Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 MDR - I have no clue when Hubby ventured in MaryS, Neesa, CanHardlyWait and 8 others 10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorCruiser Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 You sure you aren’t a staff writer/photog for Royal Caribbean blog? You might need to be on matt’s payroll asquared17, Lovetocruise2002 and Neesa 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 Icon with Mariner in PDCC Hubby was a bit lonely without his girls CanHardlyWait, Neesa, WAAAYTOOO and 7 others 9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 1 minute ago, GatorCruiser said: You sure you aren’t a staff writer/photog for Royal Caribbean blog? You might need to be on matt’s payroll Haha! Pics are all Hubby. Did you see the ones the other day inside Royal Bling? That was me Hubby says thank you. Neesa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorCruiser Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 4 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: Haha! Pics are all Hubby. Did you see the ones the other day inside Royal Bling? That was me Hubby says thank you. I’ve looked at every pic yall have posted. They’re outstanding quality. Also I couldn’t help notice it appears his icon long sleeve in that pic is performance fabric? If so, I’m totally getting one of those. Cactus527 and Lovetocruise2002 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted February 3 Author Report Share Posted February 3 3 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said: It appears that there are exactly 4 actual chairs in the Aqua Theater ? ....and they appear to be in the splash zone ? Those benches look really uncomfortable. The benches are torture. We had pretty bad back pain after sitting for 50 minutes. asquared17, PPPJJ-GCVAB, Robert M and 6 others 6 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted February 3 Author Report Share Posted February 3 24 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said: We will just photostop @SpeedNoodles in, I guess Nobody called me. jbrinkm, Neesa, She Sails Away and 6 others 1 6 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asquared17 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 1 hour ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: Hubby was a bit lonely without his girls i feel this BIG time when cruise and my dad isn’t with me. (usually because we are on separate cruises ) Lovetocruise2002 and Sweety 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesszy94 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 1 hour ago, AshleyDillo said: We will just photostop @SpeedNoodles in, I guess Don't forget to photoshop in @Matt too! Lovetocruise2002 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 1 hour ago, GatorCruiser said: I’ve looked at every pic yall have posted. They’re outstanding quality. Also I couldn’t help notice it appears his icon long sleeve in that pic is performance fabric? If so, I’m totally getting one of those. They are! They put them out halfway through the cruise. He has a white one but he has been wanting another colour for a while now so this was perfect. Also, this blue one seems to be a bit thicker than the white one from Oasis. GatorCruiser, Cactus527 and Neesa 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Before dinner we made a trip to the Lobby bar to try the 1400. Hubby also got some drink but doesn’t remember what it was called It was delicious! Will post the video to IG in a bit. The 1400 is a must try. Robert M, Jax, tonyfsu21 and 8 others 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGTLH Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 1 minute ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: Hubby also got some drink but doesn’t remember what it was called It was delicious! Think the one with the pineapple might be Viking's Crown. Think I've just about tried the entire menu, other than the namesake 1400. Lovetocruise2002 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 13 minutes ago, CGTLH said: Think the one with the pineapple might be Viking's Crown. Think I've just about tried the entire menu, other than the namesake 1400. It’s one of the Zero proof drinks so probably not Viking’s Crown. He said it might be passion something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Dinner CK Night 7 Pleasant new additions to the Night 7 menu included lobster fritters and the Chops mushroom soup. Loved both! I can barely move after tonight dinner. Need to go home to my usual yogurt and fruit diet. Next cruise is in 6 weeks According to our waiter, this new menu is for CK on Icon, not across the fleet. JohnK6404, PPPJJ-GCVAB, Neesa and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 2 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: According to our waiter, this new menu is for CK on Icon, not across the fleet. So they're keeping the lobster dishes for good? It wasn't just using the leftovers from Windjammer day 1? Lovetocruise2002 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 10 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said: So they're keeping the lobster dishes for good? It wasn't just using the leftovers from Windjammer day 1? I guess they are. That’s why I asked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Confirmation