Icon of the Seas Blocks Are In The House!

[BecciBoo]

12 minutes ago, OfTheSeasCruiser said:

Ok, so do we have official confirmation of when the inaugural cruise is? I read January 28th, but that doesn't line up with this. But this is also showing December 2023 sailings even though Royal is saying a January 2024 debut.

Can't be because the schedule shows a 7day departing Jan. 27th.

[StephPS79]

2 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

That is a matter of personal tastse and opinion.  I think it looks extremely upscale.  It's subjective to say the least.

 

I think the ship is beautiful!  However, people seem to expect a Cunard experience at a Royal Caribbean price.

[BecciBoo]

I took the comment to mean modern or expensive materially.  I think it is that, I don't expect Silver Sea from RCCL.  It's plenty upscale in my view.  Just because they want this ship to be for everybody, family, kids and more mature adults doesn't mean it's shabby.  I'll be happy with innovative, fun and attractive, traits I HAVE come to expect from RCCL.

Edited October 20, 2022 by BecciBoo

[robmtx]

So with 2 more decks, will it be safe to assume it can't fit under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge? I know Oasis has retractable funnels, but this thing looks a little too tall. 😞

[robmtx]

15 minutes ago, StephPS79 said:

According to royalcaribbeanblog.com, the pool is not "adult only," but geared towards adults while their kids are doing more fun things in the kiddie area.  Kids aren't prohibited.

 

Wow thanks for pointing that out. I'm already being suckered into catchy advertising phrases like

 

"There are three water experiences, including a pool for the grownups"

and 

"Water's Edge pool for adults"

 

In reality it's "including a pool geared toward the grownups"  - I probably won't spend any time here but the idea is still worth a check+ in my book.

 

[Newcruiser215]

Here's a more detailed virtual tour video. 

 

[Saab4444]

That is an ugly monster, really frightening to be on this ship with all this people....

[Nunagoras]

1 hour ago, longhorn2004 said:

So its geared toward young families in a big way, its why looks like Sesame Street on certain levels. Ok, just hope the product planners go their future demographic correct or this will be in dry dock for a refurb faster than expected.

So true, in such a so few lines like I wouldn't be able to say better, congrats!...

 

I'm not against kid friendly ships and kiddie areas around those ships to an extent. Nor am I against younger demographics trending activities out there. Mainstream is for all, period! Simply this ship seems badly designed by the starting point. From the color palette to the venues balancing. Other than Boleros, Schooner's Bar, the Pearl and a few more all the other places are kiddie designed. If the younger families don't book in force, this "thing" will be in Europe for retrofit way faster than one can imagine! Things must be balanced. Forgive me to cite other lines here, but it would to be good to take a look on what MSC is doing with their brand new World class ships, which real videos are starting to pop up on Youtube: Modern and young families inviting while respectful to the MSC's older guests and MSC's historic design identity. On Icon, apart some of the classics names, I wouldn't recognize it as a Royal ship by any means. Cabins are X, main ship venues are kiddie, well: I hope guest services, MDR, Windjammer and the classics to be more up to trademark identity. The Pearl partly replaces the Promenade Cafe, adding some lounge features, hopefully for classic or string quartet like music, ant that is the unique OK on me enhancement.

 

What I would have liked to see on Icon? Perhaps an Oasis class for the winter climates!. Enclosed Central Park, enclosed Boardwalk, revamped solarium with eventually some night entertainment features! Only the last one was partly done right. And some other features: Coffee drinks would to be delivered from automated machines, Let us to have a food court concept elsewhere, perhaps at least partly replacing the MDR's for non-suite guests, and some other ideas. Some may be possible. Some may not. Time will tell.

[Cruiscs]

 Deleted

Edited October 20, 2022 by Cruiscs

[Cruising89143]

LOL….I remember when the Oasis entered service in 2009. I read right here on CC that RCI would be bankrupt in two years as they would never be able to fill a ship that size on a consistent basis or comments like “adults will not be interested in this ship”. Well a dozen years later we have the sixth Oasis class on order and the next generation of RCI’s cruise ship being introduced. RCI made it pretty clear when they introduced the Voyager in 1999 that families was their focus. RCG has a ship designed for adults that do not want a floating amusement park. It’s call Celebrity Cruise Lines. 

[tx121]

Seems like Royal is targeting the family demographic here with the Icon class. Since there are so many Oasis class ships in the fleet now and since the Wonder didn’t go to Asia, I think they should “adultify” a Oasis class ship and have a more luxury / adult only ship. The Allure would be perfect since it hasn’t been amplified yet and doesn’t have the hideous Ultimate Abyss slide in the back yet. This could really compete and grab some of the Virgin Voyages crowd. 

