 2024, alternating between Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean itineraries, with four different routings available for departures between January 2024 and April 2025.

Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship is making steady progress towards being completed, and we have a new look at what it looks like now.

Icon of the Seas is under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. Based on the new set of photos, the top deck is starting to come together.

In an effort to keep our readers up to date, RoyalCaribbeanBlog commissioned its own aerial drone photos to share what we can see so far from the shipyard.

These photos were taken on June 6, 2023 to provide a glimpse of how the ship looks today.

Having visited the shipyard last month, it's clear one noticeable change from the exterior is how much of the ship is no longer covered up.

Another change you might detect is the addition of more of the water slides.

Icon of the Seas will have an entire water park when the ship launches, known as Category 6.

Category 6 will be the largest waterpark at sea, with six record-breaking slides. Other Royal Caribbean ships have only 2 or 3 slides.

• Pressure Drop: the industry’s first open free-fall slide
• Frightening Bolt: the tallest drop slide at sea
• Storm Surge & Hurricane Hunter: family raft slides which can fit 4 riders per raft
• Storm Chasers: the cruise industry’s first mat-racing duo

The water slides are part of the Thrill Island neighborhood.

Royal Caribbean thinks Thrill Island will be a beacon for thrill seekers.

At the front of the ship, you'll find a sprawling pool deck that the cruise line hopes evokes a resort-style feel.

Read more: Royal Caribbean designed its new Icon of the Seas cruise ship to have a beach retreat experience

Icon will have 62% more water surface area than the Oasis Class cruise ships, and that means more pools than the cruise line has ever had before.

You'll find the largest pool at sea, an adult only pool, and the first suspended infinity pool at sea. Five of the seven pools on Icon of the Seas are located in Chill Island.

Something else I noticed is we can see more of The Grove and the Suite Neighborhood.

Beyond the top deck changes, the side of the ship looks more like the concept art we've seen.  With less of the protective coverings on, there's more glass visible.

At 250,800 gross tons ,the 20-deck-high vessel will be the biggest cruise ship in the world when it debuts in 2024. 

What we can see from the air is just a fraction of what Royal Caribbean has planned for the ship.

Royal Caribbean has lofty expectations for its first Icon Class ship, which has the aim of being the ultimate family vacation and a megaresort at sea for all to enjoy.

Icon of the Seas has a price tag of more than $2 billion and has been under construction for just about two years. 

Nearly ready for the next phase

There's still seven months to go until Icon of the Seas begins sailing with paying passengers, and there's still lots of work left to complete.

In May 2023, Royal Caribbean said Icon of the Seas more than 80% done.

In fact, the shipyard said last month that Icon of the Seas could start her sea trials as early as mid-June.

When the sea trials are complete, there may be some final adjustments that need to be made before the ship is prepared for delivery.

Once the ship reaches 90% completion, much of the final ceiling panels and final finishes are added to make the ship look more complete from a visual standpoint.

In the fall, the plan is to finalize all staterooms, the commissioning of the ship, and all the special features.

Being the first in a class of ships, Icon of the Seas has more time built into her build schedule to prepare it for service.

Royal Caribbean has designed plenty to do on its next new cruise ship, including ways to relax, as if you were at the beach.

Icon of the Seas will launch early next year, and among the many things you can do onboard will also be ways to not to anything.

The cruise line is known for packing its ships the sort of whizzbang features that capture the imagination of the public, but they also want to ensure it has thrills, dining variety, nightlife, and shopping to make a great resort getaway.

Two new neighborhoods will be part of the Icon of the Seas launch aimed at giving guests the perfect spot for a calm escape: Chill Island and The Hideaway.

In short, Royal Caribbean wanted to create something more than just your average cruise ship pool decks.

Chill Island

Located in the middle of the top deck is the new multi-deck experience centered around the idea of enjoying time by the water.

Whether it's sitting by the pool, listening to the Caribbean band, or enjoying time at the ship's swim-up bar, the idea behind Chill Island is you can pick from different ways to take it easy.

You won't have to go far to find an aquatic escape, as Chill Island has plenty of it.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley saw the demand for being in close proximity to water as important to their customers, "Our research told us that people wanted to not only look at the water, see the ocean, but they wanted to be surrounded by water, whether it's a whirlpool, Jacuzzi, whether it's a swimming pool, whether it's a beach pool, really, that whole experience is built around water."

That lead Royal Caribbean to want to build more pools than ever before. In fact, there's 62% more water surface area than on the Oasis Class cruise ships.

You'll find the largest pool at sea, an adult only pool, and the first suspended infinity pool at sea. Five of the seven pools on Icon of the Seas are located in Chill Island.

Royal Bay: the largest pool ever put on a ship. The entry of the pool has shallow water, along with two hot tubs that flank either side of the pool. There's also the longest deep water pool that the cruise line has ever created.

Swim & Tonic: The first true swim-up bar that you'll find on a Royal Caribbean ship, and it will have a party vibe all day. You'll find a DJ nearby so that you can dance in the shallow water or just enjoy the experience.

The Cove: A smaller pool with infinity ocean views.  Think more zen than busy, as it has a calmer experience. Royal Caribbean put it on the edge of the ship so you can not only sit in the water, but also enjoy views of the ocean.

Cloud 17: This is the adult-only area on Icon of the Seas.  While the ship doesn't have a Solarium, it does have a new take on adults-only. It has views of the ocean, cocktails, and hot tubs to enjoy.

