When Royal Caribbean launches Icon of the Seas in late 2023, it intends to deliver, "the most transformational ship the world has ever seen."

After years of speculation, Royal Caribbean revealed details about what its next-gen cruise ship will offer onboard, including our first look at the ship itself.

Icon of the Seas is the first ship in the new Icon Class, which means the design is a fresh start compared to ships the preceded it.

Let's meet Icon of the Seas!

Where will Icon of the Seas be sailing?

Icon of the Seas will sail from Miami beginning January 27, 2024 and offer alternative Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings, with every single itinerary visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The ship itself will be delivered at the end of October or early November 2023 and since it is the first ship of a new class, extra testing and adjusting will be required before she can enter service. Combined with the holidays at the end of the year, the first revenue sailing won't take place until late January.

When asked about previous plans for Icon to sail initially from Southampton, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said that was the plan, but things have changed.

How big will Icon of the Seas be?

Icon of the Seas is big!

She has 20 decks and has a capacity at double occupancy of 5,610 passengers, and up to 7,600 passengers if every cabin is maxed out.

She's 1197 feet long.

• 20 total decks (18 guest decks)
• 5,610 guests @ double capacity and 7,600 max guests
• 2,350 crew (bringing ULTIMATE total to 9,950 guests)
• 7 pools, 9 whirlpools
• 6 record-breaking waterslides
• 250,800 GT
• 1,198 feet long

That makes her bigger than the Oasis Class ships, in the sense that Wonder of the Seas measures 1,188 feet in length and has 18 decks.

Eight neighborhoods

Similar to how the Oasis Class ships introduced the concept of neighborhoods to break up the layout of the cruise ship, Icon of the Seas will have neighborhoods too.

There are eight neighborhoods in total:

AquaDome

Located at the top and front of the ship, the AquaDome is an area that is more than just a theater.

The AquaDome has unbeatable ocean views and is fully enclosed, which means the weather plays less of a factor in impeding shows. In the past, the AquaTheater was in the open. Not anymore. Now they can control the weather, lighting, production values, and smoke effects.

The show has the tallest waterfall at sea (55 feet tall), along with flying artists and divers.

In the daytime, guests can take in wraparound ocean views and enjoy views of the waterfall as they enjoy a bite or drink. 

Central Park

Icon of the Seas will see its own version of Central Park.

Royal Caribbean designed this Central Park to be more lush and livelier.

The open-air neighborhood with thousands of real plants will have dining and live music.

Chill Island

Borrowing the name from Perfect Day at CocoCay, Chill Island is meant to be a next-level pool deck. There are seven pools on board, which also features whirlpools, in-water loungers and breathtaking views. 

Among the seven pools on board, the four in this three-deck slice of paradise include the vibrant Swim & Tonic, the line’s first swim-up bar at sea; and Royal Bay Pool, the largest pool at sea.

Royal Bay Pool in the new Chill Island neighborhood on Icon of the Seas is the largest pool at sea.

Swim & Tonic is Royal Caribbean’s first swim-up bar at sea. 

You'll also find Chill Island’s serene, infinity-edge Cove Pool on Icon of the Seas that has in-water loungers.

Cloud 17 is an adults-only retreat and home to the dedicated bar, the signature Lime & Coconut.

Royal Promenade

Once again, Royal Caribbean has revamped the Royal Promenade concept.

As you walk onto the ship, you'll be greeted by The Pearl, which is a new space that Royal Caribbean will reveal more details about later.

In the meantime, we've been told the inside of the Pearl has special panels that can produce all sorts of effects.

One thing Royal Caribbean wanted to change with the Royal Promenade was provide more ocean views. Guests will find more windows than ever before in this neighborhood.

On Icon of the Seas, you'll find the ice area on the Royal Promenade, which will be the largest ice area they've built. It will feature "Absolute Zero, where cutting-edge technology and Olympic-level ice skaters merge to bring showstopping entertainment to life."

Surfside

Surfside is the ultimate neighborhood for young families, with places to eat, drink, and play all day!

Surfside neighborhood

With the new Water’s Edge Pool and Splashaway Bay aquapark, Adventure Ocean, and the teen space Social 020, Surfside will be an all-day family hangout.

Grownups can hang back at Water’s Edge pool as the kiddos play at Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay, complete with slides, fountains, water cannons, a drench bucket and more.

Water's Edge is not adults-only, but meant to be an oasis for adults while kids enjoy the other pool areas.

Surfide is the first-ever neighborhood dedicated to young families, with places to eat, drink, and play all day. 

Kids can enjoy Adventure Ocean while teens hit up Social 020.

Surfside will also have Baby Bay, Playscape and a carousel.

