cr2000

They are responding to an aging customer base more of whom are now with kids in tow. Icon will effectively be a Disney cruise on school breaks and summer vacations. The choice of shows, venues, and the waterpark reflect that reality. The Celebrity brand is the place for couples. Just the reality of the industry.

Anyone here experience that smell last night after dinner that people are complaining about on FB? There's a video floating around that someone took.

The ship was designed with families in mind, just look at the waterpark they put on the ship. No surprise the headline show would be something for kids.

Kinda like the one entry and exit point into the skating rink through playmakers. Videos coming out of today's sailing already look VERY crowded and the ship is no where near capacity.

I think you nailed it. The Haven experience is exceptional, particularly how it's isolated from the rest of the ship. Near as I can tell based on videos here, the suite areas and blocks of suite rooms, both forward and aft, are wide open to the general public. Wonder has more of a Haven like experience, but still not NCL level.

Matt has great coverage! Looks fantastic in the video, BUT you've only got a couple thousand VIPs on board. I wonder if it will look as enjoyable with 7000+ members of the general public on board. Lol.

Cloud 17 video. I can see how this made sense as the Adult Only section when they were originally designing the space. https://www.facebook.com/CruiseDirectorMitch/videos/690102243321586/

Wonder of the Seas has a dedicated area that is built for handling hors d'oeuvres, continental breakfast, speciality coffee etc. you can see it in a number of YouTube videos. It seems on Icon (much like the lounge area), it's an afterthought, setup on a couple folding tables in front of what looks to be a service bar. It's really like they were over budget and cut a number of corners in CK and the Sun Decks, or just didn't plan well? IDK. Icon Wonder of the Seas

Just my opinion, the colors and textures in Coastal Kitchen look like something you'd find in a Marriott lobby. Just downright ugly. Go look at Hooked or 1400 Lobby Bar, those are beautiful. Also there is no suite lounge area, just some chairs and tables in a waiting area when you enter - no dedicated lounge. I really think suite customers aren't going to respond favorably, heck I saw a video where the continental breakfast in CK appeared to be setup on folding tables! - no dedicated area as on Wonder.

Suite deck space is a very good size, however, you figure 179 suites at 3 people (avg) per suite is 537 guests using that space. My quick count from that video shows perhaps seating for 120 people (heck the bar has a mere 6 seats!) and the "pool", as I expected, is large jacuzzi at best, maybe good for 10 people? I don't think suite guests are going to like having to get up early to save a chair, might as well head down to the lower decks and fight for chairs with the rest of us. Lol. I also think it looks cheap (like it was furnished from the Target or Ikea catalog). I suspect suite prices will correct down as negative customer reviews roll in.

You won't be the only one, Cloud 17 will be a hangout/basecamp for suite guests with families/kids on decks16/17 due to the proximity of slides. The hideway looks great from an adult perspective, but you have to be an adult that wants to party all day long (drinking and loud music). There is no longer an adult only solitude type venue on Icon, but that doesn't seem to be how the ship is marketed anyway...

Great view, but I'd be concerned about sleeping. Hideaway music will be banging until the wee hours of the morning right above you. I saw a video earlier today with commentary about just how loud the hideaway was the past couple days, one large adult day/night club, was definitely a younger party crowd hanging out there. Maybe that's was more related to the start-up cruises and employees traveling?

I'm sure the view on those decks will be great, though I'll never see it. But I did notice people complaining on FB about the lack of ocean views from CK and no dedicated lounge. Not much of a premium experience for suite guests, but 1st world problem I suppose to those that can afford it.

Well I agree 100% with you there, they overhyped the ship and now that needs to be reconciled with reality. I'm sure it's better in many way than Wonder, but early pics/vids suggest a lot of poor decisions/tradeoffs were also made. We'll just have to wait for real reviews, right now it's all employees on the ship.

Good point on greenery, that may help the suite space look a bit less sterile. Not sure how they fix the pool, all pictures I've seen suggests it's not much larger than a jacuzzi. The pictures coming out on Coastal Kitchen aren't good, comments on FB seem to affirm it, the entire space is closed in with zero ocean views, "lounge area" looks like something from a Hampton Inn hotel lobby.

Couple other observations between Wonder and Icon, the total pool square footage appears to be greater on Wonder than on Icon. Perhaps the assumption is Icon's waterpark will entertain a larger % of kids, thus keeping them out of the pools? Eitherway, it seems like a shortcoming given Icon is pitched as a bigger/better ship. Also, suite access appears to be wide open to anyone on the ship, that is, the elevators will not be able to restrict access to decks 16/17. Another huge fail in the suite design on Icon. Last the smoking area located right above the kids area (Thrill Island) seems just poorly placed. I've also seen concerns about noise pollution with the open design of the promenade, Large portions of Decks 7/8 may not get much sleep if they turn in early. It'll be interesting when we start getting some real reviews from paying passengers that have travelled on both ships. Right now, I'm thinking Wonder of the Seas is the better of the two ships, which is disappointing given the premium we've all paid to get on Icon...

The private butler, chef, and maid service will handle all that, and you'll still come in at $30k less than a family suite on RC.

Why anyone would pay that is beyond me. You could rent a 9 bedroom private beach front luxury villa in the Cayman Islands for half that... I guess some people don't get out much.

No doubt the majority of Icon cruises will resemble something of a Disney cruise with lots and lots of kids, certianly not a couples retreat or honeymoon vacation! They didn't build that water park for adults. 🙂

There are a number of things I don't like on Icon, the suite space is perhaps the biggest miss, and I think in time reviews will bear out that opinion. I've also noted a number of other things I think RC got wrong as well, but also plenty that looks fantastic. I don't plan to hang out in Surfside, but I happen to think they nailed it for kids. The infinity pool in proximity to the kids park and eating venues is very thoughtful and the entire space looks whimsical and fun, that's one place where they nailed the color scheme and design, exactly in tune with the target audience. I should haven't to stay or use a particular area to have an opinion. Let's wait until reviews start getting posted of actual paying customers, then we'll know how people feel. Remember the influencers get free vacations for being complimentary, and do so on your dime and mine. Enjoy your cruise!

