There's only a few days left to experience the Sky Pad before Royal Caribbean retires it.

In an update to travel agents, Royal Caribbean announced it would replace the venue with an unnamed new activity.

Beginning March 31, 2023, Royal Caribbean will begin removing the trampoline experience.

It's not clear what will replace it, but it will become something else.

"Starting in April, the Sky Pad will retire the bungee Virtual Reality experience and become a new versatile venue for exciting onboard activities."

Royal Caribbean says  all of the activities hosted in the Sky Pad venue will continue to be complimentary and included in your cruise fare. This sounds like the large yellow sphere structure itself will not be removed (at least not immediately), but the trampolines will be likely taken away.

Royal Caribbean did not say why they are making the change.

The Sky Pad is a trampoline where guests put on a virtual reality visor to engage in a game as they jump. 

Once inside, participants bounce up and down on the trampolines with the aid of the bungee cords. As you jump on the trampoline, you jump in the game. 

Similar to the FlowRider surf simulator and sky diving simulator, it was meant to offer guests a gravity-defying fun top deck experience.

The first cruise ship to get the Sky Pad was Independence of the Seas during her Royal Amplification, and it spread to a few other ships.

The ships with a Sky Pad include:

• Independence of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas

In 2019, Royal Caribbean temporarily suspended Sky Pad on all ships as part of a safety review. It's unclear if that pause was related to a guest that was injured on the activity and sued Royal Caribbean.

While on Mariner of the Seas, the guest's harness snapped off and he fell to the deck.

What will replace the Sky Pad?

Royal Caribbean did not say what we can expect to find in the space going forward.

One thing is certain: whatever does go in the space will not have an additional cost and included in your cruise fare.

Royal Caribbean's signature activities

While the Sky Pad may be going away, there's still other great activities you can look forward to enjoying onboard.

Royal Caribbean is known for the array of onboard activities, including a few "I can't believe they put it on a cruise ship" offerings.

Miniature golf courses, surfing simulators and basketball courts are common on the biggest Royal Caribbean ships.

Rock wall

With varying difficulty levels, the rock wall is suitable for both kids and adults alike. 

Royal Caribbean makes sure your safety is paramount - that’s why we provide all the essential safety equipment including helmets, harnesses and shoes for every climber. All you need to bring are a pair of socks! 

Climbers must be at least 6 years old and complete a waiver prior to climbing. Best of all, it’s free and there’s no need to make advance reservations! 

The rock-climbing wall has been designed with both novice and experienced climbers in mind. For those looking to take their skills up a notch, there is advanced climbing sessions and speed-climbing competitions.  Royal Caribbean also hosts teen tournaments, which are a great way for young adventurers to explore their limits safely. 

Surf Simulator

Ready to catch that perfect wave? Royal Caribbean has you covered! With the incredible FlowRider surf simulator onboard some of their ships, you can experience the thrill of surfing in a controlled environment without ever having to leave the comfort and safety of your cruise ship. 

The FlowRider is a self-contained artificial surf area with an incredible 34,000 gallons per minute pumped in order to create realistic waves. Whether you’re looking to try boogie boarding or stand-up surfing, there’s something for everyone. 

Best of all, it’s open for free during scheduled periods during the day. Plus, if you want more than just free play time, private and group lessons are also available for an additional fee. 

But before you hop on board, be sure to check out the height requirements: 52 inches for boogie boarding and 58 inches for stand up surfing. 

Currently, the FlowRider is available on Quantum class, Oasis class, Freedom class and select Voyager class cruise ships. 

Zip Line

Ready to soar like an eagle?  Then you’re looking at the right attraction.  Oasis class ships boast a thrilling zip line that offers a bird’s eye view of the Boardwalk neighborhood.  This isn’t for the faint of heart; it stretches out a whopping 82 feet between two points and rises 9 decks high in the air. 

In order to participate, guests must be at least 52 inches tall and weigh no more than 275 pounds; children must also meet minimum weight requirements — 75 pounds or higher — for their own safety.  Plus, it’s free to use!  All you need is a signature on the waiver before boarding your flight. 

Carousel

Located in the Boardwalk of Oasis Class ships, this full-sized, traditional carousel was hand-crafted and designed with turn-of-the-century carousels as its basis - right down to the very last detail. The original artwork scenery panels on the rounding boards feature custom painted scenes that pay homage to seaside boardwalks of the past. 