from the tech crew at the Aquatheatre…slightly smaller capacity here compared to Oasis class. They would not confirm how much smaller. asquared17 and Neesa 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 I'm down in the Music Hall watching Phoenix..but moreso watching this one guy in front living his best life playing air drums and guitar like he's the sixth member of the band. JohnK6404, sammy79, CanHardlyWait and 13 others 7 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Goodnight all…it’s been a great voyage! Final thoughts coming tomorrow. WannaCruise, jbrinkm, CanHardlyWait and 15 others 17 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 2 hours ago, AshleyDillo said: I'm down in the Music Hall watching Phoenix..but moreso watching this one guy in front living his best life playing air drums and guitar like he's the sixth member of the band. Apparently he is on the build team and has been on the ship for a while. His boss was not happy with the way he was behaving and his team pulled him off the floor tingtang, Cactus527, MaryS and 7 others 3 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 I went down to the casino to turn all my loose change into dollars. I was reminded to convert my points to freeplay so I couldn't let that go to waste. I charged another $100 go the room, too..oops. Ended up $130 ahead for the night, not too bad. Makes the last night cruise blues a little easier to swallow. They already put the balloons up in the Promenade for the next sailing PPPJJ-GCVAB, Neesa, SpeedNoodles and 6 others 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted February 3 Author Report Share Posted February 3 As you can see, I am not the dedicated live bloggers that my partners are (although I did make sure I helped to get in daily and approve posts). This was, hands down, our best cruise ever. We loved the ship, the wide Promenade and all of the ocean views and natural light. But sailing with friends made it amazing. The crew made it amazing. We spent a lot of time with the gang at the Schooner Bar. Will, Johanna, Sumi, and John Eli were the best! And Gemma, who didn't make the photo. I didn't see anyone mention it. There is a wifi router in EVERY room. We found the wifi to be excellent. We had the UDP. It was a mistake. Not because the food in the specialty restaurants, as it was. But we found ourselves wanting to eat other places more than the specialty restaurants because the complimentary food (I'm looking at you, Aquadome) was so good! When we get a chance to sail on Icon again we will not repeat this faux pas. Sweety, Cactus527, Lovetocruise2002 and 12 others 14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCSC Mike Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 19 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said: I didn't see anyone mention it. There is a wifi router in EVERY room. We found the wifi to be excellent. Wonder has them too... HUGE difference! WAAAYTOOO, PPPJJ-GCVAB and SpeedNoodles 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 27 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said: didn't see anyone mention it. There is a wifi router in EVERY room. We found the wifi to be excellent. Oh, that’s what that thing was! we had one too lol SpeedNoodles, WAAAYTOOO, asquared17 and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Disembarkation was seamless. No different than any other ship from Terminal A. Neesa, WAAAYTOOO, Cactus527 and 6 others 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorCruiser Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Sad day I’m sure for y’all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 I am not sure how to wrap up my thoughts on this sailing so I think I will split it into my likes/dislikes. For full disclosure, you all know that I am a die hard, long time Oasis class fan, and a suite snob. So I am looking at things from those view points. We did not get the UDP, or drink package. We ate all dinners at CK, and lunch was at complimentary venues. Our D+ drinks and SL drinks were more than enough for us. Likes - Destination elevators! Best thing ever! Even in the busiest of times, like leaving a show, we never had to wait more than a minute (most times less) for one, and it was never crowded. - Promenade: the two levels made this area such an open space. The Pearl is beautiful and the Pearl cafe is such an upgrade from Cafe Promenade. - Thrill Island. Like Hubby mentioned before, this area lives up to its promise. It is so similar to Thrill Waterpark that you could save on the Waterpark tickets and still get a very similar experience. - Aquadome Marketplace: the complimentary food items here are a fantastic addition. Quick, easy, good, no need to go to the WJ. - New bars, especially Rye & Bean and 1400. When I think back to what I will miss the most from this ship, some of these drinks make the list. - The Grove. This area is a huge winner, and beats all suite sundecks. No contest. The addition of the food venue here means you never really have to leave, if you don’t want to, and some clearly did not The two levels create a ton of space and there was always plenty of seating available. The only thing this area could use is more tables for eating. Or maybe it just felt that way this week because there were those who literally never left