Suite Neighborhood

If you want to live the suite life, Icon of the Seas will offer the largest Suite Neighborhood to date with three decks of space, including a two-level suite sun deck.

Coastal Kitchen

The Grove is a new dining venue for suite guests, and that's in addition to an expanded two-story Coastal Kitchen. This upgraded pool deck is exclusively for Star & Sky Class Suite guests.

You'll also find suites-only private pool, whirlpool and a new casual Mediterranean dining venue.

Speaking of suites, if you want the biggest cabin possible for a family, check out the Ultimate Family Townhouse.

Icon of the Seas will debut the first Ultimate Family Townhouse.

Spanning three levels, the perfect home away from home for families features an in-suite slide, a cinema space, karaoke, a spacious balcony, a private entrance to Surfside neighborhood, and more.

The Hideaway

Royal Caribbean wants The Hideaway to have the same feel of a beach club or Las Vegas pool party, while incorporating beautiful ocean views.

This is also where you'll find the first suspended infinity pool at sea, and it’s surrounded by a multilevel terrace, whirlpools, a variety of seating and dedicated bar.

Thrill Island

How do you outdo having water slides on a cruise ship? You add a water park!

Royal Caribbean wants Icon of the Seas to offer "hair-raising thrills" for guests of all ages onboard.

In Thrill Island, you can discover Category 6 waterpark – the largest waterpark at sea with 6 record-breaking slides – or Crown’s Edge, the ultimate aerial adventure and a new test of bravery.

Category 6 will be the largest waterpark at sea, with six record-breaking slides featuring the longest, tallest, and fastest slides.

• Frightening Bolt – Tallest waterslide at sea
• Pressure Drop – First free-fall slide at sea
• Storm Chasers – First mat-racing duo at sea
• Storm Surge & Hurricane Hunter – First family raft slides at sea

If you're brave enough to try the Crown's Edge. It’s part skywalk, part ropes course, part thrill ride, and an all-out test of courage. At any moment, the floor could collapse and leave you dangling high over the ocean. 

Plus guest favorites like the FlowRider and minigolf return onboard Icon of the Seas.

Icon of the Seas cabins

Icon of the Seas will introduce a number of new cabin types, including a variety of cabins aimed at families.

Surfside Family Suite

Located in the Surfside neighborhood, the Surfside Family Suite can accommodate up to 4 guests.

There’s a cozy kids alcove, which transforms into a living space for all, along with a private balcony and Royal Suite Class perks.

Family Infinite Balcony

Another new type of cabin for families is the Family Infinite Balcony.

With space for up to 6 guests, these are made for larger families.

The spacious room features a separate bunk alcove for kids, a split bathroom design and an infinite balcony – a living space that transforms into an extended open-air escape at the push of a button.

Inside Plus

Royal Caribbean has revamped the interior stateroom with the Inside Plus room.

It features a new intuitive layout and a deluxe closet.

Panoramic Ocean View

Panoramic Ocean View suites and rooms on Icon of the Seas have wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling windows.

There are also non-suite panoramic ocean view balcony rooms, similar to the infinite verandah concept first introduced on Celebrity Edge.

First LNG powered cruise ship

Icon of the Seas will have the distinction of being the first Royal Caribbean International cruise ship to be powered by a combination of liquified natural gas (LNG) and fuel cell technology.

LNG is the cleanest-burning marine fuel and a substantial improvement over traditional marine heavy fuel.

Icon will also rely on shore-power (where available), fuel cells, and a waste heat capture to repurpose excess engine heat. 

Machine-learning technologies will optimize  the ship's routes for maximum efficiency.

Like other new Royal Caribbean cruise ships, Icon of the Seas will use an air lubrication system that creates microscopic bubbles coating the ship’s hull and reducing friction as the ship sails.

When can you start to book Icon of the Seas?

If you can't wait to book this new ship, mark your calendars for next week.

Icon of the Seas will go on sale to the public on October 25th, and special access on Monday, October 24th for Crown and Anchor members.

It's not quite clear what time, but in past new ship releases, travel agents have had the ability to book cabins before the website. It's a great idea to work with a good travel agent to get everything ready.

Ultimate family vacation

If you noticed a lot for parents and their kids to do onboard, that's no coincidence because Royal Caribbean wants Icon of the Seas to be the ultimate family vacation.

Claudia Diaz-Gonzalez, Associate Vice President of Product Development, thinks putting the family vacation first is a major priority, "One of the things that stands out to me the most about the insights that we've received from our guests is that bonding with family, friends, or whoever you're traveling with always comes to the top."

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider went one step further when he recently said, "Simply put, Icon will be the best family vacation in the world."

"Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of delivering memorable experiences and our next bold commitment to those who love to vacation," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.

"Now more than ever, families and friends are prioritizing experiences where they can bond and enjoy their own adventures. We set out to create a vacation that makes all that possible in one place for the thrill-seekers, the chill enthusiasts and everyone in between, without compromise. It’s this first-of-its-kind combination that makes Icon the future of family vacations, and that future is here."

Delayed by a year

For those keeping score at home, Icon of the Seas was initially set to launch in late 2022 but was delayed due to the global health crisis of 2020.

In early 2021, Royal Caribbean pushed back the delivery dates of a number of cruise ships by effectively delaying them for a year.

Originally the three Icon Class ships were to be delivered in 2022, 2024 and 2025.

Delivery of Icon of the Seas shifted to 3rd Quarter 2023, with the other two Icon Class ships to be delivered in 2nd Quarter 2025 and 2026.

Could this finally be the week Royal Caribbean finally pulls back the curtain on its next new cruise ship?

Guests on at least one cruise ship got a tease that Royal Caribbean will provide more information about Icon of the Seas.

Betty Lou posted in an unofficial Icon of the Seas Facebook group a photo of the Monday edition of the Cruise Compass from Anthem of the Seas that indicates more information will be available in just a few days.

"Introducing Icon of the Seas in 3 days" is what the graphic says. Since this is the Monday edition of the Cruise Compass, that would indicate Thursday could be the day.

To be clear, the Cruise Compass makes no promises of anything. It simply teases some sort of information coming in three more days.

There is also a QR code, which brings users to www.royalcaribbean.com/icon. 

Visiting the website, Royal Caribbean says, "On Thursday, October 20th, we’re unveiling our newest class of ship and the world’s greatest vacation — Icon of the Seas".

From here, guests can sign up for an email update when more information is available.

If you look closely, you can also see what appears to be a rendering of the aft of Icon of the Seas in the background of the image.

It's also worth noting the web page's metadata contains the text, "Presenting the largest cruise ship to  ever touch water, Icon of the Seas".

While we don't yet know by which metrics Icon will be the largest, Royal Caribbean has hinted Icon could be larger than the Oasis Class.

Royal Caribbean also posted a new video teaser with new looks at icon of the Seas renderings.

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No matter what is announced later this week, it seems Royal Caribbean is going to share more information of some kind.

Icon: a big secret

To say Royal Caribbean has been tight-lipped about Icon of the Seas would be an understatement.

With the ship set to debut likely little more than a year from now (late 2023 is the target date), Royal Caribbean has provided little details about the ship.

There's been no reveal of what the ship even looks like, let alone what features it will have.  There's no official word where the ship will sail from, itineraries, or any other pertinent information.

Royal Caribbean has been keeping the entire project as secretive as possible up to now in order to maintain a competitive edge, as well as to likely drum up intrigue among cruise fans eager to know more.

Icon of the Seas is the first of its kind for Royal Caribbean and the first of a new class of ships. Royal Caribbean has not released a new ship class in over a decade; instead, the company has continued to expand its Oasis-class and Quantum-class ships, including Wonder of the Seas in 2022 and Odyssey of the Seas in 2021.

When does Icon of the Seas launch?

Icon of the Seas is set to debut in late 2023.

There's about 3,000 people working on the ship every day. At its current pace, Icon of the Seas will be 80% complete in December from a construction perspective.

Icon of the Seas will become the cruise line’s first LNG powered ship in its fleet.

LNG powered cruise ships feature dual engines that utilize liquified natural gas to propel the ship. This makes the ships more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Ready to catch up on all of this week's Royal Caribbean news?

Between all the major headlines, Royal Caribbean is busy with a variety of changes and the goal of this website is to keep everyone up to date with what's happening in all aspects of the cruise line.

We combed the internet to share with you all the latest news from this week.

With a fleet of 26 ships, there are always going to be things happening and in an effort to keep everyone up to date, here's a quick run through of the latest news from this week.

Starlink added to two more ships

It looks like two more Royal Caribbean cruise ships have gotten their onboard wifi upgraded to Starlink.

Based on reader reports, Starlink appears to be working on Liberty of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Steve Ritter shared photos of the Starlink receivers onboard, and verified that the ship is now offering the internet service as of a few days ago.

Similarly, Jason Percival shared that Enchantment of the Seas now has Starlink active.

This means at least 4 ships now have Starlink active on them:

• Freedom of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas

Royal Caribbean has not provided any timeline of when each ship will get it. They've only said the entire fleet will have it by the end of the first quarter of 2023.

For now, we're reliant on reader reports for confirmation of the switchover.

