The two newest ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet are Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas. Both ships make an excellent vacation choice, but how do they compare to one another?
The most obvious difference between these two ships is that they belong to two different ship classes. All Royal Caribbean cruise ships belong to one of seven classes of ships, each of which has a varied layout and diverse onboard offerings.
Icon of the Seas is the first ship in the Icon Class, whereas Wonder of the Seas is the sixth Oasis Class ship. While the two ships share many similarities, including water slides, an ice-skating rink, and modern accommodations, there are quite a few ways in which the vessels differ from one another.
Let’s take a look at Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas to see how these ships compare.
Ship Size
Icon of the Seas is currently the largest cruise ship in the world. She took the record away from Wonder of the Seas, who had held the title for around two years. Icon of the Seas is not drastically larger than Oasis Class ships, but the extra space onboard provides even more room for activities and amenities.
Here’s how these two vessels size up:
Dining & Bars
Food is an integral part to any cruise vacation, and rest assured, you won’t go hungry on either vessel. Both Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas have over a dozen dining venues—both complimentary and specialty.
While the two ships share several restaurants, including the Main Dining Room and Sorrento’s Pizza, they each offer different options, too.
Here are the restaurants found on Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas:
Many of the dining venues found on both ships are tried and true favorites, such as Chops Grille and Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen. Others, however, offer unique dining experiences, like the whimsical-themed Wonderland on Wonder of the Seas or food hall concept at Icon's AquaDome Market.
Icon of the Seas saw the addition of over a dozen new dining venues, including Celebration Table, a private dining experience available to book for special occasions with friends and family.
Related: Icon of the Seas restaurant and dining guide
Needless to say, whether or not you plan to dine at only complimentary restaurants or splurge on specialty dining, you’ll find more than enough food to try on either ship.
Additionally, Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas have no shortage of bars and lounges. From sipping a cocktail on the pool deck to enjoying a glass of wine before a show, it’s convenient to find a drink anywhere onboard.
Here are the bar and lounge venues found on Icon and Wonder of the Seas:
Pool Deck
The upper decks of both Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas are filled with pool spaces and onboard thrills, along with a selection of dining and bar venues. You can’t go wrong with spending a day on the pool deck on either ship, but there are a few differences between the two to be aware of.
First, Icon of the Seas’ pool deck is three decks high, and it features four pools, including the largest pool at sea, the Royal Bay pool, along with Swim & Tonic, the first swim-up bar at sea. In addition, there are two infinity pools—Cloud 17 and The Cove pool—which provide unmatched views of the ocean.
Wonder of the Seas has three main pools along with Splashaway Bay, an aqua park for kids, but you will not find infinity pools or a swim-up bar on the ship.
Related: 6 things to know before you book Wonder of the Seas
One of the major differences between Icon and Wonder is the adults-only pool area. On Wonder of the Seas is a traditional adults-only Solarium, which is fully enclosed, climate-controlled, and located in the front of the ship.
Icon of the Seas does not have a Solarium. Instead, you’ll find The Hideaway, an adults-only pool neighborhood inspired by Las Vegas pool parties.
While the area is fully outdoors and lacks shade, it is, undoubtedly, a trendy spot to hangout.
As far as activities, both ships have water slides, a sports court, and mini golf course on the upper decks. Wonder of the Seas, however, only has three water slides, whereas Icon of the Seas has six slides at the Category 6 Waterpark, which is complimentary to all guests.
Icon of the Seas also features Crown’s Edge, an obstacle course and zip line attraction, whereas Wonder of the Seas has the Ultimate Abyss, a dry-slide reaching speeds of nine miles per hour.
Regardless of which ship you choose, either will provide ample opportunities to enjoy some time in the sun.
Central Park
One of the most popular neighborhoods on Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas is Central Park, an open-air park in the middle of the vessels. With lush greenery, shops, restaurants, and bars, it’s no surprise this area is a hit with guests onboard.
However, there are a few key differences between Central Park on the two ships.
Both ships have several specialty restaurants within the park, with Wonder of the Seas offering steaks at Chops Grille, upscale cuisine at 150 Central Park, and Italian delights at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar.
Icon of the Seas also has Chops Grille in Central Park, but Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen is found in the Royal Promenade instead. In its place is Izumi in the Park, the first-ever Izumi Sushi and Hibachi location in Central Park.
Not only does Izumi in the Park feature indoor seating for both sushi and teppanyaki, but the restaurant also offers a walk-up window where guests can purchase grab-and-go sushi, gyoza, and other Japanese favorites.