the tables all day long. I am very curious as to how busy this area will get on a full capacity sailing. Even with the addition of all the pins this week; this area was never crowded. - Hubby said FlowRider staff was good and they added more advance rider times as needed. - Hubby also said he felt like moving from one end of the ship to the other was a breeze. Dislikes - Location and setup of SL/CK. I really dislike that it overlooks the Aquadome. Not a good change IMO, it is very distracting for dinner and that area loses its ambience without the ocean views. I hate the flashing lights from the show while trying to eat dinner, and the whole area is way too crowded with furniture for my liking. So a big thumbs down here. The crew is though in this area, from the bartenders, to the CK crew. All wonderful! Many of them are from Symphony. That is what I heard. - Suites have all shrunk. Or fees like it. Less storage, small bathrooms, most of them have lost the WOW factor of some of the Oasis class suites. The biggest disappointment is the Icon Loft which is smaller than a crown loft. Cruise deck plans says it’s not, but when you are in there, it is. The balcony is bigger, but the room itself is more compact, and less storage. You cannot put a rollaway in there unless you move out furniture. - Aquadome: not a fan of having this indoor location. IMO, it loses some of the WOW factor when it’s inside. I prefer it outside. The seating is ultra uncomfortable. Your back and bottom are sore by the you leave lol. And people walk all over the seats to get down to the next level. Not the best. On top of that, because the show is dependent on not much motion, the fact that it is at the front of the ship means that chances of cancellations are still no better then having it outside. WAAAYTOOO, Robert M, bobroo and 10 others 9 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Next thoughts: Would we sail Icon again? The answer is yes, with our kids because I am sure they will love it more than Oasis class. Thrill Island being one of the major reasons why. And they love crepes too. Would we sail Icon again if we factor in inflated pricing? This is where we are struggling. If you look at most of my dislikes, they involve the suites & suite areas. Because I am the type of cruiser that I am, this is a huge factor for me to consider. But know that this is me, and not everyone else. For example, my kids who don’t care at all about suite amenities, will likely prefer this class, same as Hubby. While I don’t dislike Icon, I personally think that I would just be as happy on Oasis class, and my money will go a bit further on Oasis class. I have zero use for a lot of the new amenities on this ship. But again, that is because I am the type of cruiser that I am. Hubby thinks that Icon does justify the inflated cost, because it is a better product, better amenities, but no more than 1.5 times the cost compared to Oasis class. That would be the high end. Overall, if you are looking for a new product, Icon delivers. There are enough differences from Oasis class to make it interesting. It is not just a bigger Oasis class ship, it is different. Neesa, OCSC Mike, PPPJJ-GCVAB and 12 others 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 I think that is everything from me. If there are questions that I forgot, or have not answered, please ask away. Otherwise, next cruise in 36 days! Love that! Neesa, Sweety, CanHardlyWait and 2 others 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyfsu21 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 7 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: I think that is everything from me. If there are questions that I forgot, or have not answered, please ask away. Otherwise, next cruise in 36 days! Love that! Excellent review! I think the Icon is going to be the perfect ship for my family. I am disappointed about the general size & layout of the suites though. Did you happen to hear any opinions on the infinite balconies? I am seriously considering changing staterooms and getting away from the fake balcony and into a standard outdoor balcony on one of our trips later this year. Lovetocruise2002 and Neesa 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampurp85 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Thank you guys for this. I have Icon on the books and other than Voom. I will be doing everything a la carte, it sounds like the complementary options are good. I want to say I always thought Icon was ugly but I will put up with that for tot town to keep the tiny humans occupied. Robert M, Neesa, Sweety and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 4 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said: Did you happen to hear any opinions on the infinite balconies? I am hoping that @Matt will chime in more here with his thoughts on this one. We toured a few of them this week. I was not a fan before of the idea, I definitely would not do it now. IMO, it’s like having a giant window in your room. Hubby says it should be called infinite window as it is more window than balcony lol Cactus527, WAAAYTOOO, MaryS and 2 others 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyfsu21 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 3 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: I am hoping that @Matt will chime in more