On Location: Sneak peek at Icon of the Seas – under construction in Finland!

Talk about building something iconic. 

PAX’s Jessica Huras is on an exciting assignment in Finland this week, getting an on-the-ground look at Royal Caribbean’s upcoming megaship, Icon of the Seas, which is currently under construction at Meyer Turku shipyard.

Promising next-level adventure, thrills and family fun, Icon of the Seas, set to arrive in late 2023 and debut in January 2024, will hold 7,600 passengers at maximum occupancy. Upon release, it will be the largest cruise ship in the world by gross tonnage.

Here’s a sneak peek at Icon’s bones, which are being assembled into what should be one gigantic achievement.

Raising the bar 

As Royal Caribbean’s first “Icon Class” ship, the vessel’s offering is set to raise the bar with 20 decks, seven swimming pools and six water slides.

“From the moment they step on board, every experience is specifically designed to give them the best vacation anywhere on land and at sea. With Icon of the Seas, we’ve taken this to a new level and made the ultimate family vacation,” Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, said in a statement last October.

There will be new adrenaline-pumping thrills, including the largest waterpark at sea, and five new neighbourhoods, including “Thrill Island,” where those six water slides will live.

READ MORE: A look at Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, debuting in 2024

Living on the edge will take a new meaning with Crown’s Edge. Part skywalk, part ropes course and part thrill ride, it culminates in a surprising moment that will see travellers swing 154 feet above the ocean.

Chill Island, meanwhile, will have four pools – one for every mood, each with prime ocean views.

Surfside is made for young families from end to end, while The Hideaway is tucked away, 135 feet above the ocean, combining the good vibes of beach club scenes around the world.

VIDEOTORIAL: Introducing Icon of the Seas

The first suspended infinity pool at sea is at the center of it all, and it’s surrounded by a multilevel sun terrace with whirlpools.

AquaDome will be perched at the top of Icon, which will be a transformational space where guests, by day, can take in wraparound ocean views and a waterfall.

By night, it becomes a vibrant place great, complete with restaurants, bars and the cruise line’s aqua shows at the AquaTheater.

READ MORE: Icon of the Seas' restaurants & bars to debut "brand firsts," says RCI

There will be a grander Royal Promenade features its first floor-to-ceiling ocean views, plus more than 15 restaurants, cafes, bars and lounges; a more lush and livelier Central Park has more ways to dine and be entertained; and the largest Suite Neighborhood is three decks of luxury, offering a multilevel suite sun deck – The Grove – that has a private pool, whirlpool and dining, and a two-story Coastal Kitchen.

Royal Caribbean has already offered a preview of the more than 15 bars and nightlife experiences future guests can expect on board, including a few company firsts.

There are also new stateroom layouts made for families of three, four, five and more, like the Family Infinite Balcony and Surfside Family Suite and the three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse, complete with its own white picket fence and mailbox.

Icon will sail year-round, 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations from Miami and every cruise will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

When Icon arrives, the cruise line will debut the island’s adults-only oasis, Hideaway Beach, with an expansive pool, private cabanas with pools.

Vacationers will also visit Caribbean hot spots like Cozumel, Mexico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Roatan, Honduras.

Stay tuned for more coverage of Icon of the Seas' construction in Finland!  

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