Related: Izumi in the Park review on Icon of the Seas
And while guests won’t find the fan-favorite 150 Central Park on Icon of the Seas, they can enjoy an 8-course meal at the nearby Empire Supper Club instead, which includes live jazz music.
In terms of bars, guests will love the new Lou’s Jazz n’ Blues venue on Icon of the Seas, which offers live soul and jazz tunes each evening in a classy setting. Wonder of the Seas does not have a jazz bar; instead, guests will find Giovanni’s Wine Bar in its place. While this bar does not feature live music, musicians may occasionally perform in the park during the evening.
Trellis Bar, another bar within the park, also differs between the two ships. The bar has far more seating on Icon of the Seas compared to Wonder of the Seas, and it also has its own food menu, although these dishes come with an extra cost.
Despite these differences, the overall ambiance of Central Park on either ship remains similar. The park provides a quiet escape away from the hustle and bustle elsewhere onboard, whether you're enjoying a relaxed lunch at Park Cafe or simply taking a stroll through the trees.
Surfside vs The Boardwalk
In addition to Central Park, you’ll find another open-air neighborhood at the aft of both Icon and Wonder of the Seas. This area is referred to as the Surfside neighborhood on Icon of the Seas and The Boardwalk on Wonder of the Seas.
While these neighborhoods may look similar at first glance, they could not be more different from one another. Both neighborhoods are family-focused, but Icon of the Seas takes this focus up a notch.
On Wonder of the Seas, The Boardwalk caters to all ages. Sure, kids will love the neighborhood’s carousel, arcade, rock climbing wall, Johnny Rockets location, and candy store, but adults will appreciate Playmakers Sports Bar and the AquaTheater entertainment venue.
On Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean wanted to make Surfside the ultimate destination for families, rather than just a place for families to stop by throughout the day.
Related: Icon of the Seas Surfside neighborhood: What to expect
New kid-friendly complimentary dining venues were added—Surfside Eatery and Surfside Bites—along with the new specialty restaurant Pier 7, where kids under 12 eat for free. Additionally, the neighborhood features Splashaway Bay and an aft-facing infinity pool, along with The Lemon Post, a new bar with mommy-and-me cocktails and mocktails.
Not only that, but Surfside is located just above Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Ocean kids programming center, which helps keep most family-focused areas in one place.
Royal Promenade
The Royal Promenade is the hub of any Royal Caribbean ship. It has dozens of areas to explore, from restaurants to retail stores, lounges, and cafes. It’s an area most guests frequent every day of the cruise. While Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas both have a Royal Promenade, there are a few differences between the two.
Icon’s Royal Promenade is more expansive than Wonder’s, as it fully wraps around two decks. On Wonder of the Seas, guests can only walk the entire length of the promenade on one deck. This leads to more congestion as passengers go from Point A to Point B onboard.
Another difference is The Pearl. It’s hard to miss the massive, shining structure—known as The Pearl—upon boarding Icon of the Seas. The Pearl is at the forefront of the ship’s Royal Promenade, functioning not only as a structural component of the ship, but also to provide that "WOW!" factor.
Near The Pearl is Pearl Café, Icon’s coffee shop, which is a major upgrade from Cafe Promenade found on Wonder of the Seas. Pearl Café features a greater variety of snack options compared to the latter, and it also offers specialty coffee beverages and beautiful ocean views from the cafe’s 36-foot high windows.
Related: 8 things I love about Icon of the Seas (and 3 I didn't)
Both Royal Promenades feature popular bars including an English-style pub, Boleros Latin bar, and karaoke venue. Icon of the Seas has even more bars, though, including the new Dueling Pianos Bar, where guests can watch live pianists, and the 1400 Lobby Bar.
Ocean views are more accessible in Icon of the Seas’ Royal Promenade as well. The neighborhood has a large amount of windows, whereas there are no ocean views from the area on Wonder.
Either ship’s Royal Promenade is sure to be a dynamic place to spend your evenings while cruising, whether you’re listening to live acoustic music at the pub, shopping for a new souvenir, or people-watching from one of the Promenade’s many seating areas.
Entertainment
Even though all Royal Caribbean ships offer impressive entertainment options, production shows on the fleet’s newest ships go above and beyond the rest. Both Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas offer spectacular entertainment choices—here are the differences to note.
Perhaps the most major entertainment difference between the two ships is the AquaTheater. Oasis Class ships, including Wonder of the Seas, are known for their outdoor AquaTheater, where guests can witness unique performances combining high diving, synchronized swimming, and acrobats paired with high-energy music.
