Icon of the Seas Blocks Are In The House!

[Newcruiser215]

7 minutes ago, rockmom said:

That is the date they used when they did that middle of the night 'test'.  Several people reported seeing it and some prices, for that one date.  Some tried to book and it didn't work.  Then it was quickly pulled from the site.  So we'll see if this holds true, it probably will, but until they post the full, actual, bookable listings, we wont know for sure.  

Ohhhh okay. Got it. I guess we'll see on Monday/Tuesday. 

[StephPS79]

27 minutes ago, joshsc said:

The only people whose glorified it are people online when it was spotted. All the people trying to guess what it was from a VR ride to .. who knows what. 

 

Lol, you make a good point.  However, from what I'm hearing, it's not just a "glorified staircase," there's supposed to be more to it, just not yet revealed.  Not sure it will be mind-blowing, but I'm excited to see!

 

[StephPS79]

6 minutes ago, Newcruiser215 said:

Ohhhh okay. Got it. I guess we'll see on Monday/Tuesday. 

 

Those interiors are going to have to come down a huge hunk - yowza!  lol.  

[Newcruiser215]

1 minute ago, StephPS79 said:

 

Those interiors are going to have to come down a huge hunk - yowza!  lol.  

I can only imagine what the Summer rates will be. 

[Newcruiser215]

14 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

I'll put my money on this!

This is actually pretty awesome. I hope you're right! 

[Nunagoras]

52 minutes ago, jrapps said:

While I personally love the family-forward activities and size/amenities of the Oasis class and now Icon class, I guess I can see your point. I for one am very much looking forward to sailing on Icon, but I can admit as we get older my wife and I are getting more refined in our cruising tastes. For the past 20 years it has been heavy Disney and Royal with the kids, who are now teens/pre-teens. We are in our 40s and continue sailing Disney and Royal as family vacations, but starting to look at Celebrity, NCL, MSC, and Virgin as potential adult-getaway trips.

 

I can see once the kids are in college and we do more adult cruises than family cruises, we may prefer an experience where there are less families with young kids everywhere all the time. Of course, we really prefer larger ships so that limits us. Today we only do short 3-4 day cruises without the kids (hard to cruise even without them during school) and Royal is really the only line that has larger ships doing short cruises. We have zero desire to go on anything as small or old as Vision/Grandeur.

 

To me, sailing on these mega family-designed ships in non-peak times when most kids are in school will suffice. But yes, I  agree with a lot of what you said and hope that RCL sees that as the 25-35 crowd becomes a 45-65 crowd, they will want to maintain the "new high tech flashy" cruise experience without the in your face little kid splash park. Hopefully they have plans to add more larger ships to the Celebrity fleet in the future?

 

Many thanks to the wonderful words. Yeah: Transfer the unique one Oasis class (Allure?) that wasn't amped for X! No place for so many young family like experience ships in the market at current market situation. That ship would continue to sell at a premium for her 2nd life!...

[joshsc]

3 minutes ago, StephPS79 said:

 

Lol, you make a good point.  However, from what I'm hearing, it's not just a "glorified staircase," there's supposed to be more to it, just not yet revealed.  Not sure it will be mind-blowing, but I'm excited to see!

 

Yes, it's supposed to be "immersive" entry to the ship with a view of the ocean upon exiting. Looks to be light panels to me (Like what's on MSC ceilings) for light shows. I don't think this will be anything groundbreaking. I'm sure it'll be a cool effect.

[BecciBoo]

5 minutes ago, StephPS79 said:

 

Those interiors are going to have to come down a huge hunk - yowza!  lol.  

I'm good with it, we booked Wonder at around those prices.  We'll save $$ for a year and pay it off, no worries!

[BecciBoo]

7 minutes ago, Newcruiser215 said:

This is actually pretty awesome. I hope you're right! 

I can see scenes from Coco Cay and other destinations being shown whilst you enter the ship, it's the WOW factor like Rising Tide used to be.

 

Ewww hope we all don't trip and fall down the stairs while ogling the scenery...LOL

Edited October 21, 2022 by BecciBoo

[A&L_Ont]

Who needs a tipping or dress code thread.  We have this one. 