But, this is more than just a stunning tribute - it’s also a lot of fun!  18 figures are suspended from stainless steel poles along with one ADA accessible chariot created from poplar wood. There are 11 traditional carousel horses, including one Royal Caribbean lead armored horse complete with the crown and anchor logo. 

Water slides

Royal Caribbean has a wide variety of water slides that can offer the perfect mix of thrills and relaxation.

If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush, they have some awesome speed and racing slides. There's also a spiral water slide on some ships that take you spiraling around each other until you reach the pool below.

Sky diving simulator

Are you looking for an unforgettable adventure while on your next cruise? Look no further than Ripcord by iFly! Located on board the ship, passengers can experience the thrilling sensation of skydiving without having to jump out of a plane. 

The complimentary flight starts with a short video tutorial teaching the basics of skydiving techniques. After that, all you have to do is change into the provided skydiving apparel and get ready for an action-packed one minute ride in the Ripcord by iFly wind tunnel! 

For those looking for an even more exciting experience, two minute rides are available at The North Star at a cost of just $49.99 per person. Advanced flying classes may also be offered onboard which comes with a separate fee. 

North Star

Onboard any of Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class ships, you'll find a unique experience that allows you to take in all the wonders of the sea from above. The North Star is a glass-enclosed observation pod that rises 300 feet above the deck of your ship, offering breathtaking 360° views of the horizon and beyond. 

The best part? During port visits, access to The North Star is completely free! You can book a time slot for yourself and up to three guests throughout most of the day. 

While at sea, each ride up The North Star comes with a cost of $29.99 per person, but it's well worth it for one-of-a-kind sights from up high. Soar above your cruise ship and take in stunning views that could only be made possible by this amazing feat of engineering! 

This was a busy week with Royal Caribbean news, and we have a summary of all of the news from this week to make certain you did not miss any of it.

One Royal Caribbean offer was indeed too good to be true.

After accidently posting a new VIP pass for sale on its site, the cruise line informed anyone that bought it that their purchase would be cancelled and money paid refunded.

The Premier Pass was on sale for about a day or so before the mistake was spotted.

Royal Caribbean delays Mariner of the Seas return

The scheduled dry dock work on Mariner of the Seas will require more time than Royal Caribbean anticipated.

Guests booked on the first sailing back received an email that the April 1, 2023 sailing has been cancelled.

Mariner of the Seas is currently in Cadiz, Spain undergoing dry dock for routine maintenance.

Royal Caribbean News

• Utopia of the Seas: Everything we know so far
• Tipping on a cruise ship: what you should and shouldn't do
• Is it a boat vs ship? What's the difference?
• 2023 Celebrity Cruises Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 491st episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, all about Royal Caribbean's plans for a beach club in Nassau.

Royal Caribbean will open a beach club in Nassau, Bahamas and here's what Matt thinks of what we know so far.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: 9 Common misconceptions about a Royal Caribbean cruise

{"preview_thumbnail":"/sites/default/files/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/hqYZwVCXd4Q.jpg?itok=91HgjBS_","video_url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqYZwVCXd4Q","settings":{"responsive":1,"width":"854","height":"480","autoplay":0},"settings_summary":["Embedded Video (Responsive)."]}

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — 9 Common misconceptions about a Royal Caribbean cruise — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean adding “Wizard of Oz” musical to Icon of the Seas

We now know which musical will be featured on Icon of the Seas when she launches next year.

Nick Weir, Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, posted on Twitter an announcement that The Wizard of Oz will be the show for Icon.

Royal Caribbean says the Wizard of Oz production is not the 2011 musical adaption by Andrew Lloyd Weber.

How does a cheap Celebrity cruise compare to Royal Caribbean?

What's it like to go on Celebrity Cruises for a cheap cruise versus Royal Caribbean?

Both cruise lines are owned by the same company, but the experiences do vary somewhat.

Allie tried a cheap 4-night cruise on Celebrity Silhouette and compared it to her cheap cruise on Mariner of the Seas.

What cruisers wish they knew before going on their first cruise

Hindsight is always 20/20, including going on a cruise ship.

We asked people on the internet for what they know now that they wish they knew before trying their first cruise.

From beating the chair hogs to asserting dominance in the elevator, here are our favorite answers.

Dorothy, the tin man, scarecrow, and cowardly lion are all headed to the high seas. 