In case you're wondering, there has not been any update on if the cost of ship internet will change or not. For now, ships with Starlink are still offering the service at the same prices as the older technology.

Royal Caribbean wins Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Award

Royal Caribbean won an award in the latest Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.

In the "Mega Ships (more than 4,000 passengers)" category, Royal Caribbean edged out MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line for the top honor.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley shared the news on his Facebook page, "We are so proud to be recognized for the amazing vacations our ships deliver ― they are crafted with all of our guests in mind!"

Galveston construction photo update

Royal Caribbean's new cruise terminal is just 26 days from opening, and we have an on-the-ground photo update to share.

Former Royal Caribbean Cruise Director (and now working in their sales department) Abe Hughes shared photos he took of the new terminal on a recent visit.

The $125 million terminal will be the world's first zero-energy cruise terminal.

Icon of the Seas construction photo

Speaking of construction updates, here's a close up photo from a new venue on the Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Nick Weir, tweeted a photo of the ship that shows the front of the ship, with some kind of a venue present.

Mr. Weir's photo seems to point to it being related to entertainment, since the head of the cruise line's entertainment division posted it with the word, "Hmmmm" in the tweet.

New Allure of the Seas walkthrough video tour

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Not necessarily news, but you might be interested to watch our new full walkthrough tour of Allure of the Seas.

Filmed last month, this video tour will show off the entire ship so you can be prepared for it when you board.  Or you can use it as an excuse for a virtual cruise escape!

Icon of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship, and is making steady construction progress.

It's still anyone's guess as to what the ship will look like because the cruise line has not revealed the ship's design, amenities, or features.

If you're like me, then you're very curious as to what Royal Caribbean has planned.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog commissioned its own aerial drone photos again this week to share with all of you what construction progress we can see from the shipyard.

Since these are exclusive photos, please do not redistribute these photos. Feel free to share a link to this article instead.

These drone photos were taken on the morning of October 5, 2022 at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

One noticeable difference from photos taken last month are the ship's bow has another section added to it.

Icon of the Seas will be the first Royal Caribbean International cruise ship with a parabolic bow design.  

This is a functional design element that creates a curved indentation in the bottom of the vessel’s hull. 

Sister company Celebrity Cruises first introduced within the Royal Caribbean Group this type of bow design with its Edge Class ships.

Moving back a bit, we can see another look at the area that appears to be some kind of a theater. Behind it and above a few decks could be a suite sun deck?

Royal Caribbean introduced a new suite sun deck design on Wonder of the Seas, and the area has space for loungers as well as a circular area that could be a hot tub or pool.

The mid-ship area provides a good look at the top pool deck area.

It's all but certain the large oval shaped middle of the deck is where the Central Park neighborhood will be located. Not only have we known for months that Icon of the Seas will retain the neighborhood concept from the Oasis Class ships, but mockups for Central Park were strongly hinted by Royal Caribbean in last week's video update.

You'll also notice one of the large Crown and Anchor logos has been affixed to the side of the ship not facing the camera.

Something else worth noting here is the opposite side of the pool deck has a distinct curvature to it.  Moreover, there's actually a gap between two parts of the deck.  Could this be to make way for some kind of a feature?

Moving back to the next area, it seems clear to me waterslide support beams are in place.

The series of white columns are very likely for waterslides. Note one set of columns are white, while the other are a brown/orange color. Different slides or a different feature all together?

Looking at the back of this area, we can see a FlowRider surf simulator spot on the left side, and a pool area of some kind on the right.

The FlowRider has been a staple of new Royal Caribbean cruise ships for many years, beginning with the Freedom Class ships.

In looking at the aft of Icon of the Seas, we get a much better idea of the ship's rear design.

Similar to the Oasis Class ships, there is an open deck concept at the back, although it isn't clear this will be another Boardwalk neighborhood.

With the Oasis Class ships, each deck cascades up in length, with the longest decks being at the bottom, and shortest at the top. Icon seems to have the opposite look with the longer decks at the top and shorter decks below it.

Icon of the Seas will have a baby blue hull color, which has been a design choice for Royal Caribbean's last few ships.

Still behind the ship in the shipyard is what we presume to be the Solarium dome.

Photo from August 2022

There are far more panels attached today compared to a few weeks ago.

Icon of the Seas is scheduled to start sailing in late 2023.

We should get more information about Icon of the Seas later this month at an event in Miami.

Royal Caribbean released a new teaser video that didn't reveal everything about its next new ship, but it did provide more of a glimpse of what to expect.

Icon of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean's first in a new class of cruise ships and they still have not shown what the ship looks like, nor confirmed features onboard.  But they have steadily offered brief glimpses of what we might expect.