[BecciBoo]

As well as the Inaugural thread 😂

[A&L_Ont]

5 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

As well as the Inaugural thread 😂

Yup, I just read that one too. 🤯

[Tough as Leather]

📷 @aeprire 

[alfaeric]

2 hours ago, Nunagoras said:

Actually; have you notice that we're at Cruise Critic, not Cruise Cheerleading?...

 

Meanwhile; let me to try to explain why I personally don't like, nor this design, nor at a larger scale the way mainstream cruise industry is heading right now. Permit me to do so from both my formerly market analyst point of view, and my reasonably regular cruise career for some nearly 20 years back to now:

 

I have nothing, against such a "no frills", pay as you go, mostly guaranteed cabins, kid friendly, family oriented cruise experience for everyone. Icon fills perfectly that niche and will to be a huge success into it, no doubts. No surprise; some posts above this one, someone describing himself as a Carnival regular, wished to jump ship from Carnival to Icon!... Carnival "grown-ups" on the 25-45 years range are the main client source that is moving those cruise lines "fat cats" these days. Even X is following suit on their Edge class to an extent. What me thinks they're forgetting is that all years there is a huge amount of those turning 46, whose kids are now on University, whose lives have come to another level, and whom will no longer to support those family like activities. More: I understand they want the more occasional cruisers, because those will pay more upfront than previous passengers... But: The school year has just few breaks. The youth parties have their limited time window. Parents are not either way retirees or people whose lives permit a more flexible time arrangements. Whom will to fill those ships out of school holiday times? Ah, yeah!... The all times regulars, 45-65 years old couples whom pay less upfront, but far more on drinks, shore ex, casinos, specialty dining, professional photos, to say the least, making even a far larger profit than those summer newcomers, because full cost considered will to be higher!... With ships that aren't that appealing to that 45-65 growing group, I wonder what will one day to be the outcome in a not so long distance time. To just speak about Royal and letting alone the rest of the market; some 10++ Oasis/Icon ships following suit on the younger crowd plus some 4+ X Edge and above classes to the "upper Royal" instead of "Viking lite" cruisers; hard discounts on lower season with hiking prices at premium ones will to be the norm... Or make the older of those ships to be "adult" retrofitted or simply let them to face the scrapper. No alternatives!

 

I can hardly to call Viking as a luxury line. Nor lite luxury if one asks me. They're classic cruise line done right and they're a success, perhaps somewhat overpriced for the real product! They'd to be the same success with a 150k GT cruise chip priced accordingly if they so wanted. They don't! And they don't need to think about that either! If I wanted to go on a Viking cruise, I couldn't do so because they don't sell for Portugal! They only sell to the English speaking world!... "Brand new" Azamara will likely to follow the same path. Explora Journeys by MSC seems to be gaining some traction as well... But, realistically, there is part of a generation, old enough to call it a night on the family activities, but young enough to retire from the tourism industry that sooner rather than later will face 2 difficult choices: Cruise less on an upmarket line if they can, or simply to shop holidays elsewhere, because those upmarket vessels are so limited on their offering numbers!

 

I'm sad, I'm part of that large group. The pandemic made me to stay some 3 years out of cruising. Fortunately; we have the older ships, more or less like we ever knew them for quite a while, but in 5-10 years they'll be gone, or simply family style retrofitted! And we will to be "out"!...

 

Permit me to go somewhat off RCI focused topic, but hey: At least NCL with Prima and from the photos that are starting to pop up from World Europa, MSC are sort of understanding the problem and providing sort of consensual compromising solutions at least for now.

 

Personally; in a nutshell: Will I ever sail the Icon? I wouldn't say never, but really not at school breaks!

 

Have a nice day!...

IIRC, the exact same things were said when the Oasis came out.  Which is fine.

 

But I will point one thing out- if your "large group" was as significant as you think it is, then Oasis ships would not have ever gotten to the 3rd ship, let alone where we are now.  And any decent market analyst for all of the cruise lines would make sure that nobody is making ships that hold more than 4000 passengers, and even lean toward the 2000 passenger size.

 

I'm not trying to bash you, btw, just point out the flaws in some of the argument.  As a car enthusiast, I see the exact same thing from sports car people- who think they should drive the auto market a lot more than they do, when the real fact is sports cars are a very tiny part of the automotive market.  Profitable, for sure, but when they put so much hate on VERY profitable lines, well, you learn to not fully listen to their complaints.

