We cruised with Icon of the Seas not too long ago, and let’s simply say — it was the very best cruise of our lives! On this itinerary, we’ll stroll you thru how we spent our days right here — from adrenaline-pumping actions to sudden chill zones, plus the very best spots to eat, drink, and simply stare on the ocean dramatically prefer it’s a music video.
Right here on Icon of the Seas, you’ll by no means run out of issues to do. I imply it’s the biggest ship on the earth for a motive. And on this article, we’ll share with you our full 7-day itinerary, together with our stops in Mexico, Honduras, and the Bahamas!
DAY 1: ARRIVAL & BOARDING
The Icon of the Seas is at the moment homeported in Miami. So step one, in fact, is making it to the US. We landed at Miami Worldwide Airport within the morning. Then we hopped into an Uber straight to the Port of Miami Terminal A, which is usually (if not all the time) the terminal utilized by Icon ship. The drive solely took round 20 minutes and value round USD 29, however when Icon of the Seas got here into view, we gasped. It was huge! Positively greater than any ship we had laid eyes on.
You see it on-line, however nothing prepares you for the true factor. It’s not only a ship — it’s a floating metropolis with water slides poking out like curler coasters and balconies stacked greater than our future targets.
Embarkation
- Go to the Baggage Drop-off Space. On the baggage drop-off space, we had been greeted by porters who fortunately helped us load our baggage. Truly, loading wasn’t the one factor they helped us with as a result of we did not print out our baggage tags. However they’d further tags and took care of it. Porters count on a tip, so ensure you have smaller payments with you.
- Make your solution to the terminal constructing. Upon coming into the terminal constructing, we observed the large ship propellers dangling and spinning within the air. The traces seemed scarily lengthy, however they really moved quick.
- Proceed to the check-in counter. Verify-in and boarding processes had been a breeze. The employees seemed for less than three issues: passport, US visa, and SetSail Go, which we bought after we accomplished the web check-in course of utilizing the app earlier than the journey. And though our stops or so-called ports of name for this cruise embody Puerto Costa Maya in Mexico, Roatan in Honduras, and Good Day at CocoCay within the Bahamas, we weren’t requested to current a visa for any of those, even when we had been holding a Philippine passport. They solely checked our US visas’ validity and variety of entries.
Aboard Icon of the Seas
- Find your assigned muster station. After boarding, the very first thing we did was discover our muster level, which was the world to go in case of an emergency. The assigned muster quantity was indicated on the SetSail Go.
- You can begin exploring. As soon as finished with the method, we had been free to discover the ship, particularly since our cabin room wasn’t prepared but. We boarded sooner than scheduled.
By the best way, the very first thing we noticed upon boarding was the staircase with a large, rounded, shiny cover referred to as The Pearl. There was a café referred to as Pearl Café, the place new cruisers may seize a fast chew or drink.
On the Royal Promenade, which is the frequent space on Deck 5, we additionally had a chat with the Filipino baristas on the onboard Starbucks! Shout out to Elsa, who hailed from Pampanga! Vins was so delighted to fulfill a fellow Kapampangan!
Settle within the Cabin
We then proceeded to our room! Fortunately, it was prepared. We grabbed our SetSail card on the door and used it to enter. Right here’s our room!
It had been a protracted journey. We flew in from Seattle and linked in Las Vegas with a protracted layover, so we had been in transit for nearly 24 hours. We desperately wanted a scorching bathe and an excellent sleep. And we did simply that.
Dinner and Night Present
After a relatively lengthy nap, we determined to stroll across the numerous neighborhoods a bit and have an enormous meal on the Windjammer Café, the ship’s worldwide buffet. I shall be discussing the neighborhoods and numerous eating choices later. Then we watched a present on the Royal Theater, that includes headliner Adam Kario, knowledgeable comedy juggler. After a brief stroll on the highest deck, we referred to as it an evening.
DAY 2: SEA DAY – SEVEN NEIGHBORHOODS
It’s solely Day 2, however we had been already deep into cruise mode: no alarms, no obligations, and no actual thought what day of the week it was. We gained’t be seeing our first cease in Mexico till Day 3, so we had one full day at sea. So let’s take this time to discover the ship. However significantly, while you’re on board Icon of the Seas, you don’t even really feel such as you’re on a ship. It’s a floating metropolis with seven neighborhoods, each with its personal set of points of interest. Significantly, how is that this even on a ship?!