The newest video teaser was released today, where eagle-eyed viewers might spot a few features that seem to point towards what guests can expect onboard.

Here's what we found in the 7 minute video that stands out as interesting, intriguing, or just plain wow.

Infinite verandahs

Royal Caribbean is borrowing a feature first seen on sister brand Celebrity Cruises with the design of some or all of its balcony staterooms.

While not mentioned, the video did clearly show a new type of balcony stateroom that offers a convertible indoor/outdoor space.

Sister company Celebrity Cruises debuted the infinite verandah on the Edge Class ships.

Celebrity’s design team sought to solve that problem by creating a versatile area that could transform from a balcony into a sun room fully enclosed within your cabin. These cabins are excellent for cruisers on colder-weather itineraries, or who want the option of fresh air but don’t tend to spend much time on their balcony.

With an infinite veranda, there is no permanent wall between the cabin and the balcony. Instead, the balcony area is enclosed on its outer edges with glass windows; the one facing the sea can roll down just like a car window at the touch of a button. 

Accordion-fold doors can be closed to separate the open-to-the-air “veranda” from the cabin interior.

When not in use, roll up the windows, open the doors, and you have a roomier cabin with a sunny seating area at one end.

The inclusion of these types of cabins is not a surprise, as Royal Caribbean first surveyed customers about the idea back in 2018. Then in 2019, Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley confirmed that the cruise line is looking at bringing the Infinite Veranda idea over to Royal Caribbean.

“Edge has a lot of innovation. We need time to assess what works well and what doesn’t but we will take on some elements and put them on the new class of ship – Icon class and potentially Oasis 5."

Later in the video, more traditional balcony cabins were shown as well.

Central Park

Something else we've all assumed was coming and now appears to be all but confirmed is a Central Park area of the ship.

First introduced on the Oasis Class ships, this open air part of the ship has trees, bushes, and lots of plants to help liven up things.

Looking at construction photos, it appears a space was left for a Central Park neighborhood based on the look of the area matching up with the Oasis Class.

While at Royal Caribbean's Innovation Lab in Miami, the video showed executives seeing a virtual reality view of what looks like Central Park on Icon of the Seas.

Of course, the video did not specifically mention it so it's not confirmed.  But the similarities are uncanny.

Big ship name

Icon of the Seas will follow in the new style of a larger sizing of the ship's name on the hull.

Both Odyssey of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas made the change to the larger ship name look on its hull.

In the case of Odyssey of the Seas, the "O" alone measures 11.2 meters (36 feet) in height.

Pearl

Once again, we have a look at The Pearl on Icon of the Seas and still have no idea what it is.

This time, we not only saw exterior photos, but also got a look at some of the panels.

In January 2022, a large pearl-shaped object appeared in the shipyard that capture the attention of cruise fans who are curious to know what it might be.

Royal Caribbean has not announced what it will be, but it is going to be a feature on Icon of the Seas.

"More water and weight than ever before"

Let your imagination run wild with the teaser at the end of the video about water weight.

The narrator mentions, "...how and where will the teams add more water and weight than ever before."

In the last video update, Royal Caribbean said Icon of the Seas will feature, "unrivalled water experiences."

Watch the video

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When does Icon of the Seas launch?

Icon of the Seas is set to debut in late 2023.

By December, Icon of the Seas will be 80% complete from a construction perspective.

In the video it was disclosed there's about 3,000 people working on the ship every day.

More information on Icon of the Seas and a big reveal is slated for October 2022.

Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship is under construction in a shipyard in Finland, and we have a new look at what it looks like now.

Because Royal Caribbean has not shared what Icon of the Seas will look like when complete, cruise fans can only guess what the final product will entail, including features onboard.

The cruise line is likely to reveal more details about Icon of the Seas soon, but there remains significant intrigue surrounding the ship.

In an effort to keep our readers up to date, RoyalCaribbeanBlog commissioned its own aerial drone photos to share what we can see so far from the shipyard.

Since these are exclusive photos, please do not redistribute these photos. Feel free to share a link to this article instead.

These photos were taken on September 19, 2022 with an eye at the progress being made.

Icon of the Seas is being built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, and has been under construction since June 2021.

Compared to construction photos from last month, there has been noticeable progress made in the ship's height, with new decks added.

The aft section on the starboard side is reminiscent of the aft AquaTheater decks found on the Oasis Class ships with the rounded ends.

More progress has been made just behind the ship on what could be a part of the ship's front, which theoretically would be hoisted and installed later to the front.

Looking at the top of the deck, we see what look like support columns towards the rear.  Perhaps supports for a water slide?

