Icon of the Seas introduced new restaurants that serve up different cuisines, with some complimentary and others costing extra.

The first Icon Class ship has more than 20 dining venues onboard, and I was eager to try out all the new options. After all, it's an opportunity to see Royal Caribbean's take on these restaurants.

After sailing on Icon of the Seas for more than 10 days, I was able to visit the restaurants that did not previously exist on any other Royal Caribbean ship until Icon. If you want to see all the restaurants on Icon of the Seas, check out our list.

In this post, I've ranked each of the new restaurants in order of my preference. Of course, food is subjective and I am certain not everyone will agree with my opinions. 

1. Empire Supper Club

As the most expensive specialty restaurant that Royal Caribbean has ever developed, you would probably have lofty expectations for the Empire Supper Club and I'm happy to say it matches up more than I could have expected.

Empire Supper Club is more than just another extra-cost restaurant, it's an entire dining experience that includes an 8-course meal, matching cocktails, and evening entertainment in one. The experience takes about three hours, and it has a formal dress requirement where men need to wear a jacket (yes, it's actually enforced).

Inside the restaurant, you'll be serenaded by a jazz trio that perform musical standards synonymous with the first half of the 20th century in New York City. Gershwin, Sinatra, and the sort.

The music matches up with each course and cocktail you are served in an intimate dining experience. Unlike Chef's Table, you are not seated with others, but tables are very close. The entire restaurant can only accommodate 38 guests per night and there's just one seating.

While not inexpensive by any means, Empire Supper Club delivered a dining experience unlike anything we've had on a cruise ship and the food and cocktails were really darn good too.

Pros:

• Fine cuisine. The Chilean Sea Bass might have been the best food I ate on Icon
• Cocktails are varied and included in the cost
• Entertainment adds so much to the dinner experience

Cons:

• Three hour meal
• Kids allowed, but no discounted pricing
• Formal attire required
• Most expensive restaurant you'll find on Icon of the Seas

2. Aquadome Market

Royal Caribbean's first food hall concept is located in the Aquadome neighborhood and it's instantly my new favorite complimentary restaurant.

The AquaDome Market has five stalls that offer different quick-serve cuisines, and it's a new concept to the cruise line. Royal Caribbean has had buffets and grab-and-go locations, but never a food hall.

The choices are:

• 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 simply walk up to any of the food stalls and order what you'd like. There's no limit and all the menu options are included in your cruise fare.

By far Feta and Creme de la Crepe are the two best options available. The food is made fresh, and assembled exactly the way you'd like it.

Mac's and Toast and Garden are quite good too, if you're in the mood for that cuisine.  GNGR was a disappointment in the sense I felt the quality of food here was the same as the Windjammer buffet, whereas it felt like the rest of the stations had something different to offer.

Pros:

• No extra cost
• Added food variety that you cannot find elsewhere on the ship
• Customizable food choices

Cons:

• Not convenient to get to in most cases
• Can get very busy, leading to long lines

3. Pier 7

If you're skipping the restaurants in the neighborhood dedicated to young families because you aren't cruising with kids, you're really missing out.

Pier 7 is a new specialty restaurant in the Surfside neighborhood that costs extra for adults, but is complimentary for kids under the age of 12.

Royal Caribbean calls the food at Pier 7, "California-inspired dishes," but I appreciate anytime we can get something more than just the usual cruise ship fare. You'll find surf-and-turf tacos, smoked salmon benedict and sharable platters. The Korean fried chicken and Buddha bowls were both favorites when I dined here.

The lunch and dinner menus differ, and there are brunch options too, if you're a late riser.

Kids under the age of 12 eat free, and everyone else pays a $14.99 cover charge for two plates in any category.

Pros:

• Different cuisine choices that go well beyond burgers, hot dogs, and pizza
• Kids are free
• Brunch options

Cons:

• Guests without kids may not enjoy venturing into Surfside
• Outdoor seating is loud

4. Pearl Cafe

Royal Caribbean replaced Cafe Promenade with an upgraded concept in Pearl Cafe. Think of Pearl Cafe as Cafe Promenade 3.0, as it builds on every aspect of this favorite venue.

Located behind The Pearl on the Royal Promenade, you'll find an assortment of grab-and-go options available 24 hours a day.  Plus, there are snacks you can pick up from ordering at the counter.  All the food here is included.

Pearl Cafe also includes complimentary coffee, tea, and other beverages.  There are extra-cost premium coffees available to order as well (and included in a drink package).

The grab-and-go food is a revelation, as it makes it so easy to have a snack to enjoy immediately or bring back to your cabin to eat later. Plus, the snacks served behind the counter are significant upgrades in food quality from the ho-hum choices at Cafe Promenade.

Just as compelling as the food is the seating, as Royal Caribbean added giant glass windows that allow guests to enjoy a beautiful view with their coffee and snack. Plus, there are outlets underneath every single seat so you never have an excuse to leave. 

Pros:

• Beautiful views
• Convenient grab-and-go snacks offered 24 hours per day
• Comfortable seating

Cons:

• Coffee lines get long in the morning
• Noise from Royal Promenade can impact enjoying this venue

5. Izumi in the Park

In addition to the tried-and-true favorites at Izumi, Royal Caribbean has added a third dining option.

Izumi in the Park adds a walk-up window to get sushi and desserts without the fuss of reservations. A selection of sushi is made available, and you can purchase these items and take the food to eat in Central Park, in your cabin, or anywhere on the ship.

The concept is simple, and it's perfect for when you're in the mood for sushi but maybe the restaurant isn't open, or you just want something small to snack on.

Don't overlook the Bubble Cones, which are soft waffles curved to hold ice cream and it's really darn good.

Pros:

• Convenient way to eat sushi
• Bubble cones are really good

Cons:

• Not included in any dining package
• Limited sushi choices compared to the sit down restaurant

6. The Grove

If you're a suite guest, there's a new dining venue exclusively available to you in the Suite Neighborhood.

The Grove is a buffet, but it's notable different from the Windjammer. You'll find "casual Mediterranean food" just steps away from the Suite Sundeck. This means there's a convenient dining choice if you're spending the day sunning yourself on one of the many loungers or in the whirlpool.

There's many different foods to pick from, including hot dogs wrapped in pretzels, caprese salad, watermelon and plenty of antipasto.

Essentially, this is to give anyone who spends their day in the suite area something to enjoy while still in their bathing suit and it's aways good to have more choices.

Pros:

• Convenient for someone in the suite sun deck
• Different and healthy food choices available

Cons:

• Only available to suite guests
• Probably not a restaurant you'll go out of your way to eat at

7. Surfside Eatery

I think it's a genius idea to have a buffet that caters to kids, and that's exactly what Royal Caribbean has in Surfside.

Surfside Eatery ensures no kids (or their parents) go hungry with a buffet that offers more simple and kid-approved foods than you'll ever find at the Windjammer.

It's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and it's a smorgasbord of chicken nuggets, quesadillas, hot dogs, pizza, and more. 

There's also food here for adults to enjoy that Royal Caribbean calls a twist on kids classics.

Pros:

• More kid-friendly food than anywhere else
• No added cost
• Indoor and outdoor seating

Cons:

• Kid food means don't expect high quality food
• Outdoor seating is loud from Surfside

8. Desserted

If you're in the mood for over-the-top desserts on Icon, head up to Desserted Milkshake Bar.

The menu consists of the most decadent desserts you can imagine, including milkshakes that have alcohol in them for the adults.

It's a creative menu, with the glasses they come in adorned with candy and toppings too.

There's also basic milkshakes you can order that cost less, as well as soda floats.

Pros:

• Decadent desserts you won't find anywhere else
• Located near pools for convenient break from a hot day
• Option to add alcohol

Cons:

• Not included with any drink package or dining package
• Expensive

9. Surfside Bites

If a buffet requires too much time, Royal Caribbean has your back with Surfside Bites.

Surfside Bites is next-door to the Surfside Eatery and it's a walk-up window where you can get on-demand snacks.

The menu includes burgers, popcorn chicken, cinnamon-sugar donut holes and more.

There's no frills here, just grab it and be on your way. This is the kind of food to get when your kids get hungry running around Splashaway Bay, but they don't want to leave the pool either.

Pros:

• Very fast and convenient
• Perfect for getting food to your kids before a full hangry meltdown occurs

Cons:

• Limited menu
• No seating

10. Basecamp

Basecamp is located in Thrill Island and it offers mostly extra-cost food in a convenient location for anyone who is enjoying Thrill Island or The Hideaway.

There are a few complimentary items on the menu, but they're limited and I doubt anyone will be able to subsist on those choices for a meal. A hot dog, tater tots, and pretzel bites are the only choices that cost nothing extra.

The rest of the menu is priced a la carte, and it includes a burger, chicken sandwich, cheese curds and more. The waffle chicken nuggets and cheese curds are really good.

Essentially, Basecamp is about being convenient.  It's closer than the Windjammer on the other side of the ship, and you can grab something here while in a bathing suit and then be able to go right back to the water slides or adults-only pool.

Pros:

• Convenient to Thrill Island and The Hideaway neighborhoods
• A few complimentary choices for a snack

Cons:

• Extra-cost items are expensive

What about Celebration Table?

Unfortunately, I did not get an opportunity to eat at Celebration Table, so I cannot include it in my rankings.

While I did not eat there, Beci Mahnken, President and CEO of MEI Travel, did get a chance to try it and I asked her for her quick synopsis.

"Recognizing the importance of intimate gatherings, Royal Caribbean has curated a unique dining experience onboard the Icon of the Seas, named the Celebration Table. With sophisticated decor and excellent service, it's an ideal setting for special occasions. "

"Whether it's a birthday, anniversary, or any celebration, Royal Caribbean has created a space for making cherished memories in a relaxed, private setting."

Celebration Table is a new choice where you pay to rent out the venue for you and up to 12 of your friends and family.

You have the choice of four different menus, and it's essentially a semi-private venue to book if you have a birthday, anniversary, or general party.

• The American menu lays out comforting classics like crispy fried onion rings, coconut shrimp, Cajun chicken breast, BBQ meatloaf and peach cobbler.
• The Asian menu offers an eclectic selection, such as chicken satay, vegetable rice, Korean-style grilled short ribs, chicken cashew, and sweet donuts.
• The Italian Menu delivers well-known rustic delicacies, including bruschetta, meatballs with polenta, cavatappi sugo rossa, rigatoni all’amatriciana and tiramisu.
• The Seafood Menu includes fresh and sumptuous faves like fried calamari, garlic mussels, shrimp alfredo, baked salmon and a Meyer lemon tarte.

The price starts at $999.99 for the rental.

Royal Caribbean drink packages offer passengers unlimited drinks for a fixed daily price, and that may sound like the perfect optional cost.

An all-inclusive beverage plan is attractive because they offer an easy way to have unlimited access to drinks and not have to worry about running up a big bill by the end of the cruise.

About 50% of passengers end up buying a drink package for their cruise, making it one of the most popular add-ons.

Most people want to know if what's included with Royal Caribbean's drink packages, whether it's worth the cost, and when is the best time to buy a drink package. My tips and opinions are based on my first-hand experiences buying the drink packages, and comparing it to cruising without a package.

Here's what you should know to decide if a beverage package is a good choice for you.

Do you need it?

Before we break down the different beverage packages, you might be curious if buying one is necessary.

Royal Caribbean includes some drinks with your cruise fare, and it offers the rest as an optional extra cost. That means, you could pay for each one individually that you order.

The advantage of buying a drink package is you pay one price and then get unlimited drinks. There's no guessing how big your bill is, and no receipts to sign for each drink.  Even tips are included.

Based on my many years of cruising, the question of needing a drink package boils down to how you vacation. You need to have a few drinks a day to make it a cost-saving opportunity. Otherwise, you're better off paying for each drink.

The x-factor is how you'll drink on vacation versus at home. In most cases, these are vastly different. 

There is no flat "yes" or "no" answer to determining if a drink package makes sense for everyone, but hopefully, the considerations in this post can help with your decision.  

What we often hear from other cruisers is over the course of longer cruises (7-nights or longer), it becomes more and more difficult to maintain the level of drinking required to get the value from the package.  

Keep in mind that you can always purchase a drink package even after your cruise begins, if you find yourself drinking more than you thought. Royal Caribbean advertises that its drink packages can be purchased at any point in a cruise, provided there are at least four days left in the cruise.

The key is to know how you like to cruise and which pros and cons of the drink package are more important to you. At worst, you are going to overpay for a drink package or for drinks on your own. In either case, you will still likely have a great vacation experience.

Compare Drink Packages

See what's included in Royal Caribbean drink packages with this side-by-side view.

What is a Royal Caribbean drink package?

Royal Caribbean's drink packages are a fixed daily cost plan offered on all Royal Caribbean ships so guests can budget their beverage costs in advance and (potentially) save money.  

The various plans provide guests with unlimited drinks that can be used at any bar or restaurant on Royal Caribbean ships (and private destinations). The drink package benefits are available on the guest's SeaPass card.

Royal Caribbean guests wishing to purchase a drink package can do so either prior to their cruise via the Cruise Planner website or once onboard their ship. Once purchased, you must pay for the package for the duration of your cruise. If purchased during your cruise, guests will pay for the remaining nights of their cruise.

The drink packages can be redeemed at pretty much any restaurant or bar on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship or private destination. There are only two places a drink package cannot be used: room service and stateroom mini-bars.

Frequent users of Royal Caribbean's drink packages become pretty adept at getting more bang for their buck on the packages, but with some advance planning, first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers can also make the most of the packages.

What's included in Royal Caribbean's drink packages?

Royal Caribbean offers a few drink packages to consider. Each package provides guests with an unlimited allotment of servings of the specific beverages their package includes.

None of the packages include mini bar items, Evian water, canned sodas, bottled juice and souvenir glassware, specialty beers as listed on bar menus, or super premium category beverages.

Refreshment Package

This drink package includes all nonalcoholic drinks. It is popular with adults as well as older children and those who like having juices, coffee and teas.

For each guest that purchases this package, it includes:

• Premium coffees and teas
• Bottled still and sparking water
• Fresh squeezed orange juice
• Mocktails
• Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
• Coca-Cola Souvenir Cup included

The price per night of the Refreshment Package is $29.00 per guest (excluding gratuity).

Classic Soft Drinks Package

The Classic Soft Drinks package is what was once called by many guests, "the soda card". It is unlimited soda and quite popular with kids.  

For each guest that purchases this package, it includes:

• Fountain Soda and refills in any venue
• Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
• Coca-Cola Souvenir Cup included

Deluxe Beverage Package

Royal Caribbean offers just one unlimited alcohol package, the Deluxe Beverage package.

The Deluxe package offers "the best of both worlds," with access to nearly the entire stock of beverages with or without liquor. Enjoy virtually unlimited combinations on everything from cocktails with top-shelf spirits to premium teas and every beverage in between.

For each guest that purchases this package, it includes:

• Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
• Beer
• Wine (by the glass)
• Mocktails
• Premium coffees & teas
• Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
• Coca-Cola souvenir cup included
• Bottled still and sparkling water
• Fresh squeezed juices
• 40% discount on wines under $100. Wines above $100 will receive a 20% discount.

The Deluxe Beverage Package includes drinks with liquor up to $14 in value. Drinks that are served in a souvenir cup/glass/mug and/or drinks served inside fruit (i.e. pineapples) are not included with the drink package, however, a portion of the drink price is subsidized by the beverage package.

One thing to note in the fine print is all Royal Caribbean passengers 21 years of age and older (18 years in Australia and the UK) are required to purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package if at least one other person in their cabin has one.

If the other adult(s) in the same stateroom do not wish to purchase a Deluxe Beverage Package, you can call Royal Caribbean and ask for an exemption. Usually, Royal Caribbean will allow the other adult(s) to purchase a less-expensive drink package, such as the Refreshment Package.

Cafe Select Card

If all you want are lattes, espresso, or something stronger than regular coffee, then perhaps Royal Caribbean's Café Select Coffee Card is the right choice for you.

Unlike the other drink packages, the coffee card is not unlimited. Instead, you get a physical card that will be punched every time you use the card. Each card is good for 15 punches.

For every brewed coffee you order, the barista will punch a hole in the card to note how many of the drinks you've ordered.

You can use the coffee card at Royal Caribbean coffee locations, such as Cafe Promenade or Cafe Latte-tudes. It does not work at freestanding Starbucks kiosks.

Another difference from the other drink packages is you are allowed to share the coffee card benefits with another guest.

Water Package

Royal Caribbean's Water Packages offer 12 or 24 packs of one-liter bottles of water, which are delivered to your cabin on embarkation day.

The bottled water package is a convenient way to have spring water available for your use while you cruise. It's also something anyone that generally prefers bottled water over faucet water.

In addition, having bottled water means you can take it around the ship with you, or even on shore excursions.

You'll still have access to drinking water during your cruise at every bar, restaurant, or lounge. Drinking water is very clean and filtered at a higher level than most public drinking water at home.

What do Royal Caribbean drink packages cost?

Royal Caribbean utilizes dynamic pricing for its drink packages, which means the price can depend on the sailing. This means the price could be different based on the ship, itinerary, or sail date you pick.

• Deluxe Beverage Package: $55 to $115 per person per day
• Royal Refreshment Package: $38 per person per day
• Classic Soft Drinks Package: $12.99 per person per day
• Water Package: 12 bottles for $39; 24 bottles for $69
• Coffee card: $31 per card

Every drink package includes gratuities when you purchase it, so there are no additional tips or costs for anything included in the package. You will see a "service charge" that comes with the drink package purchase, which includes the automatic 18% gratuity.

Read more: How much is a Royal Caribbean drink package?

How do I get the best deal on a Royal Caribbean drink package?

The best time to buy a Royal Caribbean drink package is to buy one as early as you can and then re-price when there are price drops.

The price of a drink package can change many times before the cruise begins and this is because of various sales offered. Typically, there's a drink package discount every few weeks, although the total cost of the drink package may not actually change.

One strategy is to save money on Royal Caribbean’s drink package is to wait for a great deal on Black Friday. You won't know if this strategy will work until the actual day, plus your cruise may take place before the holiday.

Regardless, it's possible for there to be a price drop in the base price and in that case, you can cancel and rebook the drink package with no penalty via the Cruise Planner website.

By booking a drink package early you lock in the price and guard against a price increase, but can still take advantage of a price decrease.

Trying to "time" a lower price is a mistake because sometimes the price goes up and never goes back down.

Is a Royal Caribbean drink package worth it?

There is no question a beverage package has the potential to save money, but the real question is if you will drink enough every day of your cruise to make it worth purchasing.

Here's an argument from our staff why a drink package is worth it, and why it's not worth it.

Why drink packages are worth it

Matt: I've purchased Royal Caribbean drink packages for years because of how easy it is to budget your drinks for any cruise.

Without a drink package, I find myself hemming and hawing over if I really want a drink, and end up rationing them in order to save money. The result is I'm just not as happy. 

The convenience factor usually leads me to decide to get the package. After all, you are on vacation and no memorable cruise starts with worrying about drink prices.

While the up-front cost is high, when you think about the premium coffees, bottled water, beer, and alcoholic cocktails I can drink every day for one price, it makes not worrying about a big bill at the end of the cruise so much better.

Plus, the drink package allows me to try new drinks because there's no limit to how many drinks I can order.

Why a drink package wasn't worth it for me

Allie: The drink package is supposed to help your cruise feel more all-inclusive because you do not need to be skimpy with your drinking. Since you’ve already purchased the drink package before boarding, there shouldn’t be any surprise charges onboard.

I did find that my cruise felt more all-inclusive since we could drink without limits. Since my friends also had the drink package, it was nice that we didn’t have to stress about blowing a budget or spending way more than anticipated. 

However, we felt like we were constantly trying to calculate how many drinks we had to have to ensure our hefty purchase was worthwhile. My husband also noted how he felt an internal obligation to order the most expensive drinks rather than what he would have preferred drinking. 

Perhaps the two of us are too analytical to enjoy the drink package advantages on our Royal Caribbean, but we won’t be splurging on this purchase again.

Is there a limit on Royal Caribbean drink packages?

There is no limit on a Royal Caribbean drink package in terms of how many drinks a guest may consume in a day or throughout the cruise.

The only limit on a drink package is that you may only order one drink per order, per drink package.

If multiple people are ordering a drink with a drink package, the bartender or waiter may take each guest's SeaPass card to place the order.

There are a few other drink package rules that you should be aware of as well.

Pros and cons of getting the drink package on Royal Caribbean?

We have used Royal Caribbean's drink packages on a number of occasions and we have also paid out of pocket for our drinks on even more cruises. The drink package has an equal number of fans and critics. We tend to fall somewhere in the middle, disagreeing with both extremes. We think the drink package has its pros and cons, so let us take a look at some of them!

Savings: You can save money with a drink package (versus paying for each drink a la carte), but you have to be a certain kind of drinker and not waste the daily package benefits. If you are someone who enjoys having many drinks every day, it can definitely save you money with a Royal Caribbean drink package. This requires anyone who buys the package to be willing and able to enjoy a good half-dozen drinks every day of their cruise.  

There is no question a drink package has an excellent value proposition associated with it, but you need to be able to drink enough to "break even" on the package versus buying the drinks on your own. If you knew you would not be drinking enough every day of your cruise to break even, why would you overpay for a package?

With that said, prices for Royal Caribbean drinks have been on the rise over the last few years. Cocktails are regularly priced at around $10-13 per drink, which means bar tabs can quickly get expensive. And with so many tantalizing choices on each bar menu, the temptation to grab a drink is always present.

The drink package benefits will save the most money for folks who drink a lot during the day and spread their drinking out throughout the course of their day and night.  

Amount of drinks: One common regret we hear about drink packages is a phenomenon known as "drink fatigue," where guests drink more than they really would ordinarily order and they end up ordering drinks for the sake of ordering drinks. When using a drink package, I always struggle with the question of, "Am I ordering a drink because I want one or because I have a drink package?" There have been plenty of times with a drink package, I know I am ordering a drink because I have the package, and the show, activity or event I am attending offers drinks, so why not get a drink.

If you are on a short cruise and are looking to have a good time, the drink package can make a lot more sense, since there are less days to use the package benefits. Likewise, shorter cruises have a tendency to have more of a party atmosphere than longer cruises.  

It is important to keep in mind what your goal is when ordering a drink package. Are you going to be spending much of your time by the pool or are you someone that will be doing other activities where drinking may not always be an option.  

Convenience: Many guests swear by the convenience of Royal Caribbean's drink packages. It makes enjoying drinks simple, with no fuss involved. There is no worrying about how much the drink costs and if you should get it or something cheaper. Heck, there is not even the concern about whether you can afford to get a drink.  

It is a fair point and among the most commonly cited reasons people love the drink packages. We love the convenience of the drink package too, especially to have the freedom of trying new drinks without fear of ordering something we do not like and being "stuck" with it. Or relegating ourselves to drink the same old drinks because we know we like them.

The thing is, the number one reason to buy a drink package is to save money, otherwise, why would it exist. Royal Caribbean would not roll out something that offers no savings and expect people to pay for it, right? With that in mind, while convenience is important, we believe the cost savings still supersede whatever convenience the drink package offers.

Budgeting: This is probably the most contentious point. In addition to being convenient, a lot of its fans advocate the unlimited drink packages help them stay on a budget and avoid thinking about money on a vacation.

On the surface, this makes sense because you can buy a drink package before your cruise and break up the cost of the cruise, or opt to purchase it onboard and cap your drinking spending. In either scenario, it goes to making your total cost more predictable. It reminds us of cell phone plans and why so many people prefer unlimited data plans rather than fixed-data plans. Simpler to have one cost that covers everything, than worry about "going over."

There is a point to be made about pre-purchasing a drink package months before your cruise, paying it off then and then later going on your cruise and not dealing with a bill at the end of your cruise that makes you cringe (or worse). It does not mean you will actually save any money, as you still need to drink enough each day of your cruise to make a drink package worthwhile. Otherwise, you overpaid earlier than usual.

