cr2000

6 hours ago, IAMGPW said:

I am just wondering if all Royal cruises are packed with children.  I have nothing against them, but, a lot of parents were busy drinking and not watching their kids.  Also, the pool was FULL of children.  This was two weeks ago and it wasn't even a school break.

 

Thank you.

It's a family cruise line, singles or couples without kids ARE NOT the target demographic. Royal does not care about your experience as the majority of income derived from sailings is from family passengers. You just have to accept it and move on, don't complain about it.

6 hours ago, SeanGR said:

So. Many. Kids. 
and not just in kids areas. 
The only swim-up bar? Full of kids splashing pool water in your drink.

Karaoke Bar on adult night? Full of kids listening and singing.

Playmakers bar? More like kids arcade.

 

running around screaming unchecked. Not a parent in site. Was on the Allure before this, much better than Icon…

Get over it. Icon of the Seas is designed for families (which means LOTS AND LOTS of Kids). You don't like it? Cancel your cruise and go Virgin or Celebrity. There is nothing to "fix" here, childless travelers are not the target customer and have no standing to complain.

9 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

Why do you think it’s about feeling special? It’s a benefit for the cabin they booked or for the C & A loyalty tier. Are you even diamond? Does getting free drinks make you feel special? If we don’t get there early enough to get a seat, then 9 times out of 10 there will be a pinnacle seat for us. This is the first ship that I’ve seen them in a different color and not the same as the others.

How does the show seating work for sky, star, pinnacle members members? Do they even make a reservation or just show up and displace non-status members from their seats?

4 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Star and Pinnacle seating in the Royal Theater. No thanks. They are the white chairs with no drink holders. They aren't that comfortable either

 

 

 

 

 

Those seats looks terrible and uncomfortable - almost like punishment chairs for Star Class - lol, Although not surprising, the furnishing in general from the suite deck, to the suites, coastal kitchen, and down to the theater here all look like RC made serious attempts at reducing costs compared to Wonder of the Seas. Hopefully the Genie can wave a wand and reserve an actual theater seat in the center section.

11 minutes ago, TheHawk1 said:

As if we needed any further proof that RCI is now chasing the "family" demographic and ignoring adults... from Chicago and Mamma Mia to this!

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.

5 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

All right, I am going to come right out and say it. Why Wizard of Oz? Seriously we love big productions and Broadway quality but this is an old show I have seen so many times. In other words (cough!) boring!  And if I’m honest, I don’t really love it anyway. I guess you have the option for some stunning visuals with the backgrounds but otherwise I would probably skip it, and we never skip the entertainment and particularly appreciate RCI quality in this area.

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.

6 hours ago, Old Fart Cruisers said:

They are just the result of some extremely poor choices made by the design team. 

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. 

14 minutes ago, JemzRoo said:

 

In the times I've been Sky on Oasis class ships, the lounge area/suite bar has always been absolutely packed. I've not yet done Wonder so I can't say about the suite area, but on Allure/Harmony the 'suite deck' was barely used because it was lacking any reason to - there's just nothing there except probably a bored bartender. It's less about 'wow, I wish there were more suite areas' and more so a 'wow, I wish they'd actually do something of substance with their suite areas'. New footage from Icon is looking nice, but it's still no where near The Retreat or The Haven. 

 

I just got back from a room in the Haven courtyard on the Joy and it absolutely blew my mind over any of my suite experiences on RCCL, and I paid less for that room than they're charging for Icon balcony rooms. 

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.

1 hour ago, Newcruiser215 said:

 

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/

45 minutes ago, topanga49er said:

There was no "dedicated" area in suite lounge on Wonder, except for the small area as youo walk in  A simple coffee, fruit and bagel bar.  I am sure they will have something similar on Icon.  They haven't even sailed yet.  Does anyone remember the Sprinkler system explosion on Wonder's inaugural sail?  Everyone swore that the carpets would be mildewed and ruined, and that it all looked awful.  Hey, everyone on this thread is passionate about cruising or we wouldn't be viewing it so much.  But cmon folks.  Give it a chance and give some of the negative comments a rest.

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

1 hour ago, topanga49er said:

and here is a good youtube of coastal kitchen and suite lounge.  Just like Wonder it is dual purpose lounge and dining, but twice the size.  Looks great to me!

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.

1 hour ago, topanga49er said:

Hi.  Check this live youtube video of the suite sundeck.  It is huge!  Not just the pool ,but a hot tub on each end of deck 18.  AND tons of space on deck 19!  Not totally "decked out" w greenery yet but at least 3x the size of Wonder with similar furniture and 3x water areas. PLUS most of suite sundeck has ocean views.  Wonder did not.  So check out the glass half full:

 

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.

15 minutes ago, Scoobydobe7 said:

My family with a teenager will now be at Cloud 17...

 

 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...

4 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

 

We've got one of those D4 aft facing balconies deck 14.  I'm so surprised that they categorized them as standard OV balconies and not OV with large  balcony.  Not that I'm complaining!!! I'm quite looking forward to that unobstructed aft view

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?

5 minutes ago, topanga49er said:

One thing to remember that was not shown in Matt's video:  the Suite Sundeck on Icon is TWO decks high.  Also, not sure about Coastal Kitchen, but know the suite sundeck will have amazing views (Im in a GS on 17 under it and views are killer.  I think we will be pleasantly surprised when revenue sailing begins.  One last thing:  In the videos, did you see all the painter guys in the background while filming?  They are still actively working on her.  

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. 

2 hours ago, Newcruiser215 said:

 
Unfortunately, with all of that hype that surrounded this ship, I just knew people couldn’t wait to pounce and find every little thing wrong with it. But like you said, all of these opinions without actually experiencing 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.

1 hour ago, topanga49er said:

We just got off Wonder in the spring, and while the Suite area was nice, the "pool" was very small and tucked away in one corner.  Looks bigger in pictures.  Why don't we give them the time to see if it looks better by sailaway?  None of the greenery seen in the comps was in yet in Matt's video.  They are probably doing that now and I bet it will look awesome!  

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...

5 minutes ago, cruise1957 said:

Who is doing the cooking and cleanup in the 9 bedroom villa everyday?

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.

41 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

Matt said on his dot com...and I quote...The 1772 sqft family suite costs over $80,000 and is SOLD OUT FOR ALL OF 2024!

 

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.

16 minutes ago, Plum Happy said:

Excuse me, wasn't this ship designed with families in mind?  The larger rooms for families without having to book 2 rooms?  I think some of you all need to go back to the beginning and refresh what was said about the ICON class of ships.  I believe they know who they are competing against with this class of ship.  Hint...Disney.

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. 🙂

1 hour ago, Newcruiser215 said:

You dont like the suite space on Icon. It’s not as nice as the suite space on Wonder. I think we get it. You don’t have a suite booked, but yet you keep ranting about the same thing as if it effects you in some way. 

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!

6 hours ago, JemzRoo said:

I booked Sky Jr Suite for access to the suite area thinking this will be Royal's first decently done suite concept. The more footage I see the more disappointed I am. I'm really, really annoyed about Cloud 17. I was annoyed when it was announced we'd get no Solarium, but figured Cloud 17 had the potential to be a decent replacement. I have absolutely zero excitement for Hideaway. None. The child free area is now 10 decks above the children screaming in the surfside neighborhood? Fun. Awesome. 

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.