Old Fart Cruisers Posted May 18, 2022 #826 Share Posted May 18, 2022 2 hours ago, Lloyd555 said: I went to check the Turku webcam, and see this... The sphere being hoisted in the air. One down - four to go! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Fart Cruisers Posted May 18, 2022 #827 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Another block being moved now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Fart Cruisers Posted May 18, 2022 #828 Share Posted May 18, 2022 My original hope for the mysterious pearl being an underwater viewing lounge are not looking as likely anymore now that it has been set in place on deck five in the center of the Royal Promenade. I’ve seen people posting in the other place that it’s starting to look more like just a glorified stairway to get from the mezzanine level down to the Royal Promenade. However, since the Icon was billed as something that is going to be such an amazing game changer, a fancy staircase doesn’t seem to be flashy enough. Looking at that huge ‘frame’ on the starboard side of the ship, I’m wondering if there might still be a glimmer of hope that it could be an underwater viewing lounge? Just imagine a scenario where the sphere is docked for passengers boarding in the center of the Royal Promenade, then lifted by a giant gantry crane and moved out the ‘window’ before being lowered into position for underwater viewing? I know I may have an overactive imagination, but if this isn’t in the plans, RCI is free to use my idea on the next ship☺️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsjosh Posted May 18, 2022 #829 Share Posted May 18, 2022 5 hours ago, Old Fart Cruisers said: My original hope for the mysterious pearl being an underwater viewing lounge are not looking as likely anymore now that it has been set in place on deck five in the center of the Royal Promenade. I’ve seen people posting in the other place that it’s starting to look more like just a glorified stairway to get from the mezzanine level down to the Royal Promenade. However, since the Icon was billed as something that is going to be such an amazing game changer, a fancy staircase doesn’t seem to be flashy enough. Looking at that huge ‘frame’ on the starboard side of the ship, I’m wondering if there might still be a glimmer of hope that it could be an underwater viewing lounge? Just imagine a scenario where the sphere is docked for passengers boarding in the center of the Royal Promenade, then lifted by a giant gantry crane and moved out the ‘window’ before being lowered into position for underwater viewing? I know I may have an overactive imagination, but if this isn’t in the plans, RCI is free to use my idea on the next ship☺️ I really like the idea of an underwater platform, but where they put the pearl, they already have it boxed in. Glorified staircase it is. I do think it'll be the first thing you see when you walk onto the ship though, so it'll be a spectacular staircase. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliburn Posted May 18, 2022 #830 Share Posted May 18, 2022 5 hours ago, Old Fart Cruisers said: My original hope for the mysterious pearl being an underwater viewing lounge are not looking as likely anymore now that it has been set in place on deck five in the center of the Royal Promenade. I’ve seen people posting in the other place that it’s starting to look more like just a glorified stairway to get from the mezzanine level down to the Royal Promenade. However, since the Icon was billed as something that is going to be such an amazing game changer, a fancy staircase doesn’t seem to be flashy enough. Looking at that huge ‘frame’ on the starboard side of the ship, I’m wondering if there might still be a glimmer of hope that it could be an underwater viewing lounge? Just imagine a scenario where the sphere is docked for passengers boarding in the center of the Royal Promenade, then lifted by a giant gantry crane and moved out the ‘window’ before being lowered into position for underwater viewing? I know I may have an overactive imagination, but if this isn’t in the plans, RCI is free to use my idea on the next ship☺️ I don’t think a underwater viewing room would be practical,there wouldn’t be much to see. It would be dark and lots of bubbles. ‘The maintenance especially as a ship got older would be a nightmare. But they could have cameras and display it in the sphere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Fart Cruisers Posted May 18, 2022 #831 Share Posted May 18, 2022 11 minutes ago, Chiliburn said: I don’t think a underwater viewing room would be practical,there wouldn’t be much to see. It would be dark and lots of bubbles. ‘The maintenance especially as a ship got older would be a nightmare. But they could have cameras and display it in the sphere. It's still a Royal Caribbean ship, so I don't know is a video display is enough. They seem to like the idea of 'Go Big or Go Home'😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miraflores Posted May 19, 2022 #832 Share Posted May 19, 2022 (edited) On 5/18/2022 at 9:37 AM, Old Fart Cruisers said: My original hope for the mysterious pearl being an underwater viewing lounge are not looking as likely anymore now that it has been set in place on deck five in the center of the Royal Promenade. I’ve seen people posting in the other place that it’s starting to look more like just a glorified stairway to get from the mezzanine level down to the Royal Promenade. However, since the Icon was billed as something that is going to be such an amazing game changer, a fancy staircase doesn’t seem to be flashy enough. Looking at that huge ‘frame’ on the starboard side of the ship, I’m wondering if there might still be a glimmer of hope that it could be an underwater viewing lounge? Just imagine a scenario where the sphere is docked for passengers boarding in the center of the Royal Promenade, then lifted by a giant gantry crane and moved out the ‘window’ before being lowered into position for underwater