On Icon of the Seas, the AquaTheater was moved indoors to the AquaDome, a multi-deck high dome placed atop the vessel. The AquaDome is also home to The Overlook, an indoor lounge with breathtaking ocean views, along with several dining venues and bars. At the forefront of the neighborhood, though, is the performance venue.
Both ships also have an ice-skating rink, with Absolute Zero found on Icon of the Seas and Studio B on Wonder of the Seas. Guests can enjoy performances from professional figure skaters on either ship, although the circular rink on Icon of the Seas is larger than the rectangular rink on Wonder of the Seas.
Another major difference is in the Royal Theater, as Icon of the Seas features a 90-minute Broadway production, The Wizard of Oz, while Wonder of the Seas does not. In lieu of a Broadway show, passengers on Wonder of the Seas can enjoy The Effectors II, a Royal Caribbean original production, along with Voices, an a capella group.
Aside from signature production shows, each ship boasts a wide array of other entertainment options, including comedy shows, game shows, and live bands.
These are the signature production shows on Wonder and Icon of the Seas:
Cabins
There are 28 categories of cabins to book on Icon of the Seas, ranging from the most basic interior cabin to lavish suites.
All things considered, the standard cabins on Icon of the Seas are similar to those on Wonder of the Seas. Every cabin includes a king-sized bed, private bathroom, chair or couch, desk/vanity, television, and storage space in closets and drawers.
Nonetheless, there are a few differences to note between the two ships.
First, Icon of the Seas has more cabins that can accommodate more than two guests. 82% of cabins on Icon of the Seas can accommodate three or more guests, which is ideal for such a family-focused ship.
This is why, while Wonder of the Seas technically has more cabins onboard, Icon of the Seas can accommodate more passengers at full capacity.
Secondly, there are more sub-categories of rooms within each category. Not only can you book an interior cabin on Icon, for instance, but you can book a Spacious Interior cabin, too, which offers a slightly different layout with additional storage space.
Likewise, infinite balcony cabins launched on the ship, which differ from a traditional balcony in that the balcony is part of your overall living space instead of a separate outdoor area. The goal of these balconies is to provide additional living space to guests while still having access to a private outdoor veranda.
For a deeper look into cabins onboard, check out the following cabin tours:
- Room tour: Icon of the Seas balcony cabin
- Room tour: Icon of the Seas Central Park infinite balcony cabin
- Room tour: Wonder of the Seas interior cabin
As another plus, Royal Caribbean introduced destination elevators with Icon of the Seas. These “smart” elevators get passengers to their destination more quickly. To use the elevators, guests press a button indicating the deck of their destination while they are still in the elevator lobby.
Passengers are then assigned an elevator with other passengers traveling to that deck, which is much more efficient than having several elevators stop at every floor.
Suite Experience
Both Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas are wonderful ship options for those booking a suite on Royal Caribbean. Not only does each vessel boast an array of suite categories, but both ships have a dedicated Suite Neighborhood exclusive to suite guests.
Everything from basic Junior Suites to multi-story, luxurious cabins are found on either ship. In total, there are 174 suites on Wonder of the Seas and 179 suites on Icon of the Seas. Icon of the Seas features more suite categories than Wonder, which include suites such as the Sunset Junior Suite and Icon Loft Suite.
Related: Guide to Icon of the Seas cabins and suites
The suite neighborhood on either ship has a pool, Coastal Kitchen restaurant, and Suite Lounge. Guests should note that Wonder of the Seas has a much larger Suite Lounge, though, and that Icon of the Seas has The Grove, a Mediterranean grab-and-go dining venue that is not found on Wonder.
Suite guests on both ships will enjoy the amenities of Royal Caribbean’s Royal Suite Class, which is broken into three tiers: Sea, Sky, and Star Class. Each tier comes with its own host of benefits, with the most exclusive Star Class offering benefits such as complimentary specialty dining and the services of a Royal Genie.
Bottom Line
Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas are, without a doubt, the cream of the crop in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Either vessel provides the best of the best that Royal Caribbean has to offer, including the newest restaurants, most modern staterooms, and state-of-the-art entertainment.
There is no wrong choice when deciding between the two ships for your cruise vacation; it all comes down to preference. Comparing the two ships’ entertainment offerings, dining venues, cabin categories, and, of course, price, will help you decide which to pick for your vacation.
It also helps to watch a ship tour of each vessel, which are found on our YouTube channel:
