Cruising
ON THE WORLD’S LARGEST CRUISE SHIP
EVIE FARRELL
Evie Farrell and her daughter Emmie discover why the world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, is a floating extravaganza made for families
Sitting inside the enormous glass AquaDome Theatre, I watch as water silently bubbles up to cover the retracting stage, creating a deep blue pool. Suddenly, music roars and a 17-metre high-waterfall pours from the dome’s rooftop. Olympic divers soar from platforms; twisting, flipping and narrowly sliding past synchronised swimmers in the pool below as the audience watches in awe.
Just hours earlier, I‘d been clinging to a pink raft as it plunged down a sparkling tube and raced up the side of an enormous green half-dome perched 16 decks above the ocean. I topped off my morning by walking the plank suspended 50 metres above the ocean by a harness. I can’t believe all of this is happening on a cruise ship.
Opening image: The largest cruise ship in the world © Royal Caribbean
Image above: Evie and Emmie playing mini golf
Image below: The Icon of the Seas cruise ship © Royal Caribbean
Image above: Evie and Emmie at Central Park
Image below: Category 6 water park Storm Surge at Thrill Island © Royal Caribbean
World’s largest cruise ship
It’s not just any cruise ship though — my 14-year-old daughter Emmie and I are on board the biggest and most anticipated ship in the world, Royal Caribbean International’s seven-year labour of love, the 365-metre-long Icon of the Seas. It cost USD $2 billion to create the ultimate family holiday at sea, with more than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges, six record-breaking slides, seven incredible pools (overseen by 36 lifeguards) and 20 decks of fun set across eight neighbourhoods.
While Icon’s size is monumental, it’s the first-of-its-kind experiences and focus on multi-generational families that makes this cruising extravaganza the best on the ocean.
Thrill Island: The biggest water park at sea
The Thrill Island neighbourhood is home to the largest water park at sea. The colourful tangle of Category 6 has two first-in-the-world family raft slides and four exhilarating solo slides including Frightening Bolt — the tallest drop slide at sea. With surfing favourite FlowRider, Lost Dunes nine-hole shipwreck themed mini-golf course, a huge outdoor sports court and the Adrenaline Peak rock-climbing wall, you’d think exhilaration was well covered. But an even bigger test of courage is the Crowns Edge where thrill seekers (and terrified mums like me) traverse a rope course, walk the plank and, when it falls from beneath their feet, zipline 50 metres above the ocean back to the ship.
“The colourful tangle of Category 6 has two first-in-the-world family raft slides and four exhilarating solo slides including Frightening Bolt — the tallest drop slide at sea”
Family fun at Surfside
Families with younger children will love the vibrant, energetic open-air Surfside neighbourhood, created as a space for spending a lot of time together, and a little apart. While kids play and enjoy Splashaway Bay aqua park and Baby Bay, parents can keep watch while swimming at the nearby Waters Edge pool, enjoying a cocktail at the Lemon Post (kids can join for a mocktail) or have lunch or dinner at Pier 7 speciality restaurant (an additional charge for adults but kids eat free). This was our favourite restaurant onboard — we recommend the chicken lettuce cups and the burger — but Surfside Eatery Buffet, Surfside Bites, and of course unlimited soft-serve ice-cream will also fill hungry bellies.
Entry to Surfside is down a pink slide or rainbow stairs, under the gaze of a giant pink flamingo. There’s a carousel with colourful figurines selected by kids, playscape for climbing and sliding, and family staterooms above looking down at all the action.
Surfside is also home to Royal Caribbean’s new “Family Fun Ambassador”, Admiral Awesome, with his magic tricks, face painting, games, hilariously inclusive story time where parents and kids are chosen to act out the characters, plus Big Shark Block parties and the Larger-than-Life Family Festival. The real star of the Icon of the Seas however is its beloved “Chief Dog Officer”, Rover, who joined the crew to bring extra happiness to children and families. Rover and her Australian trainer, Allison, can often be found at Surfside saying hello to little guests.
Image above: Evie at Bubbles champagne bar
Images below: Surfside neighbourhood, The colourful Icon of the Seas cruise ship © Royal Caribbean
Images above: Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz shows, The Ultimate Family Suite© Royal Caribbean
Image below: The Wizard of Oz show
The largest pool and swim-up bar on a cruise ship
If you’re more chill than thrill then the Chill Island neighbourhood is for you, with its three levels of pristine pools and whirlpools, including the biggest pool at sea, Royal Bay, live Caribbean music and an abundance of bars and restaurants, including the colourful Lime and Coconut and Mexican eatery El Loco Fresh.
While the offspring are in Adventure Ocean kids’ club or Social 020 teens’ club, be sure to try the largest swim-up bar at sea, Swim and Tonic, and relax in the Cove infinity-edge pool. If you’re craving adult time, escape to Hideaway Bay, which has a world-first infinity edge pool suspended 41 metres above the sea, whirlpools, a cocktail bar and DJ, or seek out the Overlook within the AquaDome at the front of the ship with its nooks, lounges and elevated pods.
Spacious and easy to navigate
While there is capacity for up to 7600 guests on board the Icon of the Seas, the design of the ship means there’s more space on board per person than the previous Oasis class ships, and with innovations in elevator wait times, customer flow and the neighbourhood design, the ship feels spacious and easy to navigate — and you can always get a sunlounge (staff will remove lingering towels so lounge-bagsers beware!).
Family entertainment onboard Icon is also out of this world, with two productions for kids — the Once Upon a Time Fairytale on Ice on the biggest ice-rink at sea (where guests can also skate and play laser tag), and Princesses and Pirates in the state-of-the-art AquaDome, where you’ll also find Olympic divers launching from moving platforms in an impressive, choreographed performance with synchronised swimmers and acrobats. With a 16-piece orchestra, The Wizard of Oz musical is another must-see. I won’t spoil the surprise, but keep an eye out for a flying four poster bed! There’s also an Escape Room, laser tag, family karaoke and a whole lot more.
Staterooms ideal for families
Icon of the Seas has more family staterooms that any other Royal Caribbean ship — 80 per cent can accommodate families — and 28 room categories. If you have a spare AU$140,000, you can book the three-storey Ultimate Family Townhouse complete with direct access to Surfside, two full-sized bedrooms and bathrooms (including bath tubs), five bunks (with individual TVs and headsets), a cinema space, karaoke, an outdoor hot tub and a slide that connects the two interior levels! Unfortunately, though, you’ll have to wait until 2025, as it’s booked out for the rest of the year. But while staying in the townhouse may be a dream for most of us, just being on board is a magical experience.
The writer travelled as a guest of Royal Caribbean International.
Image above: Inside the Ultimate Family Townhouse © Royal Caribbean