The Hideaway

Royal Caribbean describes its Hideaway neighborhood as having a combination of day club and beach club, centered around a suspended infinity pool.

In fact, this is the first suspended infinity pool on a cruise ship, with 180-degree views of the ocean.

"You can get incredible views, great music, fantastic drinks with proximity to food from base camp. And it's going to be a place our guests are going to really make it their hideaway," said Royal Caribbean's Associate Vice President of Product Development, Claudia Diaz-Gonzalez .

Royal Caribbean is planning on creating a few special cocktails specifically for the Hideaway neighborhood to further enhance what makes this area unique.

Connection to the ocean

While both of these neighborhoods have intriguing things to enjoy, Royal Caribbean wanted to ensure you had a view to the ocean so it felt just like a beach resort.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty said this wasn't just a gut feeling, but in fact something the line heard from customers, "When it comes down to market research, and of course understanding what our guests are looking to do, we know one of the major draws is wanting to be connected to the water."

"And so you'll see we've really leveraged the latest shipping nautical technology to really bring some of our spaces to just grander levels so people always feel like they're connected to the ocean."

More than just having pools, you'll notice the design of the pools draws the guest towards the ocean.  You'll notice the pools on Icon of the Seas allow guests to physically be in the water while looking at the ocean.

Royal Caribbean will have its first food hall on Icon of the Seas, and I had the opportunity to preview this new venue.

The AquaDome Market will be a series of five stalls that offer different quick-serve cuisines, and it's a new choice for Royal Caribbean.

Read more: Royal Caribbean will offer swanky supper club and food hall on new Icon of the Seas when it launches

Food halls are a relatively new concept in the cruise industry, and Icon of the Seas will be the first cruise ship under the Royal Caribbean International brand to offer one.

AquaDome Market will be located in the AquaDome neighborhood, which is another first for the cruise line.  This is an area of the ship enclosed by a massive glass dome on the front of the ship.  Nearly everything about this area is different, from the theater's location, being fully enclosed, and this new eatery.

In preparation for the launch, Royal Caribbean set up a mock-up in its Innovation Lab at the cruise line's headquarters in Miami, Florida, and invited me come see their plans first-hand.

Walking us through the set up was Tim Klauda, Royal Caribbean's Vice President for Product Development, and Valentina Madinabeitia, Product Development Product Owner.

This prototype helps Royal Caribbean "fill in the gaps" that concept art and virtual reality cannot completely convey. Because AquaDome Market's space is more challenging, the team built out more of the space to work through the details

What is the AquaDome Market?

AquaDome Market will be a new complimentary venue at the front of Icon of the Seas that has five food stalls you can choose from.

The five choices include:

• Creme de la Crepe (French crepes)
• Mac's (Macaroni and cheese)
• Feta Mediterranean (Greek cuisine)
• GNGR (Asian cuisine)
• Toast and Garden (Sandwiches and salads)

You'll be able to access the AquaDome Market from the pool deck to make it convenient for anyone that wants to stop in and grab a quick bite to eat.

"We've never had like a food hall concept like this," Mr. Klauda explained. "You're seeing food halls pop up all over the place, so that's not a new concept. But for us, doing it this way and where it's positioned forward."

Being all the way forward helps spread crowds out too. The Windjammer buffet is in the rear of the ship, and El Loco Fresh also towards the aft.  So Royal Caribbean wanted something towards the front of the ship that's easy to access from the pool deck, and bring guests into the AquaDome neighborhood too.

Designing a food hall

Mr. Klauda explained there are many challenges to creating a space for a new food hall, especially within the AquaDome.

"The reason this will be challenging is it's right up against the glass. And so as we've got all this awesome food and all of these options, which is what our guests want, how many people can really pack in there, and get to the food and get in a line? And how is that going to work and how do we queue?"

For this reason, they built out all five stalls of the Market in order to get a better sense of the layout and flow for guests and the crew members.

"We're still working through some of the details, but without this, we'd be solving this after the ship's built."

The team wanted to know how tight the space would be, and can the menus be easily seen by guests and would the queues work well.

One early lesson they discovered were sight lines, as Ms. Madinabeitia explained being able to see each station was an issue, "we realized that when you're looking at this hallway, you really have to be like in front of each one to realize what each one is."

"So we are debating on does the sign come to the side? Those are all the things that by building this type of mockups, we catch before we're on board."

Something else this prototype gives is a chance for the team to experiment with the space. 

"Another opportunity is that the team has the opportunity of also doing rotating specials daily," Ms. Madinabeitia explained. "There's a lot of flexibility and options that could be brought into the space."

While Royal Caribbean intends the AquaDome Market to be complimentary when Icon of the Seas launches, they could experiment with extra-cost options too.

In terms of how it will work, guests will walk up to the stall they want to order food from and place the order and wait for the food to be prepared. There won't be pagers to indicate when the food is ready, because they want the experience to be fairly quick.

"The balance is how customized can I be and still keep up speed so that I can get something, get it handed me pretty quick," Mr. Klauda said.

"If they have to stop and prep and it takes two minutes, this will never be successful. So looking at those options are some of the things we worked through."

In addition, certain halls will be more customizable than others. Ms. Madinabeitia compared GNGR will be more like a Chipotle ordering experience where you choose your base, protein and toppings, whereas Mac's will be more of a set menu.