Elevated photos reveal a cavernous middle to the ship, which is an area likely to be similar to the Central Park neighborhood found on Oasis Class ships.

Moving to the front of the ship, there appears to be stadium-style seating in the middle.  Traditionally, Royal Caribbean places its theaters in the front of the ship, but this appears to be on a much higher deck than where the Royal Theater is located.

Since Royal Caribbean has not announced new features for Icon of the Seas, we can only speculate as to what things might be.

This aerial photo shows the bow nose piece has been installed.

Icon will be the first Royal Caribbean ship to feature a parabolic bow design.

A parabolic bow is a functional design element that creates a curved indentation in the bottom of the vessel’s hull.  This new bow design helps increase overall stability of the vessel by shifting the center of gravity forward. In addition, parabolic bows allow the ship to be less likely to capsize or heel. This is due to the bow creating an area of low pressure beneath the ship’s hull. 

Icon of the Seas is scheduled to start sailing in late 2023.

Royal Caribbean's series of video updates has promised a new video update sometime this month, but the September update has not been shared yet.

Even as Royal Caribbean continues to remain silent on the cruise line’s newest ship, newly released photos reveal what Icon of the Seas' bow will look like. 

Brand new pictures from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland show tug boats transporting the bow for Icon of the Seas. The exciting series of photos, shared by finki.22 on Instagram, feature the arrival by barge of the massive new bow for Icon of the Seas. 

It was a busy day at the Meyer Turku shipyard! The Instagram caption states that tugboats arrived from Poland with the bow of Icon of the Seas. Earlier in the day, the same tugboats assisted the new Carnival Celebration out of the shipyard for its sea trials. In fact, the two ships have been under construction together at the Finish shipyard. 

As seen in the photos, the bow color is Royal Caribbean’s signature baby blue color, which matches the coloring of the hull. The cruise line’s newest ships have started to feature this new light blue coloring, with Royal Caribbean choosing to phase out its classic white-colored hulls. 

In the background of the photos, the construction for Icon of the Seas can also be seen. Construction on Royal Caribbean’s newest ship started in June 2021. 

Royal Caribbean continues to keep hush-hush regarding Icon of the Seas, leading many to speculate about the ship’s design, amenities and features. 

Thanks to finki.22 for posting these photos.

Parabolic Bow Design

The bow for Icon of the Seas is now confirmed to be Royal Caribbean’s first ship to feature a parabolic bow design. This is a functional design element that creates a curved indentation in the bottom of the vessel’s hull. 

With the arrival of Icon of the Seas’ bow, construction will enter its next phase of fitting the bow to the hull of the ship. 

This new bow design helps increase overall stability of the vessel by shifting the center of gravity forward. In addition, parabolic bows allow the ship to be less likely to capsize or heel. This is due to the bow creating an area of low pressure beneath the ship’s hull. 

Essentially, it’s unsurprising Royal Caribbean would choose this design for its newest ship; parabolic bows cultivate a smoother ride for cruisers. This is especially important for ships that are heavily-loaded.

Early reports from Royal Caribbean have stated that Icon of the Seas will be the biggest cruise ship in the world, so the parabolic bow is an effective design choice.

Icon of the Seas

Although we know Icon of the Seas will have a parabolic bow design, there has been very little information about the ship’s design released by Royal Caribbean at this point. The cruise line has done an excellent job creating hype and excitement about what Icon of the Seas could bring to the Royal Caribbean fleet. 

Within recent weeks, Royal Caribbean released a new video series about Icon of the Seas. The highly-anticipated series is titled ‘Making an Icon’. During the first video of the series, Royal Caribbean described its newest ship as “the most transformative ship the world has ever seen”. 

The series has promised to feature footage from behind the scenes of the ship’s design, construction and eventual launch of Icon of the Seas. Engineers and industry experts will be featured to talk about the revolutionary cruise ship, which Royal Caribbean claims will offer the best family vacation in the world.   

Along with the hype of its design and amenities, Royal Caribbean has also announced that Icon of the Seas will start sailing in late 2023 as the cruise line’s first LNG powered ship in its fleet. LNG powered cruise ships feature dual engines that utilize liquified natural gas to propel the ship. This makes the ships more efficient and environmentally friendly.

A huge media campaign has started for Icon of the Seas, with CEO Michael Bayley hinting at a fall reveal. In addition, Bayley already revealed that Icon of the Seas will first set sail from the UK. 

Icon of the Seas is the first of its kind for Royal Caribbean and the first of a new class of ships. Royal Caribbean has not released a new ship class in over a decade; instead, the company has continued to expand its Oasis-class and Quantum-class ships, including Wonder of the Seas in 2022 and Odyssey of the Seas in 2021.