The whole notion of not having to worry about receipts, gratuity or how much a drink costs holds less water for us. Sure, it is nice to have, but far from essential. If someone told me I could save more money by doing some simple math every day, you bet I would bring my calculator onboard. There are a lot of fun things to do on a Royal Caribbean cruise, and the more money I can save, the more fun stuff I can afford.

Sticker shock: Even if you are not on a tight budget, drink prices on a Royal Caribbean cruise can be somewhat shocking. There might be the most amazing drink on the menu, but you cannot bring yourself to spend $14 (or more) on it because that sounds too expensive for just one drink.

It is debatable how much any drink should cost. Go to a concert or theme park, and you will find prices for drinks that make Royal Caribbean's pricing strategy look pedestrian.  

On the other hand, your local restaurants may serve up drinks for a fraction of the cost of what you will find at Boleros. Having the drink package does help ease your mind about paying $14 for that cucumber martini.

It is important to note that you are not always forced into paying full prices for drinks. Every day there will be a "drink of the day," where one drink is discounted by about 20%. 

You can usually find other drink specials throughout your cruise. In addition, guests who are members of Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society are eligible to receive discounted and complimentary drinks during the cruise. Diamond and above members get complimentary drinks every day, which can be a big money saver.  

Moreover, guests are allowed to bring one bottle of wine per guest (21+) on their Royal Caribbean cruise. All of this contributes to bringing down the cost of drinks on a cruise, especially if you forgo a drink package and pay a la carte for your drinks.

Itinerary: How many sea days or port days you have could factor into making a drink package a good investment.

While the drink packages do work on Royal Caribbean's private islands of Labadee and Perfect Day at CocoCay, they do not work while you are in other ports of call. The more ports of call you visit, the less time you have onboard to take advantage of the drink packages.  

However, if your itinerary has mostly sea days, it becomes easier to get the value from the package.

Your thoughts

What is your experience with Royal Caribbean's beverage package? Thinking about using it? I would love to hear your thoughts about a Royal Caribbean beverage package, and how it works (or does not work) for you in the comments! If you have questions, ask them there, too.

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Cruise ships are a lot of mini-cities, including having to feed thousands of people during the course of a voyage.

Every week, up to 7,600 people vacation on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, which holds the title of the world's largest cruise ship. That includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between.

There are 23 total kitchens (referred to as galleys on a cruise ship) to serve 27 restaurants.

At the heart of Icon's meal service is the Main Dining Room, which serves 6,000 guests in a three-and-a-half-hour time frame. There are 425 chefs onboard Icon of the Seas, with 45 people working in the Main Dining Room galley on deck 3 alone.

Supplying, prepping, and serving that many meals every day is not a simple feat. Royal Caribbean has to have enough food so it doesn't run out without over-ordering and wasting food. Then it has to get supplies in place every week, and sometimes the demographics for one sailing may require different amounts of food than another.

All of the ship's food is sourced from the ship's homeport in Miami. 

In fact, there's enough food on Icon of the Seas not just for one cruise, but three cruises. The idea is there is enough food on hand in case the ship needs to go in a different direction so there is enough for extra days.

Every week new supplies are brought onboard, but some items may only be sourced every two weeks. Cheeses, herbs, and berries are examples of food that is brought onboard every week because those do not last as long.

Frozen items, such as prime rib or fish, are brought every two or three weeks.

So what happens if they end up running short on one item? The ship can call to headquarters to assist in re-supplying at one of the ports of call the ship is visiting. 

The actual food is sourced from all around the world, including locally. Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, describes it as a very complex operation, "We are always looking to source local. And so the last couple of years we've shifted a lot of our purchasing very domestically within marketplace."

"Fresh ingredients have always been the case, but now we've really shifted, whether it's here or in Europe and Australia and China, my team goes out and we go out to the marketplace and we'll literally go and match products against our US products and say, okay, what works for us? How do we buy locally?"

All of this isn't cheap to do. Royal Caribbean wouldn't share numbers, but suffice to say, Mr. D'Souza referred to the number as being, "a lot."

"We've got crew members and guests on board. On a full sailing, over 10,000 people on board the ship. We spend a lot of money to make sure we look after the guests from food and beverage standpoint and supplies."

Food is the second highest expense for Royal Caribbean after fuel. According to Royal Caribbean Group's financial disclosures, the company spent $307 million on fuel in the first quarter of 2024.

How much food is brought on a cruise ship?

Ever wonder which foods are the most popular on a cruise ship? 

Icon of the Seas needs enough food for all of its recipes, as well as food to be available on its own. A tomato can be cut up and served individually or as part of a stew, sauce, or salad.

According to Royal Caribbean's executive chefs, rice, potato, lobster, tenderloin, filet mignon and especially prime rib are the most popular items on Icon of the Seas.

About 20,000 pounds of rice and 2,500 pounds of prime rib are used every cruise.

In an effort to better predict how much food the ship will need, the Food & Beverage team looks at the demographic of who is booked and the guest count for the next sailing. Meaning, if there are more guests from Mexico on a given sailing, the crew will plan to offer more Mexican food onboard.

The exact quantity of food depends on the amount of guests and demographic.

Icon of the Seas has the best kitchens yet

One of the benefits of being a brand new cruise ship is having access to the best of the best, including machinery.

Icon has plenty of guest-facing innovations, and that trend applies to the kitchens too, "If you go to the production areas, the equipment that we've introduced here for the first time, never seen on our ships before," said Mr. D'Souza.

"Things like machines that can take a whole piece of steak, cut it into portions, cut fish into portions, vegetable slicers, things that we just haven't had historically on ship."

These machines replace functions that were traditionally done by hand.

On the upcoming Utopia of the Seas, Mr. D'Souza indicated will have a laser guided water gun that uses high pressure water to cut pieces of cake.

This technology makes the work easier for crew members, and he believes that moves crew members closer to the guest experience and that adds value to the guest experience.

"We're bringing some pretty new and exciting, innovative technology to really take even our back of the house processes up from what we've historically done."

Read more: Icon of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's best cruise ship ever, and it's not even close

The most highly regulated food service operation on the planet

With an operation as large as Icon of the Seas, food safety is paramount to the cruise line.

Mr. D'Souza said cruise ship kitchens are the most regulated food service operation that you'll find, "we are the most highly regulated food service operation on the planet."

The United States Public Health Service has a division known as the Vessel Sanitation Program, which acts as a cooperative activity with the cruise ship industry.

"When we get inspected for food safety, we have 7 to 8 uniformed officers that board the vessel and they do a full inspection top to bottom."

Mr. D'Souza is quite proud of the work his culinary team does and says there's nothing like it at any restaurant near you, "You will never find a restaurant on land that looks like this. Top to bottom, stainless steel, spotless floors, clean. Everything is in order."

"You don't see this on land, because we have very high standards for our guests, and you have very high standards from a government agency body to make sure that we have the highest quality execution, cleanest kitchens, high quality safe food, hand holding equipment, etc."

War on food waste

Reducing food waste serves two primary purposes: it ensures there is less food that ends up in a garbage can and it saves Royal Caribbean money.

The cruise line introduced a program called, "Win on Waste", which serves to evaluate food consumption on a cruise ship and make adjustments so there is less food used that doesn't end up consumed.

Royal Caribbean Group has previously announced it will reduce food waste across the fleet by 50% by 2025. In the summer of 2023, Royal Caribbean Group reported it already has been able to achieve a 24% reduction in food waste by focusing on the front end of the food system, which prevents and addresses many of the main causes of food waste, including inventory management and over-preparing.

With this new program, chefs can see what's been produced, consumed, wasted, and even repurposed. It helps give better data to the chefs, so they can understand how to make adjustments for the next production. 

Royal Caribbean is actually leveraging AI to take into account unused food scrap weight and predict how much food the ship will need for the next sailing.

Read more: Royal Caribbean's clever idea using AI to get help on the world's largest cruise ship

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Royal Caribbean passengers that were visiting its private island on Tuesday had to leave earlier than expected.