Chill Island
Chill Island is the last word solar, sea, and pool combo. There are 4 huge swimming pools on this deck alone, together with Royal Bay Pool, one of many largest swimming pools, if not the biggest at sea. If you wish to take a dip or simply bathe within the solar, it is a good spot!
Location: Deck 15-17, Midship
Central Park
After an excessive amount of solar, we wandered by means of Central Park (sure, on a ship), full with stay vegetation, peaceable benches, and generally, stay music taking part in within the background. It’s like a zen backyard in the midst of a cruise ship.
Location: Deck 8, Midship
Thrill Island
How a couple of dose of adrenaline? We headed to Class 6 Waterpark, the biggest waterpark at sea! Probably the most exhilarating attraction right here is the Horrifying Bolt, a drop slide with 10/10 for thrill issue. There’s additionally Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter, each much less terrifying however nonetheless heart-racing.
Location: Deck 16-20, Aft
Surfside
Whereas we’re not children and we don’t have children, we couldn’t resist trying out Surfside, the family-friendly neighborhood full with a carousel, splash space, arcade, and eating places that really feel like they got here from a Pixar film. It’s cute overload. If we had nieces or nephews with us, they’d by no means need to go away. However we’re simply right here without spending a dime hotdogs and free gentle serve ice cream.
Location: Deck 7, Aft
Royal Promenade
Principally, Royal Promenade is a mall-meets-entertainment district. You’ll discover outlets, pizza by the slice at Sorrento’s, just a few bars, and even a comedy membership. We window-shopped pre-loved luxurious items, and correctly shopped for memento gadgets.
Location: Deck 5, Midship
The Hideaway
For a late afternoon chill, we escaped to the Hideaway Pool, an adults-only infinity pool suspended off the again of the ship. The view? Unreal. The vibe? Straight out of a hiphop music video from the naughties. It’s additionally the place you’ll discover the FlowRider, which is a simulated browsing expertise.
Location: Deck 15, Aft
AquaDome
AquaDome was our favourite spot! This futuristic dome on the prime entrance of the ship gave us panoramic ocean views, a loungy ambiance, and one other scenic bar — Overlook Bar — with glass spheres you’ll be able to truly sit inside. That is additionally the place the AquaTheater reveals occur — suppose excessive dives, acrobatics, and Cirque du Soleil vitality, all whereas the ship is shifting.
Location: Deck 15, Ahead
With so many issues to do (and so many energy to burn off), we nonetheless by some means felt like we barely scratched the floor. There’s a minigolf course, mountaineering, ice skating reveals, and even Escape Rooms onboard. Will we even have to get off in Mexico? Not when you don’t need to, however in fact, we did.
DAY 3: PUERTO COSTA MAYA, MEXICO
We woke as much as blue skies above, bluer waters under, and — wait, are these Mayan-style buildings? Yup, from our balcony, we may already see so much. Little question about it — we had arrived in Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico’s playful little port city, the place the ambiance was very heat in additional methods than one.
However as an alternative of going full Dora the Explorer, we made a strategic (and barely lazy) choice: keep within the port space and save our vitality for the following two shore excursions. Chill out mode ON in the present day, tour mode TOMORROW.”
Getting off the ship was a breeze, and inside minutes, we had been off the ship and wandering across the very Instagrammable port complicated. And after we say “port complicated,” we don’t imply a boring car parking zone. Costa Maya’s port is a mini vacation spot in itself — full with outlets, eating places, an enormous saltwater pool, and even a swim-up bar. There have been quite a lot of solar, quite a lot of sweat, and quite a lot of sweaty dancing within the solar.
We strolled round slowly, popping into memento outlets (sure, we purchased fridge magnets and T-shirts — and sure, we’re that type of vacationers), after which discovered a shady spot by the pool. The entire place had a relaxed, festive vitality — stay music, and other people already drunk in margaritas earlier than lunch. Love that for them.
We had been so excited to get off the ship that morning that we skipped breakfast. Truly, we’re probably not breakfast folks. So it didn’t take lengthy earlier than we heard our stomachs grumble. We ordered a quesadilla and a burrito at one of many informal eating places. We love Mexican meals, however we didn’t like what we had right here very a lot. We must always’ve simply had breakfast on the ship.
By early afternoon, we had been again onboard — no sunburns, no sore toes, only a chilled-out type of day. We took benefit of the empty ship to discover extra of its quieter corners.