At one point earlier this year, it was teased that a full-blown marketing event could be launched in New York City this fall. 

The CEO has also emphasized that the innovation and design of Icon of the Seas will be unlike anything Royal Caribbean has built before. Guests can expect incredible onboard thrills, water experiences like no other, and unparalleled entertainment.

While Royal Caribbean has been quiet about what Icon of the Seas will look like when completed, we have our own construction photos to share of the progress.

Icon of the Seas is the next new cruise ship Royal Caribbean is building, and it's a brand new class of cruise ship. This means we don't yet know any details about the features or activities offered onboard, or even what the ship design looks like.

Royal Caribbean has been keeping the entire project as secretive as possible up to now in order to maintain a competitive edge, as well as to likely drum up intrigue among cruise fans eager to know more.

While we wait for an official update from Royal Caribbean, RoyalCaribbeanBlog comissioned its own aerial drone photos to share what we can see so far from the shipyard.

Since these are exclusive photos, please do not share these photos on social media.

Construction of Icon of the Seas began in June 2021 with a steel cutting ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

Icon of the Seas is being built behind the new Carnival Celebration cruise ship.

These photos were taken earlier this week, and you can see the bottom half of the hull is mostly there, with just the bow missing.

Icon already has a baby blue hull color to it, which has been a design change Royal Caribbean has been steadily making with its newer ships.  Instead of a plain white hull color, new ships are debuting with a light blue hue to it.

In a slightly elevated aerial view, we can see there are at least three open air sections visible.

Read more: 3 hints what Icon of the Seas could look like

The Oasis Class ships first introduced the idea of open parts of the ship for the Boardwalk and Central Park neighborhoods. 

Whether Icon has its own Boardwalk and Central Park, or Royal Caribbean is developing a new concept, remains unknown.

A view of the rear of the ship shows an opening at the end of Icon that could be theater of some kind at the very bottom.

We also have a better look at one of the open air sections, which certainly mirrors the Boardwalk general layout.

The ship's name is not yet painted onto the back of the hull.

It also appears the shipyard is working on what is likely a feature for the front of Icon of the Seas. 

While we don't yet know what this is, the overall design reminds me of the glass enclosure that sits atop of the Solarium on the front of other Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

The Solarium glass for Wonder of the Seas seems to have a similar look to it.

Much of the middle of the ship will be the future home for stateroom balconies.

You'll notice most of the cabins are still wrapped up. Cruise ship cabins are assembled elsewhere and then inserted into the ship later as a more efficient construction method.

Some of the balconies towards the rear of the ship are unwrapped, which provide a glimpse of what to expect elsewhere.

Icon of the Seas is scheduled to start sailing in late 2023.

It's not quite clear yet when exactly Royal Caribbean intends to reveal the look of the ship, but earlier this summer, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley hinted at September 2022.

One other key detail about Icon of the Seas is it could be bigger than the Oasis Class ships.

Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations, Sean Treacy, said in May 2022 that Icon of the Seas will be larger than the Oasis class cruise ships.

As excited as everyone is for Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, the one thing everyone wants to know is what the ship looks like.

Icon of the Seas will be a new class of cruise ship, which means it will have a new structure to it that isn't exactly like any ship before. When it comes to ship class design, think of it like a car model, where one model looks different from another.

Royal Caribbean has promised the ship will be innovative and unlike any other ship before her.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said Icon of the Seas will feature a combination of ‘tradition, evolution and revolution’ cruising elements from Royal Caribbean. 

Let's be clear, we don't know what it will look like, but we've gotten a few hints over the last few weeks as to its general look.

Until the design comes out, here are the latest hints to consider.

Hint 1: The front?

In the newest video update that showcases the creation of Icon of the Seas, what appears to be the front of the ship can be seen in the background of a meeting.

While it doesn't give a tremendous amount of detail, it looks as though Icon of the Seas might have a new bow design.

It's been speculated that Icon would be the first Royal Caribbean International cruise ship to employ a parabolic bow.

While visually polarizing, parabolic bow design is about engineering and not aesthetics.  They are known for offering a smoother ride overall.

Sister company Celebrity Cruises has employed the parabolic bow to its Edge-Class ships and the consensus has been a success.

Hint 2: Blueprints

In both of the video updates Royal Caribbean has released, blueprints for Icon of the Seas can be seen in the foreground.

While the video isn't clear enough to show us exactly what the blueprints have on them, it seems to indicate there could be some kind of an open-air part of the ship.

The Oasis Class ships were the first to introduce open areas of a cruise ship in the form of Central Park and the Boardwalk.

Read more: How Royal Caribbean was able to add a giant park to its cruise ships

Hint 3: The ship's silhouette?