CocoCay is a private island in The Bahamas that is operated by Royal Caribbean exclusively for its guests.  Celebrity Cruises will begin visiting the island as well later this year.

Read more: Guide to Perfect Day at CocoCay

Rain storms passing through the tropics are quite common, but the wind in this case appeared to be the issue as photos posted by passengers show waves crashing against the pier and rocks.

Oasis of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas were visiting the island for the day when an announcement was made for guests to return to the ship.

According to posts on social media, a rapidly moving storm was approaching the island and that caused the cruise line to make the decision to cut their day short.

It appears the announcements were made around 1:00pm over the island's speaker system to return to the ship.

The Bahamas Department of Meteorology indicated a deep low-pressure system is moving northeastwards across the Northwest Bahamas while dragging a cold front. They're expecting continued bouts of unsettled weather, consisting of heavy to severe thunderstorms with strong gusty winds, heavy downpours.

Bahamas forecasters are predicting the low to gradually strengthen and the pressure gradient behind it will tighten to produce increasing winds up to gale force through Wednesday.

The Bahamas Department of Meteorology added the potential for seas to rise as high as 16 to 20 feet offshore, along Atlantic exposures on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tami Golden wrote on Facebook, "It was announced over a public address system to please return the ship."

Katie John added, "they were going to call everyone back to the ship via speakers on the island and close everything down due to wind and deteriorating weather."

"Glad they did, because not too long after they got everyone back, the waves were crashing over the pier, and the wind increased to 35mph."

Jessica Aguiar Oliveira said that guests that had booked anything extra would be refunded their costs due to the day being cut short.

Many guests were understanding of the change in plans, "Royal Caribbean staff was amazing and it was so organized to get everyone back to the ship safely," wrote a Facebook user named Natasha.

"Sometimes weather happens and we can’t do anything about it. All 10 of us ladies are safe and we are departing shortly to head on a sea day a little early! "

Based on social media, it appears Freedom of the Seas was able to undock and leave while Oasis of the Seas remained docked.

Missy Billingsley wrote that Oasis of the Seas acted as a wind blocker for the relatively smaller Freedom of the Seas, "The captain literally told us that we were going to be the block for the Freedom to get outta here."

Other Royal Caribbean ships have been re-routed already to avoid the path of the storm. Allure of the Seas is cancelling a scheduled visit to Nassau, Bahamas on Wednesday and will instead remain at sea.

Winter weather in the Caribbean

January and February are about as far from hurricane season as you can get, but that doesn't mean bad weather doesn't occur.

This time of the year is usually associated with a lack of precipitation, as winter is the dry season for the tropics. However, cold fronts can still bring with storms with them.

Part of the rationale for building a pier at CocoCay was to prevent high winds from cancelling port stops. Having a dock makes it easier for cruise ships to visit a port of call, as opposed to tendering.

The very first cruise on Icon of the Seas is in the books, and going on a maiden voyage of a new ship is unlike other sailings.

Royal Caribbean treats its inaugural cruises like a big party. You'll notice things that stand out from pretty much any other sailing.  This is because a new ship is a really big deal.

As a company, so many resources have been dedicated for years to make the new ship a reality and the culmination of those efforts is welcoming passengers onboard. Plus, it's an excuse to celebrate.

Read more: Icon of the Seas guide

I've sailed on a few inaugural voyages so far, but Icon's stood out in a few ways. If you're considering trying an inaugural sailing in the future, here's what Royal Caribbean did on Icon.

Champagne when you board

One thing Royal Caribbean does on any inaugural sailing is roll out the red carpet and welcome passengers on the ship.

On any sailing, there will be crew members that will meet you at the embarkation point to say hello and welcome you onboard, but on Icon, there's champagne too.

Crew members offered complimentary glasses of champagne as you entered. Free alcohol on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship is not something that comes regularly, so it's a sign that this is indeed a different kind of cruise.

Swag

Another way Royal Caribbean celebrates a new sailing is by giving its passengers free gifts.

Each night of the inaugural sailing, there was something given away for free.  These gifts were left in passengers' staterooms by their cabin attendant, so there's nothing extra anyone needs to do.

On Icon, we received, hats, bags, water bottles, lanyards, rubber ducks, and even a bartender set.

The idea is this is a big celebration where party favors are a way to remember the occasion.

The gifts given on an inaugural cruise will vary, but there's usually at least a few gifts given to guests.

Lots of executives

If you look around, you shouldn't be surprised to find Royal Caribbean's top executives onboard too.

Executives are there primarily to ensure everything is going as planned. With any new ship, getting everything running exactly as it should be is not a simple task, especially on the first in a class.

Executives observe, provide guidance, and even step in to assist to keep everything flowing.

In addition to a support role, executives are there to revel in the experience and interact with guests. They want feedback to evaluate how well things are running.

I saw executives from the Food & Beverage, Entertainment, and Product Development teams around Icon in a variety of roles.  

As an example, Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Entertainment Nick Weir was present at every single production show I saw to observe, take notes, and celebrate his team's progress.

Incomplete shows

It's not unusual that every single activity is ready on day one, and that was the case on Icon of the Seas as well.

There was a sign for the escape room, but I don't believe that's ready at all.

Only one show in the Aquatheater was running, and that show wasn't quite 100% complete yet.

Mr. Weir posted on Twitter it will take about a year to get it all right, "FYI we will tinker and tweak and add and subtract for the next twelve months before we consider the show full and finalized. 
A long and enjoyable process that we openly share with our guests. "

The Wizard of Oz was ready, but it did encounter some technical glitches. One performance on the first night had to be completely cancelled after about 15 minutes and delayed until day six of the sailing.

Shows not being completely ready was also something that happened on the Wonder of the Seas inaugural voyage.

If you go on a maiden sailing, be prepared for not every show to be totally ready for that voyage, but they will be ready as the weeks progress.

Best crew members in the fleet

One of the best aspects of going on an inaugural sailing are the crew members, because Royal Caribbean hand picks the best of the best to go on any new ship.

New ships aren't quite the well-oiled machine that existing ships are, and as a result, procedures and plans need to be worked out. To do that, they need experienced crew members who have demonstrated results under pressure.

I've noticed there's a certain subset of crew members that relish a brand new cruise ship and love jumping in to assist with the start up of a new ship.  I think they regard it as a kind of challenge.

If you cruise Royal Caribbean a lot, you may recognize a few familiar faces from other ships.  

This isn't limited to just the crew that serve you either. Icon had Royal Caribbean's A-list comedians perform all week (instead of just a couple days), along with their best Pub, Schooner Bar, and Dueling Piano players.

Bringing in top crew members sets the ship up for success.

Upgraded buffet on embarkation day

A new cruise ship has plenty of new things to check out, but don't overlook the buffet on embarkation day.

Upon boarding Icon of the Seas on embarkation day, there was one of the best spreads of food I'd ever seen in a buffet.

Filet mignon, lobster tail, tuna tartare, and crab legs were just some of the choices available and with no limit either.

It's a good reminder of how this first cruise is a big deal.

Fireworks and celebrations

Speaking of a big deal, nothing says "we're here to celebrate" quite like fireworks.

Upon departure from Miami, Icon of the Seas enjoyed a fireworks display off the ship's starboard side.

In every port of call Icon visited, foreign dignitaries from that country came onboard Icon to welcome the ship. For these countries, Royal Caribbean selecting their nation to host a ship with as much as notoriety as Icon of the Seas is a badge of honor.

Is going on an inaugural cruise worth it?

I once described a new ship's inaugural sailing as a combination of "Woodstock and Prom", and I stand by that description.

It's a giant party, reunion, and celebration rolled into one. There's as much enjoyment of the cruise itself as being able to say, "I was there!" to someone back home.

There can be hiccups, and some aspects of the cruise planning process take much longer than they normally do.  But after years of anticipation, being among the first to walk onboard and experience it all is a pretty neat feeling.

It may not be for someone who wants the ship to be running like clockwork, but if you're flexible, an inaugural voyage can be a real treat.

Royal Caribbean's adults-only beach at its private island offers an enclave for those seeking a kid-free beach day.

Hideaway Beach is an extra-cost section of Perfect Day at CocoCay that is available to guests who are at least 18-years-old and willing to pay the admission fee.  

