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Boarding the
Icon of the Seas
is like immersing yourself in the set of the movie 'Barbie', like going down the Aquópolis slide, only in the Caribbean or like diving into a luxury resort with a theme park included.
The
Icon of the Seas
is the
mother of all cruises
, the ship of hyperbole, the ship that shatters all records.
We are talking about an authentic city
365 meters long, 20 stories high
, weighing 250,800 tons, eight neighborhoods, 2,805 cabins, three theaters, a large casino, ice rink, 40 restaurants and bars, seven swimming pools and nine jacuzzis. .
This cruise ship has the capacity to carry
7,600 people on board
and has a crew of 2,350 members from all over the world.
In fact, when Royal Caribbean asked the company for volunteers who wanted to work on the ship, 13,000 people showed up.
The shipping company, owner of the ship, has wanted to revolutionize the world of cruises and to do so it has invested
2,000 million dollars
(1,826 million euros) in the crown jewel, which was manufactured at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.
All with the aim of designing a ship that goes beyond all known limits for the enjoyment of families.
And, at the moment, it is causing a sensation.
The Icon generated the
highest number of bookings in a single day
and the highest volume in a week in the 53-year history of Royal Caribbean, the world's largest cruise line.
The company downplays the dimensions of the ship, to focus on its enormous leisure offer.
"People are just focusing on the size, but we don't focus on that, we focus
on the family experience
. We want young couples to be able to have a few drinks while keeping an eye on their kids. If you bring your kids on this cruise , they will love you more," explained the president and CEO of Royal Caribbean, Michael Bayley, during the presentation of the ship, which was sponsored by
the soccer player Leo Messi
.
Front view of the Icon of the Seas.
The
Icon of the Seas
is designed to seduce even people who hate cruises, like me.
The first day, you reluctantly enter, grumble and think: "I already knew this cruise ship thing was tacky!"
On the second day,
you come across the infinity pool
facing the sea, the nine jacuzzis on the deck and the hammocks from which you can watch wonderful sunsets.
On the third day, you discover that there are jazz concerts and
you go to the musical 'The Wizard of Oz'
in a theater worthy of Broadway.
And, on the fourth day, you no longer want to get off and you are wishing the cruise would last another week.
Heart attack slides
As soon as you set foot on the
Icon of the Seas
, you are hammered with the mantra of living the experience.
You can then start
a frenetic race to try the 101 leisure activities
, but you can also lie in a hammock with a good book, while listening to a live reggae concert and pairing a Coconut mojito with a Mango Sunrise.
As you may have guessed, this was my favorite option.
I'm sorry to disappoint you.
I didn't go down the Frightening Bolt
,
a 14 meter high slide,
surf in the wave pool
, skate on the ice rink, or try Crown's Edge, a zip line where you slide 45 meters above the ocean. .
My kids are grown and I no longer have to be that cool mom who participates in all the activities.
And, the truth is that it was a shame, because this boat is designed for
young families with children to reach ecstasy
.
On one of the decks of the Icon of the Seas is the so-called Thrill Island, where
the largest water park on the high seas
is located , with heart-stopping slides such as the Pressure Drop, the first open free fall slide with an inclination of 66 degrees;
the Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter, family slides with four passengers per raft, or the Storm Chasers, a cruise mat racing duo.
The largest water park on the high seas.
Maybe you will never forgive me, but I settled on Chill Island, I grabbed the best lounger I could find and my only concern
was finding the pool that best suited my mood
, according to the ship's advertising.
In fact, my only risky activity during the entire trip
was getting into the jacuzzi
and managing to place my ass in the middle of a human sea of people.
You spend the whole morning waiting for the jacuzzi to be empty, but that moment never comes.
The jacuzzi
is always packed with people,
as if it were the Marx Brothers' cabin.
Whoever enters the jet tub riots for hours and a secret competition begins among everyone to see who can soak the longest.
It doesn't matter if your fingertips are in a raisin or if your skin is starting to grow flakes because
God doesn't move in the jacuzzi
.
Another thing is that you manage to relax with the eternal chatter of the Yankees, who don't stop talking for even a minute.
And if they catch you at a moment unprepared and off guard, they will jump on you to talk to you.
Because Yankees love
making friends in the jacuzzi
.
Infinity pool
When you decide to get out of the jet tub once and for all, then you discover The Hideaway.
It is the first
infinity
pool
suspended over the sea on a ship
, which has sun loungers in the water and its own
beach club
at the stern of the ship.
A true paradise.
Families have their own neighborhood on the cruise ship, which looks like it's straight out of a fairy tale.
There parents can enjoy views over the ocean at the water's edge, while closely watching their little ones splash in
three different types of pools
.
In this neighborhood they also have a merry-go-round,
Arcade video game machines
, a buffet, candy and ice cream shops, and a non-alcoholic cocktail bar, which will delight the little ones.
The Icon of the Seas, in front of Miami.
The ship makes two itineraries
through the Western or Eastern Caribbean
for one week.
The first route stops in Miami, Roatan in Honduras,
the Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico
, Cocoday in the Bahamas to end in Miami.
And the second circuit leaves Miami and makes stops in
Philipsburg, the capital of the island of Saint Martin
, Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas, Cococay and Miami.
But believe me.
The route is the least important.
The show is the ship
.
Another of its strong points are the accommodations because
the Icon of the Seas has 28 types of cabins
and Royal Caribbean has created 15 new modalities for the ship.
Without a doubt, one of the most spectacular is the
three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse with a slide
to connect with the first and second floors, an interactive table with board games, karaoke areas, ping-pong table, trampoline and toys all over the room.
luxury covers
There are also cabins in the corners of the stern
to be able to follow the ship's wake
and others with floor-to-ceiling windows with unbeatable views of the sunset.
The ship also has four decks
for the most exclusive clients
with private pools, premium restaurants and the most luxurious cabins.
The nerve center of the ship is the Royal Promenade, a huge boulevard where 15 bars and restaurants
are located
with all kinds of performances, piano duels, karaoke and children's entertainment.
This area is where you can see the authentic
cruiser
, who is in his element and goes through all the shows so as not to miss a single detail.
The leisure proposal is completed with the Aquadome, a theater where you can see
the highest waterfall in the sea with a 16-meter
drop and water shows with trapeze artists and acrobats hanging from the heights.
The restaurant offering is tremendously varied.
There are many informal food places with tacos, sandwiches or pizzas, which are included in the price of the cruise -
starting at 1,800 euros per week per person
.
And there are also higher quality restaurants - which you have to pay separately - such as the steakhouse, Chops Grille;
Hooked Seafood, specialized in seafood or Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, Japanese food.
And, even if you stay on the ship for a week, you will still have areas to explore because
the offerings at Icon of the Seas are endless
.
One of the shows at the Aquadome.
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