Whether you’re into cruising or going out, you’re bound to be impressed by Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s new ship that’s set to steal the title of world’s largest cruise ship from Wonder of the Seas (also owned from Royal Caribbean), when it departs next month.
Longer than three football fields and 20 decks high (equivalent to an 18-storey building), perhaps more appropriately named Leviathan of the Seas, Icon measures a whopping 250,800 GT in size and can accommodate up to 9,950 passengers and crew. For comparison, the sister ship Wonder has only 235,600 GT and has 9,288 GTs.
With seven pools, six water slides, a waterfall, ice skating rink, FlowRider surf park, thousands of cabins and more than 40 places to eat, drink and be merry, it’s hard to believe that Icon will even stay afloat. But it does. This was proven when the ship was put to the test during the first sea trials in June.
After being delivered to Royal Caribbean in late November, Icon was taken from the shipyard before it froze and is making a pit stop in Cadiz, Spain, so real bushes can be planted (it’s too cold to do that in Finland). the Atlantic crossing to the ship’s new homeport in Miami.
With the first passengers set to board in January 2024, a lot of time, energy and technical knowledge has been invested in making a colossus like this seaworthy and safe. Here are some of the most important things you need to know to put your mind at ease.
How do they build the largest ship in the world?
Ships are built according to a formula based on length and width, which provide mutual support and stability. “It was a bit of a moving target at first,” says naval architect Dr Stephen Payne, who designed Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. “But now, with computers, it’s much easier. You enter the data, press a button and you’re done.”
Once the structure is determined, engineers must calculate the weight of what is needed on board and where it needs to go. Maintaining the center of gravity is very important. Everything is weighed: the hull and superstructure, machines, fuel, cabins, carpets, curtain rails, tables, chairs, crockery and cutlery.
“It can take months to go through the calculations,” says Payne. “Then you add something for errors and for passengers and luggage, and based on that you determine what you can actually take on board. That is always the moment when naval engineers and naval architects do not get along.”
What is a trial run?
According to Payne, the trials are the best part. During this exercise, the captain performs emergency stops, turns the handbrake and zigzags across the ocean to see how the ship behaves.
After undergoing initial steps in June, the Icon was sent back to the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland to complete the interior. The ship was back at sea in late October and early November, with the engines, steering and noise/vibration all tested.
What if there is an emergency?
After the Costa Concordia disaster in 2012, it is no surprise that safety is often mentioned as a cause for concern in the same breath as Icon of the Seas. But figuring out how to evacuate nearly 10,000 people in an emergency in the middle of the sea, possibly in the dark, is an integral part of the design process.
Computers run countless simulations, calculating how long it will take to get everyone off the ship, taking into account the elevators being out of order (in the event of a power outage, they are off-limits anyway) and how big the stairs and be a lobby. areas must be able to move large numbers of people at the same time.
According to SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) regulations, all passengers must participate in a muster exercise before their ship departs. At Royal Caribbean, they watch a safety video explaining emergency procedures, including putting on a life jacket, and then visit their staging area, where the crew, who are all trained on what to do in an emergency, go through the procedures.
Of course, not all emergencies require an evacuation. For example, if a fire breaks out in a cabin or galley, the captain will likely want everyone gathered and accounted for while the fire is extinguished.
If the worst happens and the captain decides to abandon ship, Royal Caribbean has 18 lifeboats and numerous other life-saving evacuation vessels on board. These provide assurance that this is more than enough to allow all passengers and crew to depart safely.
Getting lost is nothing
There is a large gym on Icon of the Seas, but by the time you’ve walked the entire ship several times a day, it can take five minutes or more if your cabin is on one side and you’re heading to the other – and climbed up and down 20 decks because you can’t be bothered to wait for a lift, who needs training?
The good news is that it’s quite easy to find your way around Icon. Discover leafy Central Park, a downtown area with real trees and shrubs, and lively Thrill Island, with water slides and a ropes course out back. And if you come across a waterfall, then you have discovered the AquaDome.
If you do get lost, simply type your destination into one of the touchscreen panels near the elevators and voilà, your route is displayed.
How long does it take to get off (and get back on)?
On the day of embarkation, passengers board via two gangways that open into the atrium. On port days, when everyone goes ashore, a maximum of four gangways are in use.
Payne estimates that together they can scan 60 passengers per minute (or 120 if they each operate two checkpoints). Will there be queues? “At peak times this is probably unavoidable,” he admits.
Will it be busy?
Computer simulations are used to map passenger flows in public areas, as well as the size and frequency of elevators needed to move people. Payne compares it to how airports had to scale up boarding procedures to accommodate A380 aircraft.
But don’t let the numbers put you off, says David Selby, director of Travelyields, a port consultancy. There is always a quiet place to be found on every ship.
How do they feed so many people?
When it comes to food, Icon of the Seas has a large galley where many of the dishes are prepared, as well as some smaller ones. With over 20 dining options to choose from, no one will go hungry, but it is highly recommended to book your favorite restaurants early and avoid the self-service during peak times.
Can a ship of this size actually fit in ports?
Icon is a floating city on the sea, packed with more restaurants and activities than most holiday hotels – and probably most British cities. In fact, it’s so full of things to do that some people never get around to it.
However, that does not apply to everyone. Icon sails from Miami in January and island hops around ports in St. Maarten, Mexico, St. Thomas, St. Kitts and Honduras in the Caribbean. All this makes disembarkation possible.
The ship will also make Perfect Day calls at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. By sticking to Caribbean waters, Icon avoids having to try to reach some of the world’s less accessible ports.
How to do that
A seven-night Western Caribbean Perfect Day cruise aboard Icon of the Seas costs from £1,609pp; departs February 2024.