The area is more than just another beach without kids. It is a rather large expansion that includes some of the best features of a private island day experience in one spot.

If you're thinking of trying Hideaway Beach, here's what you can expect and if it's worth the extra cost.

Hideaway Beach overview

Hideaway Beach is an adults-only area located on the south side of CocoCay. It's accessible by complimentary tram service or by a short five minute walk.

Hideaway Beach has a capacity of around 1,800 guests and it's made up of three areas:

• Beach
• Infinity pool
• Cabanas

One thing that you will notice upon entering is how large the area is.  The beach is cove shaped and runs the width of the entire section.  It's certainly among the largest beaches you'll find at Royal Caribbean's private island.

There are chairs and umbrellas throughout the beach, and if you venture to the far end of the beach, there are even in-water palapas, hammocks, and swings.

The pool area includes a swim-up bar with DJ that plays party music throughout the day. Royal Caribbean wants this area to be fun and lively, and you'll find the party atmosphere in the pool throughout the day.

One key difference between the pool at Hideaway compared to Oasis Lagoon is this pool is heated.

There are day beds in the pool, which are available to whoever claims them first.

Admission to Hideaway Beach includes:

• Access to the beach and pool
• Complimentary in-water hammocks, resort-style loungers, and umbrellas
• Food from Hideaway Hut and Slice of Paradise

There are two types of cabanas you can rent for the day, which includes admission for up to six guests.  The Hideaway cabanas are located closer to the pool, while the Hideout cabanas are more of a VIP cabana with private pool.

Hideout cabanas cost more, but offer more exclusivity.

What is the cost of Hideaway Beach?

Royal Caribbean charges an admission fee to enter with variable pricing depending on the ship and time of year you visit. You can expect to pay around $49 per person to enter, but prices could vary up to $20 in either direction. Your best bet is to pre-purchase admission before your cruise to avoid the venue selling out.

Prices for a cabana will vary just as much, but here is a general ballpark of pricing:

• Hideaway cabana: $899 - $1,699
• Hideout cabana: $1,899 - $2,699

To purchase a day pass or cabana, you can do so via Royal Caribbean's website before the cruise.  While you could but it onboard the ship, the price will almost certainly be higher and there's a good chance it will sell out before the cruise even begins.

Remember that you can cancel and rebook prior to your cruise if the price drops.

Dining and food at Hideaway Beach

Admission to Hideaway Beach includes food at two complimentary restaurants.

Hideaway Hut is essentially a plussed version of the Snack Shack found elsewhere on CocoCay. Royal Caribbean took the base menu there, and added more options to provide added value.

In addition to the favorites from the Snack Shack, you'll find coconut shrimp basket, fish sandwich, and ceviche.

The other restaurant you can dine at is Slice of Paradise, which offers pizza and empanadas.

While there's pizza on your cruise ship, there's no pizza elsewhere on the island, so this is a new option.

There are a few varieties of pizza to try, and it's available by the slice.  Fresh made empanadas are also available.

The food in Hideaway is very tasty and also very quick. I think the idea is being in Hideaway means enjoying a fun day in the beach and pool, and Royal Caribbean wants to enable guests to be able to get something to eat and return to the fun quicker.

If you have a cabana booked, food can be delivered to your cabana from the same restaurants you can walk to in Hideaway. Every cabana has a cabana attendant that visits your cabana regularly to bring food or drink you might want.

The food is included, but drinks cost extra. If you have a Royal Caribbean drink package, your benefits work in Hideaway Beach and you'll be able to enjoy those benefits in the cabana too. Ditto for Diamond Drink vouchers.

Hideout cabanas can also enjoy bottle service.

Is Hideaway Beach worth it?

Hideaway Beach is much more than just another beach on Perfect Day at CocoCay that caters to just adults.  It encapsulates arguably the best island experience to date.

At its heart, Hideaway Beach is about picking a place just for adults. While Royal Caribbean cruise ships are family-friendly ships, getting a break from the kids might be a nice change of pace for a segment of the population.  I think there's other people that would prefer the amenities offered at Hideaway Beach regardless of the fact there's kids or not.

In spending the day at Hideaway Beach, it's clear that Royal Caribbean has cherry picked the best things from around Perfect Day and incorporated them into Hideaway. It has the infinity pool from Coco Beach Club, the DJ and swim-up bar from Oasis Lagoon, the Snack Shack, and of course a beautiful cove.

Speaking of the DJ, there's a lot of music in the Hideaway. You can expect a live band performing at On The Rocks bar, DJ music at the pool, and piped in music around the beach. If you're looking for a quiet beach day, the Coco Beach Club might be a better fit for you.

If a cabana is in your budget, they are a wonderful way to enhance your day. The added service, reserved seating, and shade provided is a nice upgrade.  

The upgraded food choices is also a nice touch. While you wont confuse the food here to the Coco Beach Club, you're also paying significantly less.

As a parent of school-aged kids, an adults-only area was never high on my wish list.  But I have to admit the amenities in Hideaway Beach are so compelling, I'm contemplating how I can take my wife and leave the kids with someone else because the experience is so fun.

I love the heated pool, swim-up bar, and beautiful beach cove. There's less seaweed at Hideaway than at other beaches too.

If there's one thing I don't care for that much, it's the DJ and the loud party music that is played throughout the day. Based on how many people were in the pool and dancing along to the music, I recognize this is a "me problem" and I'm probably in the minority.  Nonetheless, I had a great time because of the upgraded nature of this area.

If you can book admission for under $50 per person, I think Hideaway Beach is worth booking. Royal Caribbean has hit a home run with combining some of their best ideas in one area. The fact it's adults-only is secondary, that's how good the area feels.

Royal Caribbean Group reported its fourth quarter 2023 earnings, along with a rosy outlook for the year to come.

The company took in $3.3 billion in total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2023, with a Net Income was $0.3 billion. For the year, Royal Caribbean Group had Net Income of $1.7 billion in 2023 following up on 2022 when Net Income was a $2.2 billion loss.

The earnings are better than expected thanks to a lot of last-minute bookings, strong demand overall, and higher cruise fare prices.

Just as importantly. the company is more excited for 2024 as it sees the potential for massive earnings.

A great 2023

Looking back at 2023, this was the bounce back year that Royal Caribbean needed.

About 7.6 million passengers sailed across Royal Caribbean Group's brands in 2023, compared to 5.5 million in 2022 and 6.5 million in 2019.

It was profitable enough to pay off approximately $4 billion of debt in 2023 while refinancing other debts to better position itself for the coming years.

On average, ships sailed at 105% capacity in the fourth quarter of 2023. Occupancy in the fourth quarter was higher than that of the same period in 2022.

A big year in 2024 is expected

So far, bookings in wave season are off to a "record start".  This references the start of the year when interest in new cruise ship bookings are at its highest.  They call it wave season because the momentum from the first few months of the year carries the company for the rest of the year as a wave would carry someone to shore.

Royal Caribbean had the five best booking weeks of the company's history since the third quarter earnings call, including the first three weeks of this year.

"As a result, the company is now in a record booked position in both rate and volume," the company said in a press release.

As has been the case for the past few years, a combination of increased demand and customers spending more on cruise ship add-ons is fueling this optimistic outlook.

"Consumer spending onboard and pre-cruise purchases continue to exceed prior years driven by greater participation at higher prices, indicating quality and healthy future demand."

Cruise fare prices and occupancy rates are both listed as higher in 2024 than in all prior years.

The company also pointed to exceptional positivity towards Icon of the Seas and Hideaway Beach expansion as two shining examples of the cruise market favoring this sort of demand.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty issued a statement describing his view of why 2024 will shape up as a big year, "Demand for our brands continues to outpace broader travel as a result of consumer spend further shifting toward experiences and the exceptional value proposition of our products."

"We have exciting new vacation experiences in 2024, including the game changing Icon of the Seas, and have entered the year in a record booked position at significantly higher prices, further positioning us for a strong 2024."

Royal Caribbean has outdone itself with Icon of the Seas, thanks to new innovations, changes, and a few tweaks.