here with his thoughts on this one. We toured a few of them this week. I was not a fan before of the idea, I definitely would not do it now. IMO, it’s like having a giant window in your room. Hubby says it should be called infinite window as it is more window than balcony lol I am 1000% swapping rooms asap. I don’t know why I even booked this room. Neesa, WAAAYTOOO, Lovetocruise2002 and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregD Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 16 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said: The benches are torture. We had pretty bad back pain after sitting for 50 minutes. This is all I could think of when I saw that seating. Jax, Neesa and WAAAYTOOO 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 3 minutes ago, GregD said: This is all I could think of when I saw that seating. Same and no ATS balcony to watch it from. Lol sammy79, WAAAYTOOO and Neesa 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaCruise Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 37 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: I am hoping that @Matt will chime in more here with his thoughts on this one. We toured a few of them this week. I was not a fan before of the idea, I definitely would not do it now. IMO, it’s like having a giant window in your room. Hubby says it should be called infinite window as it is more window than balcony lol Agree...from what I've seen you aren't outside on your balcony, but it's just a big window that opens. Nice views when it's closed but personally would prefer a traditional balcony. Really loved following everyone's posts and appreciate all the details, photos and sharing your experience and opinions. Really excited to go on her at xmas time. Ship seems beautiful with even more variety of food venues, bars, etc etc. Love the big windows and openness of this ship too. And of course our kids will just love the waterpark. I also like how they have a separate "tot" area that should spread out the kids a bit. Thank you all for taking us along. Lovetocruise2002 and Neesa 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregD Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 2 minutes ago, Jax said: Same and no ATS balcony to watch it from. Lol Exactly. 55 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: Next thoughts: Would we sail Icon again? The answer is yes, with our kids because I am sure they will love it more than Oasis class. Thrill Island being one of the major reasons why. And they love crepes too. Would we sail Icon again if we factor in inflated pricing? This is where we are struggling. If you look at most of my dislikes, they involve the suites & suite areas. Because I am the type of cruiser that I am, this is a huge factor for me to consider. But know that this is me, and not everyone else. For example, my kids who don’t care at all about suite amenities, will likely prefer this class, same as Hubby. While I don’t dislike Icon, I personally think that I would just be as happy on Oasis class, and my money will go a bit further on Oasis class. I have zero use for a lot of the new amenities on this ship. But again, that is because I am the type of cruiser that I am. Hubby thinks that Icon does justify the inflated cost, because it is a better product, better amenities, but no more than 1.5 times the cost compared to Oasis class. That would be the high end. Overall, if you are looking for a new product, Icon delivers. There are enough differences from Oasis class to make it interesting. It is not just a bigger Oasis class ship, it is different. What room would you choose when you bring the girls? This is where I'm struggling too. I know the freeloaders would love the ship. The Boss and I aren't thrilled with what we have been seeing you guys post about the spaces. She loves the balcony you get with the ATS on oasis, but the sunset corner suites on Icon are tiny, with zero privacy in the room itself, and there is no way I can justify 35k for one of the loft suites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 18 minutes ago, GregD said: What room would you choose when you bring the girls? That is what I am struggling with as well. I think in the end, I would need the price to drop a bit, and book two Sky Juniors or the loft. First world problems, I know, but I will soon have a 16/18 year old. Two bathrooms is necessary for peace. Neesa, Sweety, PPPJJ-GCVAB and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregD Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 28 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: That is what I am struggling with as well. I think in the end, I would need the price to drop a bit, and book two Sky Juniors or the loft. First world problems, I know, but I will soon have a 16/18 year old. Two bathrooms is necessary for peace. prices definitely need to drop. Before I posted here, I priced out two sky jrs......nearly 7k a person Neesa, MaryS, asquared17 and 4 others 2 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asquared17 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 4 minutes ago, GregD said: I priced out two sky jrs......nearly 7k a person gooDBYE FOREVER. tingtang, Neesa, ScottD and 5 others 2 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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