Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas are the two biggest cruise ships in the world, and they are the newest cruise ships for Royal Caribbean.
Both cruise ships offer the latest and greatest Royal Caribbean features, like waterparks, ice skating spectacles, escape rooms, destination elevators, and more. Royal Caribbean classics like the Royal Promenade, FlowRider, and Windjammer are also found onboard these ships.
While Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas have a lot in common, there are some key differences between these two mega ships that prospective cruisers should know.
Let’s take a look at how Icon of the Seas compares to Utopia of the Seas.
Overview of cruise ships
Icon of the Seas is the first ship in the Icon Class while Utopia of the Seas is the sixth Oasis Class ship.
Cruisers who have been on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships will find that Utopia of the Seas is very similar in terms of layout, design, and offerings. In contrast, Icon of the Seas is a completely new and different cruise ship since it is the first in its class.
Both of these cruise ships debuted in 2024. The inaugural sailing of Icon of the Seas was on January 27, 2024, from Miami, Florida. This 7-night cruise visited Perfect Day at CocoCay, St. Thomas, and St. Kitts. Utopia of the Seas’ first sailing was on July 19, 2024, from Port Canaveral, Florida. During the 3-night voyage, guests visited Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau.
As the biggest cruise ship in the world, Icon of the Seas can hold 5,610 guests at double occupancy, as well as 2,350 crew members. In fact, Icon of the Seas can carry 7,600 passengers at maximum occupancy! Utopia of the Seas can hold 5,668 guests at double occupancy and 2,290 crew members.
As far as other specs, Icon of the Seas is heavier, longer, and taller than Utopia of the Seas. On the other hand, Utopia of the Seas is wider than Icon of the Seas.
Here are more stats for each cruise ship:
Read more: Royal Caribbean ship classes ultimate guide
Neighborhoods
Both Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas are split into eight distinct neighborhoods. These cruise ships are so big that they need to be broken down into neighborhoods to help passengers navigate them.
Utopia of the Seas has the same neighborhoods as Wonder of the Seas, the third newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship and the third biggest ship in the world. All the other Oasis Class ships (Oasis, Allure, Harmony, and Symphony) have seven neighborhoods because there is no Suite Neighborhood.
Icon of the Seas has new neighborhoods that are not found on other Royal Caribbean ships, including Surfside, AquaDome, Chill Island, Thrill Island, and The Hideaway.
Here are the neighborhoods on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas:
Dining and bars
All Royal Caribbean ships have The Main Dining Room and Windjammer buffet, but Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas have so many other options to choose from, including never-before-seen venues. With over 20 places to eat on both cruise ships, you will not go hungry during your vacation!
Restaurants that can only be found on Icon of the Seas include:
- AquaDome Market
- Basecamp
- Pearl Cafe
- Surfside Eatery
- Surfside Bites
- Empire Supper Club
- Celebration Table
- Pier 7
- The Grove (for suite guests)
Venues that can only be found on Utopia of the Seas include:
- Royal Railway - Utopia Station
- The Spare Tire
Utopia of the Seas features a new two-story Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar with a terrace that overlooks The Boardwalk neighborhood. Also, Utopia is the first Oasis Class ship to have Izumi in the Park (Icon of the Seas was the first ship to have Izumi in the Park on any Royal Caribbean ship).
Icon of the Seas’ Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar is the first to be located in the Royal Promenade.
Cruisers will find a variety of complimentary dining venues and specialty restaurants on both ships. It’s possible to cruise on Icon and Utopia and not spend an extra dime on food because there are seemingly endless options. But, visiting one of the specialty restaurants onboard is sure to be a treat with higher-quality food and ambiance.
Here is a full list of the restaurants and casual dining spots you can find on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas:
Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas share a number of bars, like the Schooner Bar, Playmakers Sports Bar, and Boleros. However, Icon of the Seas has more unique bars while Utopia of the Seas has almost all of the bars that the other Oasis Class ships have.
Bars that can only be found on Icon of the Seas include:
- 1400 Lobby Bar
- Bubbles
- Dueling Pianos
- Hideaway Bar
- Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues
- Rye & Bean
- Swim & Tonic
- The Lemon Post
- The Overlook
Pesky Parrot is a bar that is unique to Utopia of the Seas. Similar to The Bamboo Room on Mariner of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas, the Pesky Parrot is a tiki bar that serves fruity cocktails in a tropical setting. This bar replaced the Bionic Bar.
Here’s a list of every bar found on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas:
Read more: Icon of the Seas vs other Royal Caribbean cruise ships
Entertainment and activities
Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas have dazzling entertainment options for guests to enjoy in the Royal Theater, AquaTheater, and Studio B.
Utopia of the Seas has an outdoor AquaTheater while Icon of the Seas has an indoor one (the first on any Royal Caribbean ship). Here, Utopia of the Seas has a show called Aqua80Too, which is a sequel to Oasis of the Seas’ Aqua80 show. On Icon of the Seas, there’s a show called Aqua Action! There is supposed to be another show on Icon called Pirates vs Mermaids, but it hasn’t premiered yet as of mid-2024.