Based on audition information posted by Royal Caribbean Entertainment, it looks like "The Wizard of Oz" musical will be the featured production show on the next new cruise ship for Royal Caribbean, Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean has not formally announced the entertainment for Icon of the Seas, but the Royal Caribbean Entertainment clearly states it is looking for performers to audition for The Wizard of Oz on Icon of the Seas.

One posting wrote, "Principals (Featured Singers) hired for WIZARD OF OZ (3-4 performances weekly) will also perform in an original Royal Caribbean Signature Production onboard the ICON of the Seas (3-4 performances weekly). Candidates must be available and willing to travel internationally aboard our ships."

In addition to the audition information, Nick Weir, Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, posted on Twitter an announcement that The Wizard of Oz will be the show for Icon.

The most iconic family story in the history of entertainment, on both the silver screen and on the world’s stages, is our next mega production!
Imagine THIS story, but with OUR creativity and OUR technology!

Buckle up Dorothy, this will be the greatest #YellowBrickRoad ever! 🟨 pic.twitter.com/HwNfgDgpKp

— Nick Weir (@NickWeirShowbiz) March 16, 2023

It's likely the show will be performed in Icon's main theater, as opposed to different venue.

About the musical

Royal Caribbean says the Wizard of Oz production is not the 2011 musical adaption by Andrew Lloyd Weber.

This will be the Royal Caribbean Productions version of the classic.

Coming in 2024

Icon of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship, and first of its kind.

The first in the Icon Class will launch in January 2024, and will have a gross tonnage of 250,800, making her the largest cruise ship in the world by gross tonnage.

The ship will be homeported from Miami and offer week-long Caribbean cruises.

Royal Caribbean will need a little more time to finish scheduled work on Mariner of the Seas.

Mariner of the Seas is currently in Cadiz, Spain undergoing dry dock for routine maintenance.

Guests booked on the first sailing back received an email today that the April 1, 2023 sailing has been cancelled.

"Mariner of the Seas is currently undergoing dry dock for routine maintenance and exciting, which will require some extra time for these upgrades to be completed."

"Regrettably, this means our April 1st, 2023 cruise has been cancelled. We know this news is disappointing and apologize for the impact to your clients' cruise."

It's not unheard of for a cruise following a ship's dry dock to be cancelled because of extra time needed at the dry dock.  While not common, it does happen from time to time.

Explorer of the Seas recently completed her dry dock work at the same ship yard last month and had no issues returning to service as scheduled.

Guests that were booked on that sailing have two choices:

Re-book any Royal Caribbean International sailing and receive a Future Cruise Credit.

Royal Caribbean will waive any non-refundable deposit change fees to change ship or sail date.

A Future Cruise Credit worth 50% of the original cruise fare paid to book a new cruise and sail by April 1st, 2024.

Reimbursement of up to $200 for non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation change fees incurred (such as a flight, train ticket, or rental car).

Cancel and refund.

A full refund of any paid portion of their cruise fare (including non-refundable deposits) and any pre-paid amenities to the original form of payment within 14 business days. 

A Future Cruise Credit worth 50% of the original cruise fare paid to book a new cruise and sail by April 1st, 2024.

Reimbursement of up to $200 for non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation change fees incurred (such as a flight, train ticket, or rental car).

What work is being done to Mariner of the Seas?

Mariner of the Seas is getting maintenance work done, and Royal Caribbean has not announced any changes to the ship.

Cruise ships go in for work about every 5 years, and it's an opportunity to keep them operating efficiently, as well as clean up and enhance public areas.

When dry docks do not entail major upgrades, such as the Royal Amplification program, the cruise line tends not to announce or highlight the work being done since it's not especially newsworthy.

Mariner of the Seas' Cruise Director, Marc Walker, shared photos of the work being done on Mariner of the Seas on his Facebook page.

Much of the work seems aesthetic in nature, focusing on public decks, pools, and venues.

The ship is also getting work done below the waterline, which includes repainting the hull and propellor maintenance.

One other minor note is the minor hull damage from when a ship accidently drifted into Mariner while in Freeport, Bahamas will be repaired.

Mariner's first sailing back now should be April 6, 2023.

It turns out the amazing deal Royal Caribbean has for a new VIP pass was indeed too good to be true. 

Over the weekend Royal Caribbean added a new package to its website that appeared to be a new extra cost pass. It included WiFi, exclusive tours and more at a bargain price.

