See Royal Caribbean's Newest Giant Cruise Ship, Utopia of the Seas

Table Of Content

• Cruises
• Looking ahead, Royal Caribbean plans to return to the basics: smaller cruise ships.
• The biggest cruise ship ever built is about to touch water for the first time
• Second Icon-Class Ship Will Have a Furry Family Member
• Photos: See the New World’s Largest Cruise Ship (Icon of the Seas) Sail for the First Time

"I don't really see Icon of the Seas doing a Norwegian Fjord or Alaska trip." The arrival of the Icon Class is one of the biggest stories in the cruise world in more than a decade — on a scale with the debut of the Oasis Class in 2009. Icon of the Seas boasts 18 passenger decks — two more than Wonder of the Seas. There also are two crew-only decks at the bottom of the ship, giving it a total of 20 decks. The Oasis Class included the previous size leader in the cruise world, Wonder of the Seas. Add in 2,350 crew members, and Icon of the Seas could sail at times with nearly 10,000 people on board — also a new record.

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Crown's Edge is a fear-inducing adventure course that's about 49 feet tall and 44 feet wide. It combines a ropes course, skywalk, and thrill ride into one jaw-dropping experience. Groups of four can ride together and boomerang off of a lotus leaf while soaking up some incredible ocean views. Mardi Gras will hold up to 6,630 passengers per sailing with every berth filled.

Looking ahead, Royal Caribbean plans to return to the basics: smaller cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean to Build Next Mega Cruise Ship in France - The Maritime Executive

Royal Caribbean to Build Next Mega Cruise Ship in France.

Posted: Thu, 15 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. We make sure cruisers are fully prepared for their cruise vacation with tips on ships and ports.Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world. Princess Cruises has announced that its largest ship ever, the Sun Princess, will make its U.S. debut in October 2024. The ship will allow guests to visit their favorite Caribbean destinations on seven- and 14-day itineraries departing from Florida.

The biggest cruise ship ever built is about to touch water for the first time

While the industry shifted towards building cruise ships that bigger than ever, Carnival Cruise Line resisted the trend to build megaships for many years. Princess Cruises has revealed that its newest cruise ship, Sun Princess, will be homeporting in Port Everglades, Ft. The cruise line’s first LNG-powered cruise ship will be sailing a series of five-day and seven-day Caribbean cruises that will visit the Bahamas, the eastern Caribbean, and the Western Caribbean. Back in January, before COVID-19 halted cruising around the world, two of the biggest big-ship cruise lines -- Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises -- were just starting up sailings with their biggest ships ever. Another major brand, Carnival Cruise Line, was just months away from rolling out its own record-sized vessel. Icon of the Seas has 20 total decks, 7 swimming pools and 8 “neighborhoods,” or distinct areas with entertainment and dining.

In 2023, Carnival Cruise Line’s president had announced bookings for their cruises had reached an all-time high. Like most of the cruise industry, demand for cruising has been unprecedented within the last year. Most cruise ships are sailing near full capacity with cruisers paying higher cruise fares than pre-pandemic. Capacity for 2024 is projected to be even higher than 2023 for Carnival Cruise Line. The biggest thing to ever hit cruising is coming in January 2024, when Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas—which will be the largest cruise ship in the world—will debut to passengers for the first time.

Drinking spots will include an English-style pub serving beer made on board as well as a new gin bar concept, a first for MSC Cruises. Like the Oasis Class ships, MSC World Europa will be able to hold nearly 7,000 passengers with all berths filled — 6,762 to be exact. Viking isn't the only major line getting into expedition cruising in 2022.

As with earlier Royal Caribbean ships, it'll even have an indoor ice-skating rink. In all cases, the new ships that are on the way already are available for booking — and, indeed, booking up fast. Every Oasis Class ship that has rolled out has been a little bigger than the last. The float out of Wonder of the Seas is scheduled to take place around 7 a.m. The vessels towered over their communal dock like skyscrapers, casting a dark shadow over their relatively tiny shared pier. Icon of the Seas is just the first of three sister ships Royal Caribbean has on order for delivery by 2026 that will make up its new Icon Class.