viewing? I know I may have an overactive imagination, but if this isn’t in the plans, RCI is free to use my idea on the next ship☺️ I've heard, even years ago, that the Icon was going to have an AquaTheatre-style venue...but it was going to be in the middle of the ship, instead of at the back. The AquaTheatres at the backs of ships often have to close because of weather, and putting it in the middle will make better use of the space. I'm wondering if it could end up looking like this shopping mall in Fukuoka, Japan. Edited May 19, 2022 by miraflores 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd555 Posted May 24, 2022 Author #833 Share Posted May 24, 2022 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairsky84 Posted May 24, 2022 #834 Share Posted May 24, 2022 The sphere definitely looks like a stairway. Given its location in the middle of the ship, maybe it's the entrance to a venue along the Royal Promenade. I could imagine it's a large digital projection dome you pass through to enter a nightclub? Restaurant? Bar? Hopefully we learn more soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalee21860 Posted May 24, 2022 #835 Share Posted May 24, 2022 1 hour ago, Lloyd555 said: What a tease lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Fart Cruisers Posted May 24, 2022 #836 Share Posted May 24, 2022 1 hour ago, Fairsky84 said: The sphere definitely looks like a stairway. Given its location in the middle of the ship, maybe it's the entrance to a venue along the Royal Promenade. I could imagine it's a large digital projection dome you pass through to enter a nightclub? Restaurant? Bar? Hopefully we learn more soon. If it's only a stairway, why would it need all the theater seating risers that we saw earlier, with just a small area for stairs on the sides? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted May 24, 2022 #837 Share Posted May 24, 2022 1 hour ago, Fairsky84 said: The sphere definitely looks like a stairway. That would be a very expensive stairway/display. Whenever RCI mentions how much it costs them (45K manhours in this case), you can assume it's some venue/feature which will be heavily promoted in their marketing materials (you can see it now - "The first...........at sea"). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairsky84 Posted May 24, 2022 #838 Share Posted May 24, 2022 I bet it's something like this...https://www.coaster101.com/2019/06/22/inside-360-degree-universal-sphere-dome-theater/ This sphere theater in Philadelphia opened in 2019 and it's 39 feet in diameter. I don't know if that's the interior or exterior size, but it's pretty close to the 50 foot diameter of the Icon's sphere. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos A. Posted May 24, 2022 #839 Share Posted May 24, 2022 1 hour ago, Fairsky84 said: I bet it's something like this...https://www.coaster101.com/2019/06/22/inside-360-degree-universal-sphere-dome-theater/ This sphere theater in Philadelphia opened in 2019 and it's 39 feet in diameter. I don't know if that's the interior or exterior size, but it's pretty close to the 50 foot diameter of the Icon's sphere. It looks pretty close to this. You might be right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairsky84 Posted May 24, 2022 #840 Share Posted May 24, 2022 (edited) Here's a video: Edited May 24, 2022 by Fairsky84 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairsky84 Posted May 24, 2022 #841 Share Posted May 24, 2022 (edited) Looks like the final version of the "Universal Sphere" does not have screens on the exterior, and the seating inside looks a lot like what we've seen inside the Icon's sphere. Edited May 24, 2022 by Fairsky84 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd555 Posted May 24, 2022 Author #842 Share Posted May 24, 2022 A rising platform in the Icon sphere similar to the Universal Sphere...? 😄 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tall-Cruiser Posted May 24, 2022 #843 Share Posted May 24, 2022 2 hours ago, Lloyd555 said: A rising platform in the Icon sphere similar to the Universal Sphere...? 😄 Good catch and observation 👍 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panda Monium Posted May 25, 2022 #844 Share Posted May 25, 2022 📷Hebert 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skiiergirl Posted May 25, 2022 #845 Share Posted May 25, 2022 Anyone have any inkling of when bookings will open? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted May 25, 2022 #846 Share Posted May 25, 2022 2 hours ago, skiiergirl said: Anyone have any inkling of when bookings will open? Sometime before the end of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsjosh Posted May 26, 2022 #847 Share Posted May 26, 2022 6 hours ago, skiiergirl said: Anyone have any inkling of when bookings will open? The current opening schedule suggests September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skiiergirl Posted May 27, 2022 #848 Share Posted May 27, 2022 On 5/25/2022 at 9:46 PM, fsjosh said: The current opening schedule suggests September. Thanks! On 5/25/2022 at 5:53 PM, Biker19 said: Sometime before the end of the year. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tough as Leather Posted May 28, 2022 #849 Share Posted May 28, 2022 I hope that we get to see the stern section with the Icon name again, perhaps completed and ready to install. There was a night time photo a while ago from one of the rear entrances. Anything like that again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd555 Posted May 28, 2022 Author #850 Share Posted May 28, 2022 43 minutes ago, Tough as Leather said: I hope that we get to see the stern section with the Icon name again, perhaps completed and ready to install. There was a night time photo a while ago from one of the rear entrances. Anything like that again? Try another gate other than this one 😄 Can't see much through it. 😜 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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