 

There is one other thing that IS within your point, though- the larger ships are significantly more efficient to operate.  I'm betting that Icon will be more efficient than Oasis, but Oasis used a similar amount of fuel as Freedom does for the same itinerary (we were told it was slightly less, actually).  So for roughly the same fuel cost, you get 50% more paying passengers- all things being equal.  And that last part has almost never been true- there's still an Oasis class premium- especially for some of the suites.

[FionaMG]

1 hour ago, BecciBoo said:

I'm good with it, we booked Wonder at around those prices.  We'll save $$ for a year and pay it off, no worries!

 

I agree with you. We paid more for Oasis in 2012 and Harmony in 2016. If you're booking bells and whistles you have to pay for them! 

[Nunagoras]

39 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

IIRC, the exact same things were said when the Oasis came out.  Which is fine.

 

But I will point one thing out- if your "large group" was as significant as you think it is, then Oasis ships would not have ever gotten to the 3rd ship, let alone where we are now.  And any decent market analyst for all of the cruise lines would make sure that nobody is making ships that hold more than 4000 passengers, and even lean toward the 2000 passenger size. - When the Oasis class started out in 2009, the cruise industry as a whole was, little bit more value and guests per year, than half what it is right now. The current 45-65 generations are the ones whom eventually started their cruising "career" at that time, or a little bit earlier. They're the first big cruising generation! Again: If there's something I learnt from my years in the financial field, that thing is the fact that there isn't that thing named "infinite growing market"!... The ones to whom Icon is calling now will be the next generation to the ones that started mainstream cruising altogether. If cruise lines are counting on just to live about that generation, good, but there will be another generation going out and successively. They'll to live out at a part of the market, and not it all. Those times of "ever expanding" are done for the cruise industry, and I'm not even considering the pandemic factor which only in 5-10 years will we know the exact impact. The problem is: Actually adult ships aren't even closely following their young family counterparts. Someone will be out. For now we have the older ships and the Premium lines like Viking for the ones able to book. My personal feeling is that I'll ride as far as I can, and then shop elsewhere for adult holidays sadly. At least NCL and MSC are doing some compromise for now. RCI not so much. Time will tell. I can see an X Oasis size ship very successful... Won't happen.

 

I'm not trying to bash you, btw, just point out the flaws in some of the argument.  As a car enthusiast, I see the exact same thing from sports car people- who think they should drive the auto market a lot more than they do, when the real fact is sports cars are a very tiny part of the automotive market.  Profitable, for sure, but when they put so much hate on VERY profitable lines, well, you learn to not fully listen to their complaints. - Even though badly compared, an equivalent to sports cars on cruising industry maybe Hapag-Lloyd. Exclusive niche markets, it is! Profitable? Sure! But that's their own market. They're there for true exclusivity in some ways. One can't to buy a Ferrari for the price of a Fiat 500. Both wonderful cars for what they do! Same for cruises!

 

There is one other thing that IS within your point, though- the larger ships are significantly more efficient to operate.  I'm betting that Icon will be more efficient than Oasis, but Oasis used a similar amount of fuel as Freedom does for the same itinerary (we were told it was slightly less, actually).  So for roughly the same fuel cost, you get 50% more paying passengers- all things being equal.  And that last part has almost never been true- there's still an Oasis class premium- especially for some of the suites. - Fully agree. To each, his own: for the price of a true suite on Oasis, or slightly more, give me a Viking cruise any day! Those suites are so overpriced, but they'll to sell as far as there are interested ones on them!

 

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, alfaeric said:

I'm betting that Icon will be more efficient than Oasis

Kinda hard to really compare as they use different fuels.

[Ourusualbeach]

3 hours ago, Annefran said:

legend for the cabins and we get to see prices etc. prior to booking Oct 24/25.

Pricing won't be released until they are open for booking

[jrapps]

2 hours ago, Nunagoras said:

Many thanks to the wonderful words. Yeah: Transfer the unique one Oasis class (Allure?) that wasn't amped for X! No place for so many young family like experience ships in the market at current market situation. That ship would continue to sell at a premium for her 2nd life!...

I would rather see the Oasis-class stay in Royal but trickle down...you will start to see the Freedom/Independence/Liberty taking over routes done today by Voyager/Mariner, which will take over for Vision/Grandeur which will eventually be sold/scrapped. Eventually, Oasis-class ships will be doing the shorter 3/4 day itineraries out of FL & Galveston while Quantum, Icon, and future classes will be the new premium 7-day ships.

