All the bells and whistles
These giant ships are not everyone’s cup of tea, but for families who see the advantage of an all-in-one, something-for-everyone holiday, they’re just the thing, Keith Austin writes.
Ship shape
This is the latest offering from Royal Caribbean, a company that appears to be competing with itself in the ocean-going behemoth stakes (Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas etc).
Launched in January, Icon is officially the largest passenger ship on the planet – and it shows. Moored at the Port of Miami just before its first paying-passenger cruise, it looks like some gigantic white children’s toy straight out of the box.
The design
With eight distinct “neighbourhoods”, 20 decks, god knows how many pools, and room for more than 5000 people, Icon of the Seas has been designed to within an inch of its life. It doesn’t feel like it, though.
Design and aesthetics are there, but they’re like strawberry jam in the middle of a great big, chewy, fun doughnut. It’s also somehow luxurious without being “luxury”.
This is, after all, an every-vacation-in-one experience for families, and you don’t want over-excited kiddie-winkies ruining Le Corbusier lounge chairs, do you now?
The spaces
Where to start? Did I mention the eight separate neighbourhoods? The largest waterpark at sea with six record-breaking waterslides? And what about Surfside, an area designed specifically for toddlers, guarded by a giant pink flamingo.
My favourite space is the Aquadome, a massive open space that features the largest at-sea waterfall and, at night, hosts spectacular aquatic-aerialist shows.
Behind this is the massive, glass-covered Overlook lounge where you can admire the view in space-age, mushroom-shaped pods.
The main promenade features The Pearl, a massive kinetic sculpture that doubles as a major part of the ship’s infrastructure.
The stateroom
Check out the CruiseMapper website for intricate details, layouts and 3D renderings.
The most fun is the Ultimate Family Townhouse, a real-life cartoon space that sleeps eight, features a slide to get down from the second floor, a movie room, a games room and a piano-like staircase that plays notes as you walk on it.
It also boasts a karaoke machine. Other top-of-the-range suites have proper bathtubs and baby grand pianos.
My interior cabin (shower, double bed, small lounge area, but no balcony) is perfectly functional and faces across one of the neighbourhoods into the cabins on the other side.
The food
With 40 restaurants and bars, there’s no shortage of places to eat, from sushi to upmarket wagyu steaks, top-notch Italian and an all-you-can-stuff buffet.
The trick is to know which of them are complimentary and which are not. You could easily just eat in the Windjammer buffet for the voyage, but there’s also the Aquadome marketplace, where kebabs, crepes, salads and Mexican are free.
There’s no Nobu or Curtis Stone or Gordon Ramsay here, but there is the al-fresco freshness of Basecamp. More formal destinations include the exclusive 42-seat Empire Supper Club, Chops Grille and Hooked Seafood.
Wellness
Does Crazy Golf count as exercise? The jury’s out on that one, but the large fitness centre is the real thing, full of LifeCycle machines and a good ratio of free weights.
There’s a running track, a FlowRider surf simulator and a Vitality spa. There’s also an outdoor sports court (basketball, soccer, pickleball), as well as a rock-climbing wall.
Entertainment
Apart from the Aquadome theatre, with its breathtaking waterfall, deep-water pool and all-dancing, all-high-diving cast, there is Absolute Zero, the largest ice-skating arena at sea, and the Broadway-style productions of the Royal Theatre.
The ship has other, smaller venues that feature stand-up comedy, a duelling pianos bar and, sadly, a venue devoted to the awfulness of karaoke. There’s also a casino.
The verdict
These giant ships are not everyone’s cup of tea, but for families with children who want to travel and see the advantage of an all-in-one, something-for-everyone holiday, they’re just the thing.
The details
With Miami as its home base, Icon of the Seas will be calling in at ports in either the eastern or western Caribbean, with every week-long trip visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.
See: royalcaribbean.com
– traveller.com.au
Our rating out of five