Photos: See the New World’s Largest Cruise Ship (Icon of the Seas) Sail for the First Time

The cruise line says it's adding five swimming holes, eight hot tubs, and three water slides to the upcoming vessel. Last month, the vessel sailed the open ocean for the first time, as staffers spent four days testing the main engines, hull, brakes, steering system and other components. Perched at the top of Icon, the Aqua Theater will feature wraparound ocean views and an ... Icon of the Seas is just the first of three sister ships Royal Caribbean has on order for delivery by 2026 that will represent an all-new class of vessels at the line — to be called the Icon class. The line also has one more Oasis-class ship on order for delivery in 2024. Icon of the Seas will have 28 cabin and suite types to suit every type of traveler, including the aforementioned family cabins, inside cabins with extra-large walk-in closets and panoramic ocean-view rooms in the AquaDome.

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If all goes as planned, the record-breaking vessel will begin sailing in the Caribbean in January 2024. Royal Caribbean's first Oasis Class ship, Oasis of the Seas, debuted in 2009. Each of the ships has been a little bigger than the last, and they're all more than 20% bigger than any other cruise vessels afloat. As is typical for expedition ships, it's a tough vessel, with a reinforced bow that lets it bump through ice in polar regions and extra tanks for fuel and food. It also has its own landing craft on board to bring people ashore in remote locations as well as kayaks and even submarines for exploring (the latter being something that is relatively rare on cruise vessels of any type).

Clocking in at 250,380 gross tons and measuring nearly a quarter mile long (1,198 feet to be exact), the vast ship will sport a total of 20 decks, 18 of which will be accessible to guests. The ship will sail weeklong Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, and each will visit Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, with its multiple beaches and Thrill Waterpark, home to 13 waterslides. Bookings open Monday for Royal Caribbean's past guests and Tuesday to the public.

But after a few good vacations at sea, these no-longer-new-to-cruising guests might start craving quieter ships or more bespoke itineraries. Icon of the Seas also features the largest water park ever built on a cruise ship, with a record six decktop waterslides. In addition, it'll have a record seven pools, including what Royal Caribbean is billing as the first suspended infinity pool at sea.

One of the most anticipated on-board amenities will be the largest waterpark at sea. With six “record-breaking” slides including Pressure Drop, the industry’s first open free-fall slide, a 46-foot-tall Frightening Bolt, the tallest drop slide at sea, Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter, the first family raft slides at sea. When completed, the ship will be 20 decks high and 1,198 feet long and measure 250,800 gross tons. To compare, Wonder of the Seas is 1,188 feet long and measures 235,600 tons.

Designed to carry just 264 passengers, it'll be a ship loaded with outdoor equipment for off-ship adventure, including kayaks and bikes. It'll also boast a staggering 24 Zodiac boats for waterborne exploring and landings in remote areas — enough to get every passenger off the ship at the same time (something that isn't always the case with expedition ships). And it'll be home to 26 expedition guides including scientists, historians and naturalists who will lecture regularly on board and lead guided tours on land. Holding just 298 passengers, Evrima will be a small, yacht-like vessel with an elegant, residential look (as you might expect for Ritz-Carlton). Like the earlier Oasis Class ships, Wonder of the Seas will offer multiple main pool areas, a kiddie splash zone, surfing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court and even a zip line. Inside the vessel, you'll find more lounges, bars, restaurants and shops than you can imagine, plus a huge casino, spas and theaters with real Broadway shows.

The line also has one more Oasis Class ship, Utopia of the Seas, on order for delivery later this year. Royal Caribbean's massive, 20-deck-high Icon of the Seas arrived in Miami on Wednesday after undergoing regulatory inspections in San Juan, Puerto Rico.