Perhaps the most compelling evidence of the ship's look could be from a recent accolade given to Royal Caribbean's top cruiser.

A photo emerged online of what looks like the silhouette of Icon of the Seas as a gift to Royal Caribbean's top cruiser, Super Mario.

Read more: Man who has cruised the most with Royal Caribbean reaches 10,000 points

Is this gift an actual representation of what Icon's profile will look like? Or is it just a generic design they came up with for gifts?

When will we know what Icon of the Seas look like?

If these hints aren't satisfying your curiosity, you aren't alone.

Royal Caribbean has said we should get further details about Icon of the Seas later this fall.

When Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO, was asked in June 2022 about when we might get more information, he pointed to September, "We are launching Icon of the Seas starting this September."

"By launching, I mean, we are we are starting to communicate. We have a whole planning program of communication, social media, marketing, TV, radio, you name it."

Icon of the Seas is set to debut in late 2023.

Royal Caribbean hasn't shared much about its next new cruise ship, but it has outlined clear goals for what it hopes will be a revolutionary new ship.

Icon of the Seas is scheduled to debut in fall 2023, and Royal Caribbean has released a new video that talks about how the company came up with ideas for what this ship should be.

When Royal Caribbean started designing the ship, they referred to it as a "white paper ship", which means they wanted to start with a blank slate.

"The reason why we call it that is we start with a blank piece of sketch paper, so it truly is starting fresh," said Anna Drescher, a manager of the ship's architectural design team.

The team posed all sorts of ideas, especially considering what its guests wanted.

Yael Steinhart, Director of Product Innovation, talked about how the team looked through the lens of what guests want and incorporate that into a new ship, "We really looked at how can we bring the best of all experiences and vacation types into one place."

"So think about city getaways, beach retreats, all inclusive resorts and amusement parks. You have to dream as big as you can."

The end result are five pillars of what Icon of the Seas will encapsulate.

1. Unrivalled water experiences

Jay Rosser, Senior Product Owner in Product Development, spoke about the need to incorporate unrivalled water experiences, "Icon really is about bringing our guests back to what surrounds them when they're on a cruise, which is the ocean."

"In every way that the guests interact with the ship, there's always a connectivity back to the water."

One of the slights that the Oasis Class ships have had since their inception has been it's difficult to see the ocean and outdoors while inside the ship. Compared to other Royal Caribbean ships that came before it, there has been less visibility to the outside world.

2. Adrenaline pumping thrills

If you've been on any Royal Caribbean cruise ship in the last 20 years, you know how many fun thrills there are onboard.

Surf simulators, bumper cars, zip lines, and sky diving simulators are just a few of these activities Royal Caribbean is known for, and the cruise line wants to continue that trend with Icon of the Seas.

Emily Rodriguez, Product Owner in Product Development, talked about the importance of thrills on Icon, "As we started seeing more and more excitement for a lot of our thrilling experiences, we said, How can we take that to the next level? How can we offer something that is really for the bold, for the brave, for the fearless and experience something that they've never been able to do anywhere else."

3. Ultimate family vacation

Simply put, Royal Caribbean wants families to look at Icon of the Seas as their primary choice for a family cruise, not just another option.

Claudia Diaz-Gonzalez, Associate Vice President of Product Development, thinks putting the family vacation first is a major priority, "One of the things that stands out to me the most about the insights that we've received from our guests is that bonding with family, friends, or whoever you're traveling with always comes to the top."

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider went one step further by saying, "This is a ship of unrivaled entertainment. It's adrenaline pumping thrill. It is amazing. Food and beverage. Simply put, Icon will be the best family vacation in the world."

Read more: Here are the absolute best cruises for families

4. Sensational entertainment

Live entertainment has always been a staple of any Royal Caribbean cruise, and Icon of the Seas will continue that with the kind of Las Vegas and Broadway glitz the cruise line has always delivered on.

Ms. Steinhart hinted that not only will Icon have the kind of shows we've known, but something extra, "Icon of this Seas will deliver some of the best shows in the world, but we've also really expanded with new, diverse additional variety of entertainment on board."

5. Celebration of food and beverage

Royal Caribbean has been steadily elevating its dining offerings for years, with new ships rolling out new concepts and enhancements to favorites.

Tim Klauda, Vice President of Product Development, "The food is diverse, so you can try things you never tried before or you can try things you love, maybe a little bit of a spin. You can get access to that food in ways we've never done before. So convenience is huge."

Perhaps that spin is an idea Royal Caribbean first played with in 2019: onboard food delivery.

Watch the full video

Royal Caribbean published Episode 1 of "Making an Icon" and you can watch it here.

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