Looks like Matt just posted an update on the Suite Neighborhood with some positive spin. Coincidence? In fairness it's a huge space, which is a plus, looks to be ample seating. But the whole thing looks uninspiring, sterile, - hardily luxurious/exclusive. Perhaps it's the furniture, colors, textiles... something just isn't right. It almost looks like it was furnished with pieces from Target or Homegoods. Major step down from Wonder of the Seas imo. The outside bar also seems meh, and on the smaller side. The pool, what on earth were they thinking?! It's sized for about 8-10 adults tops. Also the additional pictures of the suite lounge confirm it's nothing separate/exclusive just a waiting area for Coastal Kitchen with a bar - the even have a makeshift privacy divider to separate the area, what? And not even a single ocean view from anywhere in the entire space?! They should've had the designer that did 1400 Lobby Bar (now that's beautiful) handle the suite deck design and furnishings. Someone ought to be fired for the mess up on deck 17/18, the whole thing looks like an afterthought, which is a shame for suite guests who are probably paying crazy $$. If I had a suite booked on a future sailing, I'd cancel it for sure. Why pay a premium to have access to space that isn't nearly as nice/luxurious as the rest of the ship.

Coincidence? Or did Royal put Matt on the case to get some pictures posted with postive PR spin? https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2024/01/15/icon-of-the-seas-suite-neighborhood In fairness it's a huge space, which is a plus, looks to be ample seating. But the whole thing looks uninspiring, sterile, - hardily luxurious/exclusive. Perhaps it's the furniture, colors, textiles... something just isn't right. It almost looks like it was furnished with pieces from Target or Homegoods. Major step down from Wonder of the Seas imo. The outside bar also seems meh, and on the smaller side. The pool, what on earth were they thinking?! It's sized for about 8-10 adults tops. Also the additional pictures of the suite lounge confirm it's nothing separate/exclusive just a waiting area for Coastal Kitchen with a bar - the even have a makeshift privacy divider to separate the area, what? And not even a single ocean view from anywhere in the entire space?! They should've had the designer that did 1400 Lobby Bar (now that's beautiful) handle the suite deck design and furnishings. Someone ought to be fired for the mess up on deck 17/18, the whole thing looks like an afterthought, which is a shame for suite guests who are probably paying crazy $$. If I had a suite booked on a future sailing, I'd cancel it for sure. Why pay a premium to have access to space that isn't nearly as nice/luxurious as the rest of the ship.

I think a lot of people try to justify what they spent and can't look objectively. They will sing Icon's praises regardless perhaps to soothe their wallet, I do think it's fair to be critical where appropriate. I think they really screwed up the suite neighborhood and I think the reviews will reflect that in the next few weeks (and pricing will plummet accordingly). The overall ship deck space looks very problematic, when they are at or near capacity. They messed up with the adults only situation, how's that fair to people who booked with an understanding of having a quiet relaxing area on the ship? The beverage package excludes milk shakes (they priced the drinks at the ice cream place just outside the $14 limit). Then they market basecamp as the place for kids to fuel up after the water slides, but up-charge for burgers and sandwiches? Of course they appear to have done things right as well, the rooms look great, they added some nice family suite concepts, the waterpark looks absolutely incredible and sure to be a big hit with kids. The venues along the promenade seem well thoughout too. I really like the Pearl Cafe and layout in that area, looks beautiful. Net-net, I don't think it'll be worth the premium they are trying to collect over sailing on Wonder.

The suite area is an absolute disaster given the premium they are charging. No view outside (actually looks very closed in) - the "lounge" is a glorified waiting area in Coastal Kitchen (interesting the lounge isn't even listed on the deck plans, almost like they forgot about it), the color/furnishings look about as cheap as you get both inside Coastal Kitchen and out on the sundeck. The "pool" isn't much bigger than a small jacuzzi. Have you noticed RC has been limiting photography up on that deck the past couple days? They know they've got a problem. Kinda late to change the furnishings, they could probably reconfigure the lounge space a bit. One way to address the abysmal suite deck pool would be to claim Cloud17 as the suite sky/star class pool (it's already doored access at the aft end). That would at least give suite guests an actual premium pool, but given the screw up with Hideaway they already have customers fuming. Pictures speak volumes, look at the space on Wonder (below), then go look at the limited pictures coming out of Icon. Wonder (below) looks like a premium experience, Icon looks like they ran out of budget and creativity by the time they hit the suite deck.

Agree, I think there's a lot of disappointments on this ship compared to how it was portrayed in the renderings. We're already booked and will make the best of it. On multiple fronts they have issues, the adult only situation in Cloud17 was a royal (no pun intended) screw up. Lots of guests were promised a quiet secluded area and that was taken away from them. There's questions about overcrowding given how much of the deckspace is covered by stuff (furniture, decorations, etc.). Items people thought were included (basecamp) is not - you have to pay extra for a chicken sandwich by the pool, really? The main dining room looks like it's something out of a ship from 20 years ago with the color pallet (cranberry and mauve, seriously?). Meanwhile the suite area doesn't have a lounge (it's and afterthought inside coastal kitchen) with no views, and the suite pool deck has a small bath tub for it's pool, not sure why suite guests would pay a premium for that experience (compared to what's offered on Wonder). In time Royal may have to make some changes on this ship as reviews come out and bookings fall off, time will tell.