Next week marks a significant docking at PortMiami, as Royal Caribbean's behemoth, the Icon of the Seas, steams into South Florida's hub. Local enthusiasts and the cruise industry alike are setting their sights on what's slated to be the next record breaker in maritime luxury, according to Local 10. Having left the docks of Ponce, Puerto Rico on January 3, and after having its keel laid in Turku, Finland, the ship is on a steadfast course to showcase its grandeur to the U.S. market.
If the dimensions are any measure of excess, then excess is what Royal Caribbean has unapologetically aimed for with the Icon of the Seas- a leviathan spanning 20 decks high and 250,800 tons of steel and splendor. Once it arrives on January 11 it will not only tower over its sibling, Wonder of the Seas by six percent but it's also stretched out an extra 10 feet in length, this mammoth piece of nautical engineering is an evident nod to the cruise line's ambition for outdoing itself, the completion of which demanded over 900 long days of construction.
Designed not just for size but for experience, the Icon of the Seas is a floating resort punctuated with six swimming pools and an audacious at-sea water park, setting a new standard for aquatic leisure at sea, as Firstpost details. Its gargantuan $2 billion price tag is evident everywhere, from the lavish decor to the state-of-the-art facilities that are designed to satiate the most discerning of luxury-seekers.
But the Icon isn't just about basking in opulence, its cruises will weave through inviting locales such as Royal Caribbean’s very own Perfect Day at CocoCay, Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, and the historical port of San Juan, Puerto Rico offering a blend of exotic escapism and lavish comfort. This maritime titan is set to embark on its maiden commercial voyage cutting through the sea's fabric from Miami on January 27, setting a new paradigm for what can be considered sea-worthy and pleasurable in one package, marking the first new type of vessel for Royal Caribbean since 2014, "the Icon of the Seas will be the first of Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class cruise ships when she launches," says the company.