Unfortunately, it was too good to be true. 

On Monday, Royal Caribbean sent guests an email to inform them that Premier Pass was a "system glitch" and was never intended to be put on sale in the first place.

Premier Pass listed all sorts of benefits, such as dinner with an officer, internet access, and more.

Royal Caribbean removed the Premier Pass option, cancelled all purchases, and will issue refunds.

In the email sent to guests that purchased Premier Pass, the cruise line admitted the benefits sound incredible, but are, " all things that would be operationally unsustainable" to actually offer.

Royal Caribbean International Assistant Vice President of Guest Experience, Aurora Yera-Rodriguez, wrote in the email, " In reading all of the social media threads – I’ve seen many guests mention that it was “way too good to be true”, and unfortunately, that’s the truth."

The email alludes to the fact so many people purchased the pass simply by way of word of mouth, which also made it impossible to carry through with.

Royal Caribbean is offering guests $50 USD Onboard Credit as a way of making up for the mistake.

Unfortunately, it looks like some people got more onboard credit than they should have received, because the system gave them $50 per person initially.

Anyone that spent the money immediately on a new purchase, received an email to inform them that the purchase they made was no longer paid in full and they needed to make up the difference.

"Just got the same email- now I OWE Royal $100!!," is what Carlyn3 posted after encountering the onboard credit error.

Cruise fan reactions

As soon as the emails went out, cruisers shared their thoughts on the mix-up.

On the Royal Caribbean message boards, there were plenty of comments on the cancellation.

Rakaia wrote, "Hey, $50 I didn't have before. I'll take it."

Montemy2419 posted, "Nice of them to give the gesture because if they didn't give a little something then the backlash would of been bad."

Wilson wrote, "This is a hot mess."

Shore excursion price mistake

Minutes after the email was sent about Premier Pass, another email went out to anyone that booked an Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark tour. 

There was a price mistake for this popular Bahamas shore excursion, and purchases will also be cancelled and refunded.

Just like the Premier Pass, anyone that booked the Aquaventure at the mistake price will receive $50 USD Onboard Credit.

Another glitch

This week's issues are not Royal Caribbean's first notable internet sale error.

The most notable one was in 2019 when Royal Caribbean's website listed the Deluxe Beverage Package for $18 per day, per person.

At the time, the drink package was usually listed for $40-50 per person, per day (it now costs significantly more than that).

Royal Caribbean went on to honor that pricing goof.

Happy weekend! We hope you remembered to Spring Forward! Here’s all the Royal Caribbean news this week!

Royal Caribbean has moved forward with its beach club in The Bahamas.

The Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island will now open sometime in 2025, following the cruise line receiving approval from The Bahamas to move forward with the project.

The 17-acre destination experience will offer "the ultimate beach day" as it will combine the island’s striking beaches with the cruise line’s signature experiences.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas Playable in Fortnite
• Royal Caribbean is looking for artists to feature their work on its newest cruise ship
• Why an Alaska cruise is worth it
• What’s New & Coming to Royal Caribbean in 2023, 2024 & 2025
• I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s newest and oldest cruise ships: here's what it's like to cruise on each
• Eating gluten free on Royal Caribbean cruise ships
• I cruised to a tiny town in Mexico you’ve probably never heard of, and it was the highlight of my cruise vacation

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 490th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, and shares why you might not want to book the cheapest cruise you can find.

It's tempting to find pick a cruise based purely on price, but there are a few reasons why you shouldn't.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: I spent $600 on cruise drink package & I think it was worth it!

{"preview_thumbnail":"/sites/default/files/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/qkQ1L3DaLhg.jpg?itok=EC_s4aUa","video_url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkQ1L3DaLhg","settings":{"responsive":1,"width":"854","height":"480","autoplay":0},"settings_summary":["Embedded Video (Responsive)."]}

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — I spent $600 on cruise drink package & I think it was worth it! — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Why I almost always stay in a cruise ship inside cabin

An inside cabin will cost less than a balcony or suite, and it often makes a lot of sense to go with these kinds of rooms.

Inside cabins definitely aren’t for everyone, but Jenna prefers to stay in them for the great savings they provide.

From a quieter cabin to a perfect night’s sleep, she'll never complain about cruising in a cozy inside room.

Beginner's guide to planning a cruise

From money saving advice to travel hacks to mistakes to avoid, here's our best advice on planning your first cruise.

