What will be the world’s largest cruise ship doesn’t debut until January, but already demand has prompted Royal Caribbean to open up its 2025-2026 itineraries three months earlier than planned

The seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages from PortMiami have proved a popular money maker for the line, which said it saw its single largest day of booking for cruises and highest volume week when the new ship’s 2024 sailings were made available last October.

The new itineraries will be open for sale to the public on Wednesday and feature visits to new destinations including Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and San Juan, Puerto Rico in addition to stops at Royal’s private Bahamas island Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean cooks up new venues for world’s largest cruise ship Icon of the Seas

“Since Icon of the Seas was revealed almost a year ago, the response has been unprecedented by every measure,” said Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley in a press release. “Families and friends are looking for vacations where everyone can make memories their way without compromise, and that’s what we set out to create in its best form with Icon more than five years ago.”

Some of the seven-night Eastern Caribbean voyages also include stops at Philipsburg, St. Maarten and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas and either two or three days at sea. Seven-night Western Caribbean include Costa Maya, Mexico, Cozumel, Mexico, Roatan, Honduras and two days at sea.

The 20-deck, 250,800-gross-ton, 1,198-foot-long cruise ship is larger than the current record holders for world’s largest cruise ships, the five existing and soon to be six ships in its Oasis class including the forthcoming Port Canaveral-bound Utopia of the Seas.

Similar to Oasis-class, though, Icon of the Seas is carved up into neighborhoods. The most visible of those is the new AquaDome, a massive 363-ton engineering feat that sits at the top and front of the ship. It also will feature the largest water park at sea, the line’s largest suite neighborhood to date, a version of “The Wizard of Oz” on stage among dozens of new features.

‘The Wizard of Oz’ confirmed as Royal Caribbean teases Icon of the Seas entertainment

 

It’s the first of three announced ships in the Icon class with the next two set to be delivered in 2025 and 2026.

Icon of the Seas remains under construction at the the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, but has already performed sea trials and will be making its transatlantic voyage on Dec. 23 ahead of its series of preview sailings in January.

Its first sailing with normal customers will be on Jan. 28, 2024 from PortMiami.

Details on sailings can be seen on Royal Caribbean’s website at royalcaribbean.com.