Overall, I've enjoyed sailing on the new biggest cruise ship in the world because the ship has so many aspects that really stand out as being important. Subtle changes, such as the pool deck being broken up so it doesn't feel like just another cruise ship pool deck, to adding stairs, escalators, and shortcuts, have really had an effect on the enjoyment factor.

Like any Royal Caribbean ship, I can't help but compare and contrast it to other ships, and I've found a number of things I enjoy and some others I wish they would change.

Being the first ship in the Icon Class, it's impressive how much Royal Caribbean got right out of the gate with this ship. The line spent a great deal of time mocking up venues at their headquarters and utilizing virtual reality to better understand the flow and feel for venues that have never existed. The result has been fantastic.

I thought about my time on Icon of the Seas and what I've enjoyed about the ship and what truly stands out.

Icon feels uncrowded

From the day we boarded Icon of the Seas, it became clear crowds have not been an issue and it almost feels weird how uncrowded the ship is.

I'm not saying Icon feels like a private yacht or that there aren't any lines, but it has been remarkable how uncrowded the ship has felt. It's been especially true in places where I usually expect to find a lot of people, such as the pool deck or Royal Promenade.

On a sea day, I went to try to find a crowd. The Hideaway and Swim & Tonic bar is where I found the largest crowds, but even that was fairly manageable. 

In many cases, other guests mentioned how empty the ship felt.  

To be fair, the first sailing is not at maximum capacity, but there are about 5,500 passengers along with 2,300 crew members onboard. That's not a small number of humans on one ship.

I think the reason Icon feels so uncrowded so far is because of how much there is to do that draws people away. 

There are three different theaters, an entire waterpark, live music, 40 bars and restaurants, seven pools, and a variety of other activities. 

Plus, you have better flow of guests onboard with stairs, escalators, and shortcuts. It all adds up to help keep passengers moving and the ship really feels emptier than I would have ever expected. 

Really good complimentary restaurants

Royal Caribbean has introduced a lot of specialty restaurants over the last few years, but darn if the food included with your cruise fare isn't really good too.

Besides the Main Dining Room, Sorrento's Pizza, and Windjammer, there are a few other new venues included in your cruise fare that are drawing me back time and time again.

Aquadome Market is a new food hall concept and it's a home run. So much variety, and so good food. I could eat the Greek gyros every day.

The Surfside neighborhood has three new restaurants, two of which are included. Surfside Bites and Surfside Eatery might be targeted at kids, but who doesn't love chicken tenders, hot dogs, and quesadillas? 

Basecamp has a majority of extra-cost items, but I'd be remiss if I didn't stop for a complimentary basket of pretzel bites every time I walk by.

And then there's Pearl Cafe, which is a revamped version of Cafe Promenade. It has grab-and-go snacks available 24 hours a day, new drink dispensers, and a beautiful lounge space. It's one of the most popular spots to hang out on Icon.

Wide open spaces

Perhaps contributing to the feel that Icon of the Seas is uncrowded are the expanded and open venues.

The Royal Promenade stretches from side to side of the ship and it feels so nice having a space that doesn't remind me of a shopping mall. 

How did they do this? They removed the Promenade facing cabins to add more space in this neighborhood.

Chill Island is the de-facto pool deck, but Royal Caribbean has spread out the pools and added so many chairs in the shade and sun that you can roll up to the pool at lunch on a sea day and still get a chair.

By opening up these decks, it really feels like you have more space to spread out.

Empire Supper Club

I wasn't sure if I would like Royal Caribbean's most expensive specialty restaurant, but I ended up loving it.

Empire Supper Club is a new dining experience, and the only comparison I can draw is to Chef's Table. Chef's Table had three flaws that kept me from ever loving it: you have to sit with strangers, it's paired with a lot of wine, and the food was always a little too frou-frou for my taste.

Empire Supper Club addresses all three of those problems, and includes amazing entertainment.

It's an intimate dining experience to be sure, but you are seated at your own table, so you don't have to worry about awkward conversations with strangers at the onset of the meal.

Instead of wine pairs, each course is paired with cocktails and I think there's a more universal appeal to cocktails. I certainly liked it better.

As for the food, the entrees are fantastic (try the Chilean Sea Bass) and I found each of the appetizers really tasty as well. Given the pacing, I think there's plenty to eat and it's all very good.

Yes, it's $200 per person to eat at Empire Supper Club, so it's not cheap. But I do think it's worth trying as a way to celebrate being on vacation and splurging a little bit.

More outlets than ever

You won't have to go very far to find a power outlet on Icon.

There are more electrical and USB outlets on Icon of the Seas than I've ever seen on another Royal Caribbean cruise ship. This is so helpful to ensure you can keep your devices charged no matter where you are.

Staterooms have always been where you could find dedicated power, and for the first time, there are likely more power and USB outlets than you can possibly use. For families, this is a really big deal as you don't have to play the game of which device can you disconnect so someone else can get a turn.

In the cabin, there are outlets on both sides of the bed, as well as by the vanity. Depending on which room type you have, there are also outlets near the television, storage areas and more.

Around the ship, there are lots of outlets in public venues and that means you can enjoy spending time in these places, rather than having to go back to your room to power up.

In Pearl Cafe and the Overlook, there are outlets at almost every chair. At bars and restaurants, you'll find them too.

Destination elevators

I never thought a new kind of elevator could have such a profound effect on crowds and waiting, but it's been a real win with the destination elevators on Icon.

Instead of traditional elevators, you go to a panel and indicate which floor you'd like to go to and are directed to a particular elevator.

Once in that elevator, there are no buttons to push and the car goes directly to the floors that have been programmed for you.

It may not seem like it would have that big of a difference, but the time spent waiting for an elevator on Icon has been substantially reduced. Even when there are big crowds, such as when a show lets out, the destination elevators more efficiently get people where they need go with less waiting.

Royal Caribbean changed to destination elevators because the cruise line knew waiting for an elevator was a problem on Oasis Class ships. Since Icon was going to have more passengers, they needed a better way to move up 7,500 passengers seamlessly.

The result has been a tremendously faster experience, and I think you'll be equally surprised how well the elevators work on Icon.

Surfside restaurants

There are many new bars, restaurants, and lounges on Icon, but I think the least-heralded ones are in Surfside because the area has been written off as "just for kids." 

However, I really think you would be remiss if you didn't stop for the food in Surfside, regardless of if you have children or not with you.

There are two complimentary restaurants, as well as an a la carte restaurant.

Surfside Eatery is a buffet, and while it is intended for kids, there's a lot of good food here. Plenty of adults are picky eaters, but more importantly, plenty of adults like quesadillas, hot dogs, and fruit.

If you're really in a rush, try the popcorn chicken from Surfside Bites next door. 

And the real sleeper hit of Icon of the Seas is Pier 7, which is a new specialty restaurant.

Pier 7 offers brunch and dinner, and the menu is meant to appeal to parents and kids. Essentially, there should be something for all palates here.

The menu consists of an all-day brunch, tacos, poke bowls, and more. It's priced a la carte, so you pay for you what you order. If you have the Ultimate Dining Package, you get $20 per person, per day to eat here.

Cruise ship food can get repetitive, so I appreciate that Pier 7 has more variety to consider and it's somewhere else you could go for a meal. Plus, I think having all-day brunch is going to be a popular choice for those who like to sleep in but still want breakfast. 

Wizard of Oz

Royal Caribbean has a well-deserved reputation for having the best entertainment at sea, and The Wizard of Oz show might be its best show yet.

As the signature show on Icon of the Seas, Oz has been highly anticipated and the show matches up nicely.

The production value is off the charts. From the set, to the costumes, to the special effects, this is no musical medley. It's on par with any stage show you might see in a city (and have to pay extra to see).

While I was disappointed all of the shows weren't available to see on the inaugural cruise, Wizard of Oz alone makes up for it all with its high quality.

Things I didn't like about Icon of the Seas

Nothing in this world is perfect, and I found a few aspects of Icon of the Seas that I think could be improved.

Staggering of Royal Promenade entertainment

One goal Royal Caribbean has had with the Royal Promenade was to make the area have much more energy, so they opened up the venues more so that you can experience a taste of what's happening inside as you walk by.