Cruising is easier than it looks, but like any form of travel, there are lots of considerations and important do's and don'ts when it comes to doing it well. 

Our guide will provide you the perfect place to start planning a first cruise.

I just spent 11 nights on Celebrity Edge – did it live up to the hype?

Chantal spent 11-nights on Celebrity Edge to see what the fuss is all about this new class of ship.

Innovative, revolutionary, and bold are all words used to describe the first in the new class of ships from Celebrity Cruises.

Having never sailed on an Edge series ship, Chantal shares her thoughts on this kind of Celebrity cruise.

UPDATE MARCH 13: Royal Caribbean canceled and refunded any Premier Pass purchases.

UPDATE MARCH 12: It appears this package is a mistake and was never intended to be sold to Royal Caribbean guests.

On Sunday morning, Royal Caribbean's social media channels shared updates with guests that the package was mistakenly offered.

Thanks to Michael Poole for providing this screenshot.

---

If you want to get an all-in-one add-on for your Royal Caribbean cruise that includes a bunch of extras, there's a new option for you.

Royal Caribbean is now offering Premier Pass, which is a new priority access program.

Royal Caribbean's original add-on perks package, The Key, is still available, but Premier Pass offers a different set of amenities aimed at offering the, "newest and most innovative vacation package."

Purchasing Premier Pass gets you VIP access, internet access, and service amenities you might not otherwise get unless you stayed in a suite or had an upper echelon Crown and Anchor Society level.

Here's what's included with the Premier Pass:

• Welcome bottle of Veuve Clicquot
• Priority embarkation and debarkation
• Inside Access tour (two guests)
• Officer's lunch (two guests)
• Unlimited internet access (two devices)
• Captain's toast and photo
• Wine pairing with sommelier (two guests) - wine is complimentary
• Laundry service (one bag per stateroom)

Basically, it's a way to board the ship faster and get VIP treatment at select events.

This new package includes some perks of The Key, but excludes priority activity access. Instead, it has more experiences and tours as part of its deal.

"Introducing Premier Pass, our newest and most innovative vacation package for 2 guests. It offers a series of unique cruise experiences to elevate your vacation to the next luxurious level. Purchase the Premier Pass before you sail and enjoy VIP access to the ship, including priority boarding. You’ll have a bottle of Veuve Clicquot waiting in your stateroom when you arrive - just our way of saying Welcome aboard.

Your pass includes our most popular Inside Access Tour where you’ll discover the inner workings of the ship from the bridge to the engine room. Your pass also includes a meal with one of the ship’s officers, complete with a photo of you and the captain.

During your sailing, you’ll savor an exclusive food and wine pairing. Keep in touch with unlimited internet access for two devices. Look your best in every port with personal laundry service on board."

The new option is located under the "Packages" tab in the Cruise Planner, although I was only able to spot it for one of my upcoming cruises on Mariner of the Seas. RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Bob Rogers spotted it for his Allure of the Seas cruise, so it's possible it's only available on select ships so far.

The cost of the Premier Pass is advertised for both of our sailings at $88.99 and it covers two guests.

How can I buy the package?

You must purchase Premier Pass online before your cruise begins. 

After a cruise is booked, go to Royal Caribbean's site, log in to your account and click on "Cruise Planner." 

Why buy Premier Pass?

The appeal of any VIP package for a cruise is a way to enjoy added benefits without spending the money for a suite or having sufficient loyalty program points.

Buying Premier Pass gets you VIP benefits at a more affordable price, especially for new cruisers.

In short, the Premier Pass is all about getting exclusive benefits, if you value them. It's a way to feel like a VIP on your cruise, especially on embarkation and disembarkation day.

Like The Key, it's not essential to have, but it's certainly a nice add-on for those that want something special and wouldn't otherwise have similar benefits.

How is Premier Pass different than The Key?

It appears thus far, The Key and Premier Pass will both be offered, as both options were available on sailings I was able to see Premier Pass listed.

Having not tried Premier Pass yet, it seems based on the description they are some benefits that are similar with most not.

First and foremost, one Premier Pass purchase is for two people, whereas The Key has a per-person price.

Additionally, The Key must be purchased prior to sailing by each guest age 6 or older assigned to the same stateroom. There is no such requirement of Premier Pass.

The Key is priced per night of the cruise, whereas Premier Pass is a fixed price for the entire voyage.

