At the heart of Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas remains one of its signature neighborhoods.
The Royal Promenade is a hub of activity and a place you'll probably spend a lot of time onboard the ship.
On Icon, the Royal Promenade has evolved with more space, light, and options.
You will find a combination of more than 15 new and reimagined restaurants, bars and lounges, and floor-to-ceiling ocean views, a first for Royal Caribbean.
Here's a sneak peak at the Promenade on Icon of the Seas.
Read more: Icon of the Seas guide
Two levels and views too
You'll notice two distinguishing factors to the Royal Promenade on Icon of the Seas when comparing this neighborhood to other ships.
First are the ocean views, something other ships never had.
Royal Caribbean sought to make the Royal Promenade more connected to the ocean. On Icon, the Royal Promenade has full glass views of the ocean for the first time ever.
The two-deck Royal Promenade makes getting around easier too.
This version of the Promenade has what Royal Caribbean calls "seamless connectivity" to make it easier to get around. This means you can easily get between Deck 5 and Deck 6 or head upstairs to Central Park on Deck 8.
Plus, there's an escalator from the Promenade to get you down to the casino and gangway on port days.
The Pearl
As guests walk aboard Icon of the Seas, they'll first be drawn to The Pearl, which Royal Caribbean calls an "arrival moment."
The Pearl is an interactive, multi-sensory experience made with kinetic tiles.
The Pearl encompasses four things:
- A gorgeous way to introduce the ship as you walk into it
- An engineering marvel
- It creates gorgeous views
- It has an experiential moment inside of it that's different for everyone.
Read more: First look at The Pearl on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas
Walking around the Royal Promenade
In touring the Royal Promenade, you'll find shopping, dining, and bars to keep you busy every day.
When you walk onto Icon of the Seas, you'll pass through the 1400 Lobby Bar.
Royal Caribbean intends for the 1400 Bar to be a focal point. It sets the stage for The Pearl, is adjacent to the escalators going down to the casino, and is at the heart of the ship.
Walking past the Pearl is Pearl Cafe, which is the next generation of Cafe Promenade.
Below the beautiful whale art sculpture is a new grab-and-go venue for elevated bistro food. Most of it is complimentary, but there are some extra-cost options in addition to the food included.
As an example, there will be Starbucks brewed beverages that you can order but are also covered by a Royal Caribbean drink package or Diamond drink voucher.
Something else that has evolved here are the drinks you can get on your own. The complimentary coffee and water station will look different from other ships.
Starbucks is located on one side of the 1400 bar.
The Point & Feather pub is on the other side of 1400 as you walk onto the ship.
NextCruise is where you can go to book a new Royal Caribbean cruise. It's also where the loyalty ambassador is located.
Something else new to any Royal Caribbean cruise ship is the destination elevators.
There are no classic elevators on Icon. Instead, it has destination elevators, where you go to a panel and pick which deck you want to go to.
It tells you what elevator you should go to instead of waiting for a free-for-all elevator that's crammed with passengers going to different places.
Near The Pearl is Royal Caribbean's well-known pizza shop, Sorrentos.
If you like singing along to your favorite songs, then Spotlight Karaoke is the spot for you.
Moving up to Deck 6 is the new Dueling Pianos bar.
This is Royal Caribbean's first double-pianist bar where the two performers take requests and involve guests in the musical fun.
Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar has been moved to the Royal Promenade on Icon. The menu will highlight Old World classics, such as veal meatballs.
Of course, no Royal Caribbean ship is complete without the Schooner Bar.
The nautical-themed bar is back on Icon, and it's on the upper level of the Royal Promenade.
There's also Boleros, which is the Latin music bar and another fan-favorite place for music and drinks.
The Attic is the comedy club venue onboard.
The loyalty lounge for top-tier Crown and Anchor Society members is located at the forward end of the Royal Promenade on Deck 6.
This is where Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club guests can go to enjoy a private enclave just for them.
Leading away from the Royal Promenade is where kids and their parents can seek refuge in Adventure Ocean, the teen club, and Playmakers sports bar.
And of course, there are places to shop around the Royal Promenade.
There are various shops that sell Royal Caribbean souvenirs, along with designer and name-brand clothing, jewelry, and accessories.