Nearly all of the venues (except The Attic) are fully open, so music can be heard from all over the Royal Promenade, making it more enticing for passengers to want to experience it all.

I love this change, but I'm not sure the timing has been well thought out.

The issue is they want certain musical acts to be playing when others aren't, and the result is it seems like you have less time to enjoy them all.

As an example, the guitarist in the pub regularly stops performing around 10:45pm so that Boleros (located across the Promenade and above) can perform. The guitarist in the pub starts earlier, but between shows and dinner, there's wasted time as I have found the pub gets busiest on other ships between 10pm and midnight.

Noise bleed is inevitably going to happen, but I don't think the entertainment needs to grind to a halt during prime time.

Suite lounge feels cramped

The suite lounge on Icon is a shared space with Coastal Kitchen, but unlike the Oasis Class ships that do the same thing, this area feels far more constricted.

As you enter the Suite Neighborhood, you'll find the suite concierge and the suite lounge hugging the left side of the area, with Coastal Kitchen taking up much of the space.

I found there just isn't a lot of seating, and what seating is there is very close together. This is especially true of the tables in Coastal Kitchen. The nice thing about Coastal Kitchen is that it encompasses two floors.

Baskets instead of drawers

This last thing I don't love is purely aesthetic, but I noticed in many standard cabins, baskets have essentially replaced a few drawers.

The problem I have with baskets is the contents are visible to someone outside the room. The baskets are too small to put larger garments in them (such as pants), so I think smaller clothing will inevitably be put in them, such as undergarments.

Regardless of what you put in them, if you have friends come to your room to hang out, the clothing is visible and that bothers me. Maybe that's just me.

Speaking of storage, there is sufficient room to put your clothes and belongings away, but it feels like there is less space than on Wonder of the Seas. I think the change is a result of removing the storage that used to be around the bed frame on other ships.  

As I said, there is enough space to put belongings away, but it feels like there is less than you might otherwise have on an Oasis Class ship.

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I've spent over a week on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas and it's an impressive cruise ship, but there are some important things you'll want to do to maximize it all.

Royal Caribbean calls Icon of the Seas a "white paper ship", because it was designed from scratch to incorporate the line's best ideas. Suffice to say, I've heard so many great things from other passengers on how impressed they are. Destination elevators, an expansive pool deck neighborhood, more for the kids than ever, and new entertainment venues are just some of the early wins.

I got to thinking how could someone going on Icon truly get the most out of their vacation.  I thought about the ways anyone could save time, money, and their sanity, by embracing a few easy tips to have a better cruise.

Icon is a giant ship, but don't let its size overwhelm you. There's easy ways to make it all work.

Get to know the neighborhoods

Understanding the layout of Icon of the Seas is probably the first thing you should figure out.

Icon borrows the neighborhood concept from the Oasis Class cruise ships, but it's far from a copy-and-paste job. The layout is notably different, and you may find yourself early on trying to figure out which area has which venue.

Hooked is in the AquaDome, the Music Hall is below the Royal Promenade, and Surfside can be accessed from a few decks.

Neighborhoods have served two purposes.  First, it provides easy navigation aids.  Second, it helps spread passengers out.

Read more: Is the world's largest cruise ship crowded? Not as much as you might fear

At the risk of making a shameless plug, we put together a walkthrough video tour that you can watch to easily get a sense of where everything is before the cruise begins.  While deck maps are also available, I think they are not as intuitive to understanding layout and flow.

Once you get on Icon of the Seas, be sure to walk around a lot on the first day so you can get your bearings.

One thing you'll notice is how inviting each neighborhood is, and how you might be drawn in immediately to one area and realize you haven't made it to a different neighborhood yet. Royal Caribbean wanted the ship to offer something for everyone, and I found I would wander into one area and hang out there longer than I anticipated.

You may find yourself drawn into an a lounge, pool, or activity and spend more time there than you anticipated because it's just that endearing. 

You can use the Royal Caribbean app for much more on Icon

Royal Caribbean has introduced new app features first just for Icon of the Seas, so be sure to take advantage of them (so be sure to download the app before the cruise).

In addition to the repertoire of useful functionality, the Royal Caribbean app has new features that you can now use:

Express Boarding

Guests who check-in ahead of time and scan their documents get to go through the “Express Boarding” and breeze through the cruise terminal in minutes

Faster WiFi access

Once shipboard, guests can connect directly to WiFi and their Internet plans through the app (rather than going into their phone settings or dealing with a captive portal).

AI Help

Guests can now get help from a chatbot or chat with a Guest Services agent through the Royal Caribbean app.

The Guest Services team now has a Virtual Queueing system to schedule and manage guest visits.

Dinner reservations

Guests receive push notifications when their tables are ready for main dining, helping reduce the pre-dinner crowds.

Easier photo purchases

And guests can view and purchase photos directly through the app, instead of having to visit and crowd around kiosks.

Pre-book your shows whenever possible

Royal Caribbean allows guests to book tickets to their shows in the weeks leading up to their cruise and this is not just a good idea, it's a must-do.

The hottest ticket on Icon of the Seas are the top shows: Aqua Action, Wizard of Oz, and Starburst. Even the comedy shows are tough to book too.

Theoretically, Royal Caribbean puts its tickets to book 30 days before the cruise from the Cruise Planner website. For at least the first few sailings, the cruise line has needed more time to get its reservations open.

Regardless of when they're available, book shows to ensure you get in easily.

There will also be tickets made available on the ship. There's a box office you can visit to get reservations on embarkation day, so that's a good back-up option.

Arrive very early for standby shows

If you don't get a ticket, don't fret, you can still likely get in the show but you'll need to be an early bird.

There is a standby line for each show, and the key is to get in the standby line early. I would recommend getting in line at least 30-45 minutes before the listed start time to be able to be among the first to enter the theater once they admit standby line guests in.

Even if you have a ticket, I'd still recommend getting to the show early.  Seating is limited in many venues, especially the AquaTheater.  Remember, your ticket assures you of a seat, but not necessarily the best seat. So arrive early.

Don't overlook the great included food options

It's so tempting to book specialty restaurants, but the restaurants included with your fare are not bad at all on Icon.

Pearl Cafe has replaced Cafe Promenade, and it offers grab-and-go snacks 24 hours a day. It's a significant upgrade in terms of food quality and selection.

Perhaps the best complimentary restaurant to come out of Royal Caribbean in at least a decade is the Aquadome Market.

This is Royal Caribbean's first food hall, and it is really good. You have the choice of Greek, mac and cheese, crepes, Asian, or salads. It's all freshly made, and it's the kind of food you'll want to go back again to get more.

Surfside might be the new neighborhood for young families, but don't skip the restaurants here. There's two included restaurants that serve up a lot of comfort food: Surfside Bites and Surfside Eatery.  

Of course, you could also grab a slice of pizza at Sorrento's, which was Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley's favorite food on Icon.

There are outlets in so many public venues

Whether you want to keep your laptop, iPhone, or any electronic device powered up, it's easier on Icon.

There are so many more outlets in public venues than ever before.  On older ships, it's a miracle if you can find a single electric plug to use around the ship because ships were not designed with USB or 120V outlets in mind.

Around Icon, there are lots of outlets you can use.  As more people work remotely from cruise ships (thank you Starlink internet), there's more of a need to have power.  Plus, sometimes you just want to keep your phone going because you used a lot of battery already listening to music.

Pearl Cafe in particular has a ton of outlets, as does the Overlook in the Aquadome.  Most bars have plugs as well that you can use.

Book your cruise early for the best price

If Icon of the Seas sounds like a fantastic cruise ship to sail on, you will want to book it as early as possible.

Cruise prices are dynamic, but as rooms get booked up, inventory drops and prices go up. Demand for Icon of the Seas is so strong right now that you cannot expect a price drop.

Your best strategy for getting a good price on Icon is to book early, like right now.  The earlier you book, you can lock in the price.

The cruise industry is experiencing unparalleled demand, and you'll see that in the prices.  Icon is a premium ship with premium pricing, so booking early is your best plan (rather than waiting for a last-minute deal).

Read more: 15 ways to get a deal on a cruise