Icon of the Seas

Thrill Island is home to Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, with six slides that include family raft slides, a drop slide with a clear floor, and mat racers. It’s included in your fare. Crown’s Edge, a harnessed walk and swing out over the side of the ship, costs extra and should be booked ahead. There’s also the FlowRider, a rock climbing wall, Lost Dunes mini golf, a sport court, and Basecamp for grill bites and a full bar.

Chill Island is the main pool deck, built around Royal Bay, the largest pool at sea, with in-water loungers along the edges. Nearby are the Cove pool, cantilevered over the side of the ship, a hot tub shaped like a champagne glass, and Swim & Tonic, Royal Caribbean’s first swim-up bar. The Lime & Coconut spreads across three levels, including a frozen-drink bar. Cloud 17 sits above it all, and private cabanas are available at an extra cost.

The AquaDome was built in Finland and lifted onto the ship in one piece, the largest freestanding dome on a cruise ship. By day, the AquaDome Market food hall serves crêpes, Asian dishes, mac and cheese, Mediterranean plates and paninis, all complimentary. At night, the AquaTheater hosts Aqua Action!, with high divers and robotic arms that turn into diving platforms. Hooked Seafood, the Rye & Bean coffee bar and the Overlook lounge, with its towering forward-facing windows, round out the neighborhood.

Central Park is an open-air garden with well over 10,000 real plants and living walls. It’s home to Izumi in the Park, with sushi, hibachi tables and a to-go window, plus Chops Grille and its new premium cuts, Park Café, the Trellis Bar, Bubbles champagne bar, and Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues. Empire Supper Club, Royal Caribbean’s most elevated dinner, is here too. Stairways and escalators connect the park down to the Royal Promenade.

Surfside is a neighborhood made for families, and kids about 10 and under get the most out of it. Splashaway Bay has little water slides and a big splash bucket, and there’s a pool, a carousel, a playscape and an arcade (extra cost). Surfside Eatery serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, Surfside Bites has quick grill favorites, and Sugar Beach is the candy shop. Pier 7 serves brunch and dinner (extra cost), and the Lemon Post pours drinks for kids and grown-ups.

The Hideaway is the adults-only retreat at the back of the ship. Tiered terraces hold loungers and daybeds, and the infinity pool is suspended over the Surfside neighborhood, one of the most photographed spots on board. It has its own bar, with some seating in the shade and some in the sun. From here you can take in the aft views and the sunset, and keep an eye on the Category 6 slides while the kids ride them.

Icon’s Royal Promenade is the first on a Royal Caribbean ship with floor-to-ceiling ocean windows. At its center is the Pearl, a sculpture of more than a thousand panels that move with the music, and it also helps hold up the ship. Along the way are the Schooner Bar, Boleros, Dueling Pianos, the Point & Feather pub, the 1400 Lobby Bar, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Sorrento’s pizza, Starbucks, and the Pearl Café, open 24 hours.

Icon’s headline shows are included in your fare. The Royal Theater stages The Wizard of Oz with a live orchestra, Absolute Zero hosts the ice show Starburst: Elemental Beauty, and the AquaTheater has Aqua Action! Because the ice rink is oval, skaters can do tricks they can’t on a traditional rink. After dark, there’s live rock at the Music Hall, Dueling Pianos, comedy in the Attic, Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues, and Latin dancing at Boleros.