Royal Caribbean presented all the news of its imposing Icon of the Seas

From the Royal Caribbean International offices in Miami, the company that generates experiences on board unveiled all the possibilities and activities offered by Chill Island and Hideaway, two of the largest ship neighborhoods in the world that will set sail in 2024

With its “Making an Icon: Creating Chill Island and The Hideaway” brand, Royal Caribbean invested in naval architecture, design, food and beverage operations, and product development; pools, restaurants, bars and various ways to relax on Icon of the Seas. 

The design of the new Chill Island and The Hideaway neighborhoods calls for more water on top of a cruise ship than ever before, and the intentional mix of different experiences for every mood and every type of vacationer. For that, the company included five pools, including the first infinity pool suspended in the sea, and even created an adults-only retreat with a variety of shapes and options for eating and drinking.

“The driving force behind everything we do at Royal Caribbean International is delivering the best vacations in the world,” says Claudia Díaz-González, associate vice president of product development for Royal Caribbean International. Icon is no exception, as one of the brand’s most anticipated new cruise ships, it will launch the new Icon Class in 2024, redefining what a family vacation can be.

During the showcase held in Miami last week, the Product Development team spoke with TraveltoLatam to provide details about the new launches and the cruise industry market. There were present:

Jay Schneider – Director of Product Innovation

Alex Palmeri – Corporate Beverage Operations Manager

Emily Rodriguez – Senior Product Manager/Owner, Product Development

Sean Treacy – Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations

Alberto Munoz – VP of LATAM and the Caribbean

In a meeting with them, they explained the situation of the competitive cruise market around the world. “We are really trying to compete with and for a total vacation. If we look at our growth, we want to continue improving to generate new cruises. And to do that, we have to convince the consumer to want to come, to get to know us and to embark on the experience with us; that is, to spend seven nights in our Icon and not decide, for example, to ski seven nights in Vail. Therefore, it is necessary to compare ourselves with the world from a tourism perspective. Then we look at our performance, we really spend a lot of time talking to our guests and understanding what they’re looking for so we can pass all the consumer tests.”

In addition, they have explained about the process of technology, design and construction of a ship such as Icon of the Seas: the selection of materials, implementation, 3D printing in the form of a model and visualization of the new spaces.

“We are currently working on it and this ship leaves in a year. But we will not finish designing it, we will have a very short construction period, around a couple of months built at once. We always reserve blank spaces on purpose, in order to continue innovating over time, regarding the needs and requests of our clients.

Water parks are a good example of what those on board want to enjoy, and innovation continues indefinitely, to generate ever more memorable experiences. We seek to climb in the excitement of a new experience. So, we are still making changes to Icon and they will be out in January. Some of those changes are smaller in nature, some are reserved as white spaces, and then some much larger ones happen.”

Icon of the Seas: The largest water park at sea

Category 6, it features the largest water park at sea with the highest slide to ride, pressure drop, and the first free-fall water slide open on a cruise ship.

A Family-Only Neighborhood:

With adventure for all ages at Surfside. A sprawling water park, an adults-only pool, plus plenty of bites to recharge.

7 pools, one for each type of passenger:

Icon of the seas has a different pool for each day of the week, including Royal Bay, with great views and a series of infinity edges to keep you in touch with the ocean.

Night proposals:

More than 15 lively venues and live music venues, every night on board offers great fun, gastronomy and spectacular drinks.

You can listen to rockin’ tunes, watch a piano´s battle in Dueling Pianos℠, or feed your competitive spirit with a round of darts, pool classics, and retro arcade. Enjoy classic songs or dazzling stand-up. All together, on Icon of the Seas.

Gastronomy:

More than 20 ways to dine on board. Each dish is designed to be a treat for the senses, delivered in captivating locations, photo-worthy plating, and meals served with a side of live entertainment. 

Icon of the Seas, is preparing loaded with news and experiences for the upcoming vacations. Are you ready to live it?