Edited October 20, 2022 by tx121

[robmtx]

Do you think the drawings are just omitting an elevator for handicap access to the ice theater?

 

[sowhat]

35 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

That is an ugly monster, really frightening to be on this ship with all this people....

Can not imagine being  on the ship with 7000 guests.
The  mockup  visualization looks cluttered and over powering even  with no people

[Fairsky84]

Here is B-Roll of the exterior of Icon. She definitely doesn't look like anything else in the cruise industry. Actually, a rather ugly duck IMO. But I'm afraid the era of elegant looking passenger ships is long past.

 

 

[longhorn2004]

9 minutes ago, Fairsky84 said:

Here is B-Roll of the exterior of Icon. She definitely doesn't look like anything else in the cruise industry. Actually, a rather ugly duck IMO. But I'm afraid the era of elegant looking passenger ships is long past.

 

 

Elegance goes out the window having to maximize precious real estate.  The bow looks cool and contemporary and nice adjustment to the livery in the rear.

[Fairsky84]

4 minutes ago, longhorn2004 said:

The bow looks cool and contemporary and nice adjustment to the livery in the rear.

Agreed. Icon has the best looking version of the vertical-bow trend so far, and it's FAR more attractive than the "parabolic ultra bow" on Celebrity's Edge-class ship. 

[constable145]

I can't wait to try this ship. 

 

Even if I didn't have a kid, I would still love this ship. 

 

I can't see how this ship won't be my favourite. 

 

If you don't like it-sail elsewhere. 

 

More room for my family. 

[longhorn2004]

The ship is the destination. Just as Oasis caused a sensation when it debuted so will Icon. 

[DaniMSCRoyal_85]

[cruiselvr04]

Did I miss it?  Is there a solarium or adults only pool?  

[StephPS79]

1 hour ago, tx121 said:

Seems like Royal is targeting the family demographic here with the Icon class. 

 

I'm surprised by all the people who weren't expecting this.  Why anyone would expect this ship not to be targeting the family demographic is beyond me.

 

With that said, I don't fit that demographic, and really could do without kids running all over the place.  But I'm super excited for this ship.  I like the idea of having the targeting family area, and I can stay far away from it!

[alfaeric]

13 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

Did I miss it?  Is there a solarium or adults only pool?  

I think so, no, and yes.  🙂

 

There's no solarium, but there's a pretty big adults only area.  With multiple bars.

 

We are looking forward to trying it- it looks like a total blast- as I see it, it addressed every major complaint (not including too many people), fixed them, and then took what worked for both Oasis and Quantum, and amped them up (to use their term).

 

There looks to be huge areas to see the sea- from the Royal Promenade to all of the swimming areas.  Fixed the lack of sea views on Oasis.  
There are a TON of water areas, including the largest pool at sea- fixing the lack of pools complaint.  

Took the low used aqua theater and 1) turned the original space to an expanded boardwalk- family area with some cool pool areas then 2) moved the actual theater indoors so that it is not subject to the weather for the shows plus 3) combined it with 270 so that it can be used all day all the time- unlike the aqua theater.  

I'm not a huge slide person- but holy cow.  Good for the people who adore them (which there seems to be a lot- and  I loved them as a kid).  

The zip line is even more adventurous going over the side of the ship. 

The ice rink appears to be more theatrical- which should be fun.

The suite area- geez.  Good way to get the high revenue things going, that's for sure.  If it means I can get a reasonable price on a JS, go ahead and sell as many $20k cabins as you can.

 

And that's just the major details.  

 

Very much looking forward to it.  Just not right away.

 

May wait until Icon II comes out so that the price is reasonable.

[alfaeric]

21 minutes ago, StephPS79 said:

 

I'm surprised by all the people who weren't expecting this.  Why anyone would expect this ship not to be targeting the family demographic is beyond me.

 

With that said, I don't fit that demographic, and really could do without kids running all over the place.  But I'm super excited for this ship.  I like the idea of having the targeting family area, and I can stay far away from it!

100%.  This turn happened a decade ago- how can people be so surprised by this?

 

Works for us, and we don't have kids.

[WhaleTailFlCruiser]

Icon looks like a slightly slimmer Oasis class. 

[MrMarc]

Is anyone else surprised at how few restaurants there are?  Is there even anything new, except for the Suite area?