Both ships have an ice skating rink onboard with different names - Icon’s is called Absolute Zero while Utopia’s is called Studio B. In addition to open ice skating, there are shows guests can attend during the cruise. On Icon of the Seas, there are two shows called Starburst: Elemental Beauty and Once Upon a Time: A King’s Royal Ball. The latter is a show meant for families with kids. On Utopia of the Seas, the ice skating show is called Youtopia!
Lastly, there are various shows held in the Royal Theater on most nights of the cruise. Icon of the Seas has a few featured productions, including The Wizard of Oz, The Effectors: The Origin Story, and Showband. Utopia of the Seas has one production show called All In!
Both cruise ships also have adult comedy shows in The Attic. Be sure to make reservations for these shows as soon as they open because the venues are small with limited seating.
Other activities you can find on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas include:
Cabins and suites
Although Icon of the Seas is the biggest cruise ship in the world, she actually has fewer staterooms than Utopia of the Seas. Utopia of the Seas has a total of 2,834 staterooms while Icon of the Seas has 2,805.
Here’s a breakdown:
Icon of the Seas is the first ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet to have infinite balconies, which are essentially verandas. Don’t worry, Icon of the Seas also has traditional oceanview balconies.
Since Icon of the Seas is a cruise ship meant for families, there are many new stateroom options, like the Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony and Surfside Family View Balcony, that can accommodate three to four people.
Utopia of the Seas features two Solarium Suites at the front of the ship above the bridge wings. These suites are only found on Utopia.
Both ships offer Royal Suite Class cabins. This includes Sea, Sky, and Star class suites with varying levels of perks. For those booked in a suite, a Suite Neighborhood will be available. This neighborhood includes a Suite Sun Deck, Coastal Kitchen, and Suite Lounge.
In addition, The Grove, a Mediterranean restaurant only on Icon of the Seas, is available for Sky and Star class guests.
Itineraries and pricing
Perhaps the biggest difference between Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas is its itinerary offerings.
Icon of the Seas is marketed as “The Icon of Vacations.” This cruise ship is heavily geared towards families because of the tremendous amount of activities and entertainment onboard. Cruisers can select from various 7-night options that leave from Miami, Florida, and visit the Western and Eastern Caribbean.
Western Caribbean sailings visit Mexico (Cozumel and Costa Maya) and Roatan, Honduras. Eastern Caribbean sailings visit a combination of St. Maarten, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Puerto Rico, Labadee, and the Dominican Republic.
Every sailing on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas visits Perfect Day at CocoCay.
On the other hand, Utopia of the Seas is marked as “The World’s Biggest Weekend.” A first for an Oasis Class cruise ship, Utopia only offers 3 and 4-night sailings from Port Canaveral, Florida. These sailings visit Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau or Cozumel. Some sailings only visit CocoCay.
Utopia of the Seas is being marketed towards first-time cruisers who want to experience a cruise for a short period of time on a ship with the best of the best Royal Caribbean features. However, if you are a seasoned cruiser and want to spend more time onboard the newest Royal Caribbean ship, you could book a back-to-back sailing that combined would be a week-long trip.
Both of these new ships are considered to be destinations in and of themselves. Icon of the Seas offers more exotic itinerary options compared to Utopia of the Seas because Utopia’s sailings are shorter than Icon’s.
Now let’s compare pricing on both of these cruise ships. I will compare pricing on both ships for three sailings in July 2025. I looked at the cheapest price for an interior cabin, oceanview cabin, and balcony cabin. I calculated the average price per person per day based on the stateroom category.
Based on the data I collected from the Royal Caribbean website, it is easy to see that on average, Icon of the Seas is more expensive than Utopia of the Seas. This makes sense for a few reasons.
Icon of the Seas is the first of its kind. It is the biggest cruise ship in the world, and demand is high because people want to experience this massive, record-breaking ship for themselves. In contrast, Utopia of the Seas is nearly identical to her sister ships in the Oasis Class. There isn’t a ton of new things to see on this ship.
Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, even commented that Icon of the Seas is the most successful new ship that Royal Caribbean has ever launched. The hype is real for Icon!
Based on the data, a 3-night cruise on Utopia of the Seas will have a more expensive nightly cost per guest compared to the 4-night itinerary. However, paying for a 3-night cruise could still be cheaper overall than a 4-night cruise because the itinerary is shorter.
I also found that sailing on Icon of the Seas for seven nights in a balcony cabin was on average $500 more per person than spending seven nights on Utopia of the Seas (on a back-to-back sailing) in a balcony.
If you're looking to sail on a newer Royal Caribbean ship for a smaller price tag, Utopia of the Seas, or even Wonder of the Seas, is the way to go. You will definitely have an awesome vacation on either of these Oasis Class ships. But if you want to sail on the most “iconic” Royal Caribbean cruise ship, you will have to pay a pretty penny.