Sampling the AquaDome Market food

In addition to testing out the physical space, Royal Caribbean is also testing out the food that will be served to guests in AquaDome Market.

Within Royal Caribbean's headquarters is a test kitchen, where a team of chefs work through the various food choices to find the right selections and ingredients to include.

Royal Caribbean's Vice President of Food and Beverage, Linken D'Souza, walked us through this ultra-secretive space to share a glimpse of what they have in mind for the menus.

Designing the food hall was about evolving the cruise line's offerings, "We always want to give something interesting, exciting," he said in talking about the new dining venues on Icon.

"And on the ship as amazing and big as Icon is, that means having food in more places than we've ever had."

We saw examples of food from each of the new food stalls, along with the chance to try a few out ourselves. Mr. D'Souza cautioned us that the menus are still a work in progress, so you may not see these items when Icon launches.

Creme de la Crepe: Strawberry, Nutella, caramelized banana with salted caramel

GNGR: Sweet and sour chicken

Toast and Garden: Monte Cristo sandwich

Mac's: Pizza macaroni and cheese

Mac's: Pulled pork mac and cheese

Feta Mediterranean: Traditional style Greek pitas

One goal for these foods was to give guests something different than they see in other venues.

Mr. D'Souza thinks the AquaDome Market will offer more made-to-order choices for passengers, "It's more about providing a more curated experience for the guests. A more built for you experience."

"Obviously we have large venues, like the Windjammer, where we make some things to order, but the volume is kind of ready for the guests to grab and go. And so this is really about being able to make it a little bit more special."

The variety of choice really stands out to Mr. D'Souza, "what I like about it is you have the ability to walk in and at breakfast, get a monte Cristo for breakfast. And come in for lunch and have a pita, or come in at dinner and have some Chinese food."

For families, he thinks this will be a big win, "especially if you have a family of 5 or 6, you go in and not everybody wants to eat the same thing. You have the choices, but you don't feel like you're at a buffet."

An interesting anecdote from the test kitchen story of the food development was the mac and cheese.

As it turns out, over 500 hours of time has been developed so far to get the mac and cheese sauce consistent and, of course, tasty.

Why so long to get the sauce right? It's all about consistency. 

Paul Fortin, Senior Director of Culinary Operations, explained why it's important, "Consistency. The sauce has to coat the pasta. What sauce is going to coat the pasta properly? All the pastas are specifically done for the sauce, not just for the shape that it is."

When Icon of the Seas launches in 2024, she will have ten brand-new dining concepts onboard, with a total of twenty different venues to choose from.

That does not include bar-like places, such as Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade and Desserted, as well as Trellis Bar, which is going to feature a menu of small bites. 

Eleven of them will be complimentary, while nine will incur an additional fee. Royal Caribbean has yet to release the pricing of the specialty restaurants. 

"The experiences had over great food are at the heart of so many shared memories that we could all use more of in our day-to-day," said Linked D'Souza, Vice President, Food and Beverage of Royal Caribbean International. 

"We've designed Icon of the Seas to offer every guest, no matter their tastes, age and mood or the occasion, a variety of ways they can easily make those moments their way every day while on vacation." 

Whether it is grabbing a quick bite to eat at the cruise line's first walk-up sushi window in Central Park, sitting down to indulge in an eight-course meal at Empire Supper Club, trying something new at the brand-new food hall, or splurging on brunch at Pier 7 in Surfside, there is something for everyone onboard Icon of the Seas!

Here is a breakdown of all the dining venues the record-breaking ship. 

Empire Supper Club

Empire Supper Club is one of the brand-new venues onboard Icon of the Seas. It is meant to be reminiscent of the 1930s in New York City. 

Each night, there will be two seating for guests to experience the extravagant eight course menu: 6:00pm and 8:30pm. 

The menu will feature premium American cuisine and offer selections such as caviar and wagyu. Plus, each course will be paired with a beverage. 

And for the first time ever, this will be Royal Caribbean's first dining experience that combines food and music. A three-piece band will be situated in the venue and play a different song during each of the eight courses. 

Celebration Table

Think of Celebration Table as an elevated Chef's Table. Note that the traditional Chef's Table will still be offered, too. 

It is going to be a fully rentable private dining room located inside of Hooked Seafood on Deck 15 that will be able to seat up to twelve passengers and feature floor-to-ceiling windows for some of the best ocean views on the ship. 

The menu will be prix fixe, meaning that all guests will enjoy the same offerings family style; however, there are four different menus to choose from: Italian, Asian, American, and Seafood. There will be an option to personalize and upgrade the selections, too. 

Chops Grille

While Chops Grille is a tried-and-true favorite, the specialty steakhouse will be a little different on Icon of the Seas.

For the first time, guests can choose their own cut of meat from the butcher's display, anything from high grade wagyu to bone-in steaks. Plus, the open window will let them watch the chefs cook their selected cut. 

Giovanni's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar

Another favorite will be returning to Icon: Giovanni's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar. The menu will highlight Old World classics, such as veal meatballs, and will be located in the Royal Promenade, marking the first time that Royal Caribbean will place a specialty restaurant here. 

Related: How Royal Caribbean reimagined its signature Italian restaurant

Hooked Seafood

Hooked Seafood is a relatively new specialty restaurant to the brand, and it will be onboard Icon of the Seas serving up delicious New England-style seafood. 

In terms of location, it will be directly underneath the AquaDome. 

Related: Royal Caribbean’s specialty dining packages guide

Pier 7

Pier 7 is the first family-oriented specialty restaurant that will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It will be located steps away from Playscape and the carousel in the Surfside Neighborhood. 

Here, you will find casual California cuisine, with options ranging from tacos, to a smoked salmon benedict, and even buttermilk pancakes. 

Izumi Hibachi and Sushi 

When you dine at Izumi on Icon of the Seas, you will find it to be more scenic than ever before, as it will be located in Central Park and feature al fresco seating, meaning that you can enjoy your favorite sushi in the open air under the stars. 

Plus, there will be more Teppanyaki than on any other ship in the fleet, with a total of six! In comparison, Wonder of the Seas only has three. 

Izumi in the Park

Those who would rather grab a quick bite before returning to all the fun will appreciate Izumi in the Park, which will be open from 11:30am to 10:30pm. You will not have to worry about making a reservation or getting dressed up to enjoy your favorite sushi rolls. 

This walk-up dining option will have signature rolls, nigiri, and Japanese sweet treats, all served in a portable box to take with you, available for an additional cost.

AquaDome Market

The AquaDome Market is Royal Caribbean's first food hall and will feature five different stands, all of which are complimentary and have their own look and menu: Feta Mediterranean, Mac's, Toast and Garden, GNGR, and Crème de la Crepe. 

Starting with Crème de la Crepe, this is where you will find both sweet and savory crepes. GNGR will serve Asian dishes, and Toast and Garden is for those looking for lighter fare, including salads and sandwiches. 

Mac's is the place for mac and cheese lovers, as this stand will remix the classic take on the dish with topping such as slow-roasted pulled pork, smoked gouda,  and BBQ sauce. 

Finally, Feta Mediterranean will serve fresh pitas and Mediterranean bowls, and you will find a bar with beer and wine, too. 

The AquaDone Market will serve breakfast starting at 7:00am for breakfast, lunch at 11:30am, and dinner in the evenings.  

Main Dining Room

The redesigned three-story Main Dining Room will feature a new menu each night that highlights a different cuisine.

You can also dine here for breakfast and lunch. 

Related: First look at Royal Caribbean's new main dining room menus

Surfside Eatery

For families who do not want to venture out of Surfside to the Windjammer, there will be Surfside Eatery, an all-day dining option that functions as a buffet during breakfast and lunch before transitioning into a hybrid buffet/traditional sit-down venue at night. 

During the day, you will find fun kid-approved options, including pancakes that can be topped with chocolate chips, fruit, and more, as well as pasta with a variety of different sauces. 

At night, you will find more elevated options that put a contemporary twist on some childhood favorites! 

Surfside Bites

For those interested in grab-and-go fare, look no further than Surfside Bites. This quick service eatery will be open from 11:00am to 5:00pm. 

You will find options like burgers, popcorn chicken, cinnamon sugar donut holes, and, of course, soft serve! 

Windjammer

When Icon of the Seas makes her grand debut, she will have the Windjammer in the fleet. Plus, there will be two bars located inside!

Windjammer is Royal Caribbean's preeminent buffet option that can be found on every ship. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it is ideal for those looking for a laid back dining experience with a variety of different options. 

Related: Guide to Royal Caribbean's Windjammer Cafe buffet

Basecamp

Basecamp will be located in the heart of Thrill Island and feature food windows with different complimentary options, as well as some premium selections that can be purchase á la carte. 

The bar will serve storm-inspired drinks, and if you find yourself on the starboard side of Thrill Island, you will not have to worry about walking back to the bar. There will be a bar cart, making it more convenient to enjoy your favorite cold beverages while on-the-go. 

Basecamp will be open from 11:00am to 10:00pm, with the bar opening at 9:00am for those who want to start the day with a mimosa!

Pearl Café

Say goodbye to Cafe Promenade! On Icon of the Seas, the popular 24-hour quick service venue is being replaced with Pearl Café. 

Do not worry, though-- you will still be able to enjoy a selection of complimentary sandwiches, ready-made salads, coffee, and more at any hour; it will also be open 24-hours. 

Pearl Café will have cozy nooks that offer specular ocean views, making it a great place to meet up with friends and family before dinner or catch up on your favorite book. 

Sorrento's

At Sorrento's you can grab a slice of your favorite signature pizza, or indulge in a specialty one. You will have to act fast, though, as the flavor of the specialty pie will change every day! 

And for the first time, you can pair your pizza with your favorite draft beer on tap. 

Park Café

Like on Oasis Class ships, Park Café will be located in Central Park and serve breakfast and lunch. On Icon, however, Park Café will be open in the evening from 5:30pm to 10:00pm for late night bites. 

El Loco Fresh

Steps away from the Cove Pool is El Loco Fresh, the grab-and-go spot for Mexican food onboard. It will be open daily from 11:00am to 7:00pm. 

Coastal Kitchen

Coastal Kitchen is the complimentary dining room for suite guests. Star and Sky passengers are able to dine here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while Sea passengers can only eat here for dinner based on availability. 

The two-level restaurant will be able to seat 154 guests and offers views straight into the AquaDome! 

The Grove

Available only to Star and Sky suite guests, the Grove is an al fresco buffet that serves Mediterranean cuisine. It is smaller than Coastal Kitchen, with a capacity of 38 passengers. 

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas is about 80% complete, but they aren't quite at the finish line yet.

While touring the brand new cruise ship in Turku, Finland, Royal Caribbean's leadership provided an outline of what to expect between now and when the ship begins sailings with passengers in January.

At a panel question and answer session, one of the most important people in the company's history was present to provide an oversight of what's next.

Harri Kulovaara is the company's Executive Vice President of Maritime & Newbuilding, which means he is responsible for leading the design and construction of its new ships. He's been a part of the new ship build team for decades, and has been with the company for over 40 years.

When asked about how far along the work is on Icon, Mr. Kulovaara said, "The ship is ship is more than 70% done. The overall project, which includes also the design and so on, that is more than more than 80% done."

If you've seen the Icon of the Seas construction photos posted on this site, you may think the amount of exposed cabling and open walls doesn't seem like the ship is really that far long, but Mr. Kulovaara explained how the finishing of the work in the final stage really makes the ship look more complete visually, even though it's further along than you might think.

"When the ship is coming to 90% level, that's when the panels, the final ceiling panels and the final finishes are coming."

"All the hard work is basically behind the visual panels. So it's in the machinery, it's getting all the air conditioning, all the electric cables, all that complexity. It's actually the technical execution, which is the cumbersome part."

Essentially, we saw the ship in the stage of construction where the wiring and infrastructure behind the walls and above the ceiling get put in, similar to how a new house under construction gets wiring put in before the dry wall is installed.

Also speaking at the panel was Meyer Werft CEO Tim Meyer, who explained more about the "Lego block" style construction of a cruise ship, "We start with panels, we build sections, we build a block out of this. We have 201 blocks which are then put together in the dock to generate the ship."

"And now we're starting with the machinery, commissioning, we're starting with the systems. And of course what you are seeing visually is then finalizing the public rooms."

According to Mr. Kulovaara, the complexity of the work being done on Icon is second to only military projects, "This is the biggest and most complex maritime project outside probably military or oil and gas."

What's next for Icon of the Seas?

So what sort of work occurs in that final 20-30% yet to be completed?

About 2600 people work on Icon of the Seas every day, and Mr. Kulovaara estimates there's about 2 million working hours left remaining on her going forward.

"We do something a little bit more than 1% of the completion in in every every week."

He also outlined the next milestones for Icon of the Seas, such as sea trials "before midsummer".  Ship builder Meyer Turku posted last week they expect sea trials to commence in mid-June.

"Then in the fall, finalizing all the staterooms, finalizing the commissioning, all the all the special features, and then starting not only finishing the ship, but also starting the preparation for for the ship's entry to the service."

He admitted that this there is still a large task remaining ahead, but it's something the company is well-versed in historically, "This is a large task. It's well scripted, and it is based on the history, the experience what we have."

Will the ship be ready on time?

Mr. Kulovaara also said Royal Caribbean has left some padding of time in, just in case there's any problems, "And for that purpose we have also reserved a little bit of time."

"We feel very comfortable at the moment in this situation," he said about Icon and further elaborated that his confidence stems largely from the company's history of ship building.

"We have worked on the project six years. The ship is built on relatively short time frame and that all is giving us a very high confidence on the work that we have ahead of us."

"And what helps is the fact that we have been doing this this so many times with Meyer this so many time here in Turku, so that we have a good practice on that."

Continuing the trend

Icon of the Seas is the first in a new class of cruise ship for Royal Caribbean, and it marks arguably the next evolution of the brand.

The Oasis Class ships have been the standard bearer for the line ever since Oasis of the Seas debuted in 2009, and while the Quantum Class was introduced since, the fact Icon of the Seas is larger seems to represent the new flagship.

When asked what will impress guests about Icon, Mr. Kulovaara said, "I think the overall amount of innovation and what has been able to put in one ship and being true for the history, what the brand is and the history, how the the industry has developed and really continuing that trend."

He is alluding to Royal Caribbean's track record of introducing ground-breaking ship after ground-breaking ship.  From the Sovereign Class to the Voyager Class to the Oasis Class, Icon seems to be well-positioned to continue forward.

While Icon is indeed larger than the Oasis Class, it's what the ship offers families that seems to be most important to the company.

Since last fall, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley has been touting how attractive Icon will be for families.  He repeated that claim again at the shipyard, "We're positioning this product as the ultimate family vacation. We think it's going to be the best family vacation in the world and all of the energy and time that's gone into creating this ship is just mind blowing."

That's a bold statement, but the ship looks like it could back up those words with amenities such as a full water park, dedicated neighborhood for young families, full production shows, and new cabin categories that are designed to handle 3 or 4 passengers.

In-between seeing the progress Royal Caribbean has made on its next cruise ship at the shipyard in Finland, there were a few interesting tidbits shared about what we can expect to find onboard when the ship sails.

Royal Caribbean is excited to share as much of Icon of the Seas as they can, and in walking around the ship that is about 80% complete, I picked up on a number of details that was news to me.

Most of the walkthrough went over information previously disclosed, but a few interesting details were mentioned.

While some of these will not be ground breaking news by any means, if you're like me, you're eager to learn as much as possible to prepare in advance of the ship entering service.

Icon of the Seas shows revealed

Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Entertainment Nick Weir talked about the plans Royal Caribbean has for entertainment on Icon, and we got a full line up of shows we can expect.