 

What I want to see is Celebrity push the envelope within. Just like Icon is an amped Oasis which was an Amped Freedom....what would an Amped up Edge look like?

 

For Icon, I wonder now when is it too much? When the Freedom class came out, I'm sure cruisers of the day couldn't envision they would one day be the "old" smaller ships of the fleet doing 3/4 day itineraries from smaller ports. There is always something bigger and better around the corner. What could possibly come our next over the next 10-15 years that will make Oasis and Icon class the "OLD" ships of the fleet? 27 water slides on the top deck? a submarine ride off the back of the ship? a tube coaster waterslide that goes down the side of the ship and under the water?.

 

Royal may also have an issue long term as the Oasis fleet ages and would be prime to take over 3/4 day itineraries, but are too big to sail from many ports. When there are no more small ships left, what happens to ports like Tampa and Jacksonville?

[Nunagoras]

5 minutes ago, jrapps said:

I would rather see the Oasis-class stay in Royal but trickle down...you will start to see the Freedom/Independence/Liberty taking over routes done today by Voyager/Mariner, which will take over for Vision/Grandeur which will eventually be sold/scrapped. Eventually, Oasis-class ships will be doing the shorter 3/4 day itineraries out of FL & Galveston while Quantum, Icon, and future classes will be the new premium 7-day ships.

 

What I want to see is Celebrity push the envelope within. Just like Icon is an amped Oasis which was an Amped Freedom....what would an Amped up Edge look like?

 

For Icon, I wonder now when is it too much? When the Freedom class came out, I'm sure cruisers of the day couldn't envision they would one day be the "old" smaller ships of the fleet doing 3/4 day itineraries from smaller ports. There is always something bigger and better around the corner. What could possibly come our next over the next 10-15 years that will make Oasis and Icon class the "OLD" ships of the fleet? 27 water slides on the top deck? a submarine ride off the back of the ship? a tube coaster waterslide that goes down the side of the ship and under the water?.

 

Royal may also have an issue long term as the Oasis fleet ages and would be prime to take over 3/4 day itineraries, but are too big to sail from many ports. When there are no more small ships left, what happens to ports like Tampa and Jacksonville?

Interesting perspective, but as you own say: Oasis+ size vessels are size limited to certain ports, so no natural place for far more of them. 3-4 night cruises on Oasis class? Maybe, but I'm not envisioning it by the norm.

[jrapps]

1 minute ago, Nunagoras said:

3-4 night cruises on Oasis class? Maybe, but I'm not envisioning it by the norm.

That's exactly what I said when they started doing 3/4 days on the Freedom class. They were once the largest cruise ships in the world (before Oasis was built) and now, 90% of their sailings are 5 days or less, mostly 3/4 day itineraries.

 

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

7 minutes ago, Nunagoras said:

Interesting perspective, but as you own say: Oasis+ size vessels are size limited to certain ports, so no natural place for far more of them. 3-4 night cruises on Oasis class? Maybe, but I'm not envisioning it by the norm.

They already have Allure set up for 3/4 night cruises from Port Canaveral in 2023/24.

[DaniMSCRoyal_85]

2 hours ago, alfaeric said:

I'm betting that Icon will be more efficient than Oasis, 

 

39 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Kinda hard to really compare as they use different fuels.

 

Also Utopia of the Seas ship (6° Oasis class) powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG)

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2022 by DaniMSCRoyal_85

[StephPS79]

It seems easy to think that the views of the majority of Cruise Critic represent the majority of the RCI cruising public, but really, there is a reason why you can book some of the smaller ships at rock bottom prices.  Because they have to be for people book them.  If you priced them the same as new ships loaded with all the extras, guess which one the majority of people are going to pick.  I'd wager to say, it wouldn't be much different if RCI put out a brand new Vision Class ship.  Priced the same, Oasis/Icon type ships would win bookings hands down.  That's why RCI will continue to move forward with these ships.

 

 

[topanga49er]

I absolutely love it!  Ogling a corner suite or a Sky Junior.  It has enough for everyone and plenty of places to tuck away for those that want to!  I am sure they will release more in the next few days as booking starts, including what the pearl really is.  So excited: also up at Midnight on Monday to book!