Both passes include Internet access for the duration of the cruise. Both will get you on the ship faster with priority embarkation, as well as priority disembarkation.

Beyond that, the list of benefits diverge from each other.

What's included with The Key

• Priority access into the terminal (within booked arrival time) on Day 1.
• Carry-on bag drop off and delivery to stateroom. Drop-off your carry-on bags in the Main Dining Room until 1:30pm.
• Private time at onboard activities including Rock Climbing, FlowRider and more.
• Priority departure at tender ports of call from ship-to-shore.
• Exclusive welcome lunch in the Main Dining Room featuring the Chops Grille Lunch menu.
• Seats in the exclusive VIP seating section at shows in the Main Theatre, Aqua Theater, Studio B and Two70 (reservation is needed).
• VOOM ® Surf & Stream 1 Device high speed internet.
• On debarkation day, enjoy an exclusive à la carte breakfast and choice departure.

What's included with Premier Pass

• Welcome bottle of Veuve Clicquot
• Priority embarkation and debarkation
• Inside Access tour (two guests)
• Officer's lunch (two guests)
• Unlimited internet access (two devices)
• Captain's toast and photo
• Wine pairing with sommelier (two guests) - wine is complimentary
• Laundry service (one bag per stateroom)

Reserved times for shows and activities are at the heart of what The Key offers, whereas Premier Pass includes more experiences.

Are you an aspiring artist? Royal Caribbean wants to display your work on Icon of the Seas when it launches next year.

The cruise line has traditionally embraced art on its cruise ships, featuring impressive collections on each of its new ships.

Icon of the Seas is the next new cruise ship for Royal Caribbean and the cruise line has launched a new program that aims to look for up-and-coming artists from destinations the cruise line visits can vie to put their work on display.

Winners could get as much as $100,000 in commission budget if selected.

As its name suggests, Icon of the Seas was designed to be an icon – a symbol of luxury and comfort that guests can look forward to during their vacation. 

Later this year, as artists in residence, the winners will work closely with the Newbuilding team behind Royal Caribbean’s renowned ships to bring their concepts to life in Turku, Finland, where Icon is under construction.

The "Artist Discover Program" has a goal to "infuse every region’s spirit and culture into the curated art collections on board ships, in order to highlight and celebrate the very destinations and their people at the heart of Royal Caribbean’s memorable vacations."

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley thinks the new program will not only satisfy the cruise line's love of art, but also help promote burgeoning artists, "The Artist Discovery Program is a project close to our hearts at Royal Caribbean International because the destinations we visit are family. And it’s only fitting that we begin our search for up-and-coming artists who are in the Caribbean; it’s where we got our start more than 50 years ago."

"Vacationers want to immerse themselves in the places they visit. This is a way to spotlight the beauty of the local cultures and people in the places they see and enjoy every day on their cruise, beginning with large-scale canvases on a first-of-its-kind adventure – Icon of the Seas."

How artists can enter

The program is starting off with looking for artists in the Caribbean. Local artists can send their submissions starting today and through April 4 via the program website.

To vie for a spot in the first edition of Artist Discovery Program, artists must submit the following:

• Five samples of conceptual work: The work must be original and may not currently be published or on display.
• A brief artist statement that helps explain their work, inspiration and other details regarding the pieces submitted.
• A copy of their resume.

If picked, each artist will receive a grant from the cruise line, ranging from $20,000 to more than $100,000.

The Caribbean Edition of the artists picked will be commissioned to paint nine large-scale murals in three highly visible locations:

1. Embarkation Murals: embarkation area passengers first enter when walking onboard Icon of the Seas.

2. The Royal Promenade: Main thoroughfare on Icon of the Seas that has shopping, dining, and things happening all day long.

3. Suite Sundeck: Private VIP area for suite guests only, boasts a bar, dining area, and pool.

Each piece will invoke the vibrancy of the Caribbean, joining the collection on board that will include an array of pieces created by Caribbean artists or inspired by the region.

Icon of the Seas launches in January 2024

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas is the most highly anticipated new ship in 2024, and for good reason. Boasting an impressive gross tonnage and capacity, it's set to become the largest cruise ship in the world. 

When Icon of the Seas launches in January 2024, she will be the first ship in a new class of vessels.

Icon will sail year-round, 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations from Miami. 

The new ship will have 20 decks and manned by 2,350 crew members.