There will be three primary venues for shows: AquaDome, ice skating rink, and Royal Theater.

The premier show in the AquaDome will be "Aqua Nation!".

"Pirates vs Mermaids" is the name of of the other show in the AquaDome.

"Starburst" is the name of the ice skating show in Absolute Zero skating arena.

And there will be one additional show in Absolute Zero, "Once Upon A Time".

Mr. Weir also talked about "Effectors", which is Royal Caribbean's own super hero produced show.  There's been two versions so far, and it appears a version may be headed to Icon as well.

Of course, we already knew that "Wizard of Oz" will be the featured musical on Icon of the Seas, and Mr. Weir indicated it would have a targeted runtime of around 90 minutes.

Destination elevators

Something else new on Icon will be destination elevators, instead of traditional elevators.

"You'll notice we don't have classic elevators on icon, we have destination elevators," said Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider.

"A destination elevator is I go to a panel. I tell you where I want to go. It tells you what elevator you should go to, and then I go to it."

Mr. Schneider said the impetus to go with destination elevators has three reasons.

The first is elevators go through their own historical innovation and evolution.

The second is the company is well-aware of the issue with waits for elevators, "even with the elevators that we have on the Oasis Class, we still can struggle with lines. And you see those comments as much as we do."

Third, Icon has more passengers than any other ship, "so really being able to effectively move up to 7500 passengers seamlessly and solve for some of the problems that we've seen from our elevator technology on other ships, this is a big step forward."

AquaDome panels

The fact the AquaTheater is now indoors is more than just a roof.  

Above the theater there are panels that move and can be projected upon. This adds a new dimension to the story telling of the show.

In addition, the fountains at the base of the theater will use lights and water to be part of the set, rather a showpiece.

Great storage in cabins

We were able to tour two types of cabins that are still being constructed, but it was clear early on there will be plenty of places to store your belongings.

Royal Caribbean's ships have been steadily increasing storage space in their cabins for years, and Icon will be no different.

Cruise ships built more than 10 years ago had very limited storage space, but that's changed in recent years.

We saw a lot of extra spots to put your stuff, including shelves behind a full length mirror.

Speaking of cabins, the old style "tube" showers have been replaced with more contemporary shower doors that swing out.  There's even a seat now in the showers.

Supper Club

Royal Caribbean wouldn't confirm it, but we're pretty sure we spotted a new dining venue.

Our tour visited an unnamed venue that the cruise line said they'd reveal more details in the coming weeks.

Based on the ceiling, it looks like it could be the Supper Club.

Pool chairs that face both ways

One interesting anecdote about the pool loungers on Icon is that they can be adjust to face in either direction.

The advantage of this feature is you can always face the sun without having to lift and swivel the lounger.

Food trend

One food trend Royal Caribbean wants to jump on with Icon of the Seas is birria sandwiches.

Royal Caribbean is testing out a mushroom birria sandwich for Pearl Cafe. It may not end up on the final menu, but it's an idea they're testing out.

Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, said the food trend is an interesting food trend they're playing with at the moment.

Crew member interest has been overwhelmingly good

The new ship has already drawn a great deal of interest from crew members that want to transfer to Icon once she launches.

New cruise ships come with many challenges, but some crew members love the opportunity to help "break in" a new ship.

Part of that interest with Icon may lie with the redesigned crew areas.

Royal Caribbean brought in a team of crew members to check out the crew cabins and crew areas of Icon, and they hated it.  As a result, Royal Caribbean reworked the crew spaces with a team of crew members that provided helpful insight.

The end result is a much better received design for crew areas.

An experience not yet announced for the AquaDome

Royal Caribbean is far from done with announcing everything for Icon of the Seas, including something else to see/do in the AquaDome.

During our tour, it was alluded to that there would be more to enjoy in the AquaDome beyond what has already been announced.

The vague tease infers we should expect another announcement down the line.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas is still many months away from setting sail with passengers, but we have an early look at the progress being made onboard.

At the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, Royal Caribbean showed an early look at its next-gen cruise ship. The line is excited for Icon to launch, and so is the public.  Sales for Icon bookings well before the ship begins operations have broken all sorts of sales records already.

Estimated to be 82% complete, Icon of the Seas will become the world's largest cruise ship when it launches.  She promises to offer a number of new innovations and activities that aim to rival any other family vacation destination.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley called the new ship "mind blowing", "I think everything about Icon is just unbelievable. We're positioning this product as the ultimate family vacation."

"We think it's going to be the best family vacation in the world and all of the energy and time that's gone into creating this ship is just mind blowing."

There's still plenty of work to do, as an estimated 2 million working hours are left to be completed.

If the ship doesn't look as far along as you might be lead to believe, it's because the final work is when they make it ready for guests. When the ship is at 90%, the panels and finishings get added and that makes it look far more "complete" to a guest.

Seeing the space gave a great perspective on the scale of the ship and general feel for the layout, which is difficult to ascertain from concept art or deck plans.

The cruise line expects sea trials to begin before summer.

We took a hard hat tour of the ship, walking through all of the ship's neighborhoods to get a sense of what looks like now, and what guests can expect once the vessel is ready.

Walking onboard

Guests will walk onboard the ship and enter the 1400. Royal Caribbean wanted to design an entrance that wasn't just a gangway leading to a random area of the ship. Instead, they designed a true embarkation experience.

The 1400 name is an homage to the build number of the ship, and it features plenty of windows to see the ocean when the gangway is not present.

Royal Promenade

Just like many other Royal Caribbean ships, Icon of the Seas will have a Royal Promenade. Unlike other ships, the Promenade is a complete loop, meaning it has no beginning or end. This means guests will not have to walk up and down stairs to get from one side of the Promenade to another if the destinations are on separate decks.

The Royal Promenade will have restaurants, bars, and shopping opportunities and be two decks high.

The Royal Promenade is a fan-favorite that has been around since Voyager of the Seas. On Icon of the Seas, the neighborhood is going to be redesigned and have windows to allow natural sunlight, something that the cruise line has yet to do here!

Many staples will be found here, including Sorrento’s, Starbucks, the Karaoke Bar, and pub. It will continue to be a center for excitement during all hours of the day. 

The Pearl

It's still not clear what Royal Caribbean has planned for the Pearl, but we got a preview of what it will be by walking through it.

The Pearl leads from deck 5 to deck 6, and it has specially designed walls that can change color and even move, along with music being played.

While inside, we heard the Perfect Day at CocoCay theme song as a demo of what they have in mind.  Royal Caribbean isn't prepared to discuss what guests can expect in the Pearl, but it's more than just a pretty space.

A fun fact about The Pearl is it also serves as a weight bearing device to physically support the weight of Central Park above it. For such a large ship, Royal Caribbean wanted to create a more innovative way to bear the ship's weight. Instead of adding generic columns, they created something that has never been seen on a cruise ship before, and it's undoubtedly impressive.

Pearl Cafe

As you walk through The Pearl from the Royal Promenade, you'll enter Pearl Cafe, a casual, complimentary grab-and-go coffee shop style venue.

The cafe is located in front of the giant, 36x95 foot window found on Icon of the Seas, so amazing ocean views are sure to be in abundance at this venue. Comfortable seating and dining areas are located near the cafe, allowing guests to take in the ocean views with their coffee and snacks.

Boleros

While Icon of the Seas will have plenty of new innovations, it will still have fan favorites, such as Boleros.

Boleros is the latin themed bar found onboard most Royal Caribbean cruise ships, and it's where you'll find live music each day of the sailing. From salsa to merengue and samba, it's a popular spot for dancing on the Royal Promenade.

Like on other ships, Boleros will be located on the Royal Promenade on Icon of the Seas. The bar's convenient location makes it an easy place to stop by for a quick drink, whether a classic mojito or margarita.

Surfside

Perhaps the crown jewel in Icon's family-centric design is the first neighborhood dedicated to young families.

Royal Caribbean wants Surfside to be a place for kids and parents to enjoy the space together, rather than something just for kids exclusively. 

The new area will have a carousel, pools, Splashaway Bay aqua park and eateries that cater to children and their parents.

There's even a bar where kids and adults have different choices. Once again, Royal wants families to be able to spend time together.

You'll be able to access Surfside by stairs or slide (the slide is meant for younger kids to quickly venture down), leading to all the options in this area.

There will also be cabins that face into Surfside, including the Surfside Family View Balcony and Surfside Family Suite.

Cabins

We got a sneak peek at two different cabin types coming to Icon of the Seas.

The first type of cabin we saw was the Surfside Suite.

The Surfside suite can accommodate up to 4 guests (2 adults and 2 kids) and measures 269 square feet, with a 53 square foot balcony.

The other suite we saw was the Infinite Family Balcony.

The room can be expanded with neighboring rooms. Being able to accommodate more larger families is a common theme, as over 70% of cabins on Icon of the Seas can handle 3 or more guests.  That's 60% more rooms than on Wonder of the Seas.

One neat feature of the room is a movable desk, so it can be used both as a desk or a dining table.

Central Park

One of the most impressive areas of Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships, Central Park, will be included on Icon of the Seas.

The park has living plants that create a beautiful landscape in the middle of a cruise ship.  

 Lou’s Jazz and Blues will be a live jazz club with both indoor and outdoor seating, a staple of nearly every Central Park venue. There will also be Bubbles, a walkup champagne bar window. 

In terms of accommodations, Royal Caribbean has introduced the Infinite Central Park Balcony, which brings the balcony portion of the cabin into the living area. With the push of a button, you can control whether the window – balcony – at the end of the room is raised or lowered. 

Mystery dining venue

Royal Caribbean took us to a yet unnamed dining venue that they wanted to tease.

The only detail provided was it is dining related.

Based on the ceiling, I think it could end up being the Supper Club, which was leaked in December.

AquaDome

Guests who love the Oasis Class’ AquaTheatre will find the 363-ton AquaDome to be even more impressive.

The multipurpose space will host shows that feature aerialists, acrobatics, high dives, and the tallest waterfall at sea at 55 feet tall.

This was the most fleshed out venue we saw, and the size and height of the AquaDome is really impressive.

The space will offer 220-degree views through massive floor-to-ceiling windows and will be home to The Overlook. This elevated lounge will be perched on top of the bridge and feature laidback pods for those who want to get together on a more intimate level, whether that is to enjoy each other’s company over a drink or play a card game or two. 

We also toured The Overlook area in front of the AquaDome.

During our tour, Royal Caribbean Vice President of Entertainment Nick Weir, provided details on the shows that will be performed onboard in the AquaDome, ice skating rink, and Royal Theater.

AquaTheater show: Aqua Action!

Starburst ice skating show

Chill Island

Next on the tour was the outer decks, starting with Chill Island.

Chill Island is going to completely redefine the cruise ship pool deck. The three-deck pool area will have the largest pool at sea, Royal Bay Pool, as well as the first swim-up bar at sea called Swim & Tonic.

On the port side of the ship, guests will find the Cove Pool, an infinity pool that faces the ocean and will have in-water lounge chairs, and Cloud 17, the adults-only retreat for guests 16+ that is replacing the well-known Solarium.

It will have a dedicated Lime & Coconut Bar. 

Thrill Island

Water slides were being actively installed for the Category 6 water park, which is the center piece of the new neighborhood.

Thrill Island is one of five brand-new neighborhoods that will debut on Icon of the Seas. This neighborhood is for the ultimate thrill seekers and will be home to the record-breaking complimentary Category 6 water park.

All six water slides are either the “first” or “longest” slide at sea. The Frightening Bolt, for instance, will be the tallest drop slide at sea, while Hurricane Hunger will be the first family raft slide at sea. 

Other thrills include a FlowRider surf simulator; Sports Court; Adrenaline Peak, the ultimate rock-climbing wall; a reimagined mini-golf course that is themed around a lost island; and Crown’s Edge, which is part skywalk, part ropes course, and part thrill ride.

As you make your way over the edge of the ship, you will have to be prepared for the floor to retract and send you soaring over the sea. 

Suite deck

The final area we toured is the new Suite Neighborhood.

The Suite Neighborhood first debuted on Wonder of the Seas. With three decks of dedicated space available only to those staying in the Royal Suite Class, this will be their largest Suite neighborhood yet!

Guests will find a sun deck and exclusive Coastal Kitchen restaurant, as well as a brand-new restaurant called The Grove, which will serve up Mediterranean cuisine. 

Icon of the Seas won't begin sailing until January 2024, but she's already a home run for the cruise line.

Icon of the Seas is better booked than any other ship launch, and Royal Caribbean is "getting exceptional demand with bookings well surpassing previous records," is what Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty said during the company's earnings call with Wall Street analysts earlier today.

"Despite being on sale for only five months, Icon is significantly more booked for her inaugural season at materially higher rates than any other Royal Caribbean ship launch."

The new cruise ship is still almost 8 months away from its first sailing (the first cruise is in January 2024), but it's booking up at a pace never before seen and at even higher prices.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked about this fact, "Icon is literally the best performing new product launch we've ever had in the history of our business, and we're delighted with volume and rate and that really is a full 24 product."

"I know it's a brand new product and it's stunning, but it's really driving a huge amount of demand and great rate."

Royal Caribbean's first quarter results were so good, that the company had to re-adjust its full year expectations because business is booming right now.  

Truist analysts Patrick Scholes and Gregory Miller said, "This was the best quarterly cruise result vs. expectations we have seen in many years."

New class of ship leading big demand

The results are clear: a lot of people are excited to sail on Icon of the Seas.

At 250,600 tons, she will take the title of the biggest cruise ship ever built and that size is good news for Royal Caribbean's bottom line.

Once finished, she will have two more passenger decks than the current biggest ship in the world, Wonder of the Seas.

Icon will also be about 10 feet longer than Wonder, coming in at 1,198 feet long.

"Our normalized load factor will we will begin to rise," Mr. Liberty explained. "And that's really leading with with icon coming on, which will have a higher load factor profile."

What Mr. Liberty means is Icon can handle more passengers too. 

The maximum capacity for Icon will be 7,600, about 7% higher than Wonder of the Seas' maximum capacity of 7,084 passengers.

Icon of the Seas was announced as a new kind of cruise ship back in 2016. She is under construction in Finland, and will be the first new class of Royal Caribbean cruise ship in almost a decade.

Not only is she big, but Royal Caribbean is loading her up with all sorts of new offerings that has clearly resonated with consumers.

The ship will have new types of cabins, a water park, new neighborhoods, and plenty of activities inbetween.  

One big focus of the ship is the family cruise market, which the cruise line is actively targeting.

Icon of the Seas will have a dedicated neighborhood for families, known as Surfside.  Surfside is aimed at competing with the Orlando family vacation market.

In 2022, Mr. Bayley talked about how Icon will offer something more intriguing to families that might otherwise consider a Florida land vacation, "The Icon product, along with Perfect Day, with the kind of experiences that we're offering, with the kind of new accommodations that we have on Icon and the experiences that we have for young families, older families and of course couples and singles and what have you, is really squarely standing shoulder to shoulder with Orlando and those kind of destinations."

"We're really focusing on this target market, which is family and of course has many new neighborhoods, including a neighborhood called Surfside, which is absolutely focused on young families and those young families with children six and under travel all year round, because obviously parents can pull their kids out of pre-K."

Mr. Liberty echoed that goal in his comments today, "With Icon, we set out to create the ultimate vacation for thrill seekers, the chill enthusiasts, and everyone in between without compromise."

The first sailing of Icon of the Seas, a seven-night voyage out of Miami to the Eastern Caribbean, is scheduled for January 27, 2024.

The ship will sail year-round out of Miami in 2024, alternating between Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean itineraries, with four different routings available for departures between January 2024 and April 2025.