DAY 4: ROATÁN, HONDURAS
If Day 3 was about stress-free, Day 4 mentioned, “Let’s get wild.” We docked in Roatán, Honduras early within the morning, and from the second we stepped out onto our balcony, we had been greeted by lush inexperienced hills, dense jungle, and that unmistakable “one thing epic is about to occur” vitality.
And epic it was — we signed up for the Final Excessive Journey Combo, which seems like a online game, however is definitely a full-on jungle thrill expertise that includes 11 ziplines and seven hanging bridges. Sure, ELEVEN ZIPLINES.
After assembly up with our group, we had been shuttled into the Roatán hills the place our journey started. First up: ziplines. The primary one was fairly low and quick, not too thrilling. However they bought increasingly more insane, sending us hovering above the treetops, gliding previous birds and our previous couple of rational ideas. Every line bought sooner and better. The final two had been SUPERMAN-style. As an alternative of simply dangling upright, we had been zipping down parallel to the road. And by the top of it, we had been feeling SUPER. Like superheroes. Tremendous exhausted, tremendous sticky superheroes with sweaty palms and barely crooked helmets.
Then got here the hanging bridges, which seemed peaceable at first look till we had been midway throughout, dozens of toes above the jungle ground, clinging to ropes whereas the bridge wobbled prefer it had a private vendetta in opposition to us. Nonetheless, the views had been breathtaking — a full 360-degree panorama of Roatán’s tropical rainforests.
The entire expertise lasted roughly 4 to 5 hours, however the adrenaline rush stayed with us all day. By the point we returned to the port, we had been exhilarated, mildly dehydrated, and VERY prepared for meals. However earlier than that, memento time! And once more, we purchased ref magnets and t-shirts!
On board, nonetheless reeling from the terrible burrito and quesadilla from yesterday, we determined to attempt El Loco Contemporary, Icon’s out of doors taco bar. We went again to the room, showered, took a nap and went out for dinner and a night stroll.
DAY 5: COZUMEL & CHICHÉN ITZÁ
Right now’s journey? A giant one. We woke as much as this view of Cozumel, Mexico — a sunny, sea-breezy island paradise. However as an alternative of hanging across the seashores or sipping margaritas with cruise of us, we went full Indiana Jones and joined a tour to the legendary Chichén Itzá ruins.
First, we alighted the ship, and once more, no Immigration checks right here, both. We then boarded a smaller WinJet ferry to Playa del Carmen on the mainland. Journey time was round 50 minutes. As soon as there, we met our tour group, led by our information Carlos, who welcomed us with a placard. After a 5-10-minute stroll to the terminal, we hopped right into a shuttle van for an hour-and-a-half lengthy (however very snug) trip inland to the ruins.
To maintain issues “fashionable,” this tour was presupposed to function an augmented and digital actuality expertise. That sounded tremendous cool on paper — like we had been about to see the traditional metropolis stand up in entrance of us with the assistance of tech magic. In actuality? It was an iPad. Only a common ol’ pill with visuals and information overlays, which, below the scorching Yucatán solar, was mainly a mirror of our personal sweaty faces.
Fortunately, our information Carlos was wonderful. On the drive there, he walked us by means of all the main buildings — the Temple of Kukulcán, the Ball Court docket, the observatory, and even the acoustic methods utilized by the Mayans to make the sound of a chook. So by the point we arrived, we already had the context and will deal with seeing relatively than squinting at a smudgy display screen.
We had been additionally warned by Carlos that there was a 5-dollar price for cameras aside from a cameraphone, and that microphones, selfie sticks, and tripods weren’t allowed inside. So we determined to depart our GoPro and mic within the van and simply use our telephones to shoot.
As soon as inside Chichén Itzá, it was jaw-dropping. The solar? Brutal. The distributors? Pushy. The pyramid? Completely majestic. We wandered across the web site, pretended we had been in a Nationwide Geographic or Historical past Channel particular, and tried to soak up as a lot as we may earlier than retreating to the van like dehydrated archaeologists.
The return journey was the identical — van to Playa, ferry again to Cozumel (however this time with extra leg cramps), sun-kissed shoulders, and a way of “wow, we truly simply visited one of many New Seven Wonders of the World.”
Was it a protracted day? Yup. Was it value it? You wager. The actual magic was standing in entrance of a pyramid that’s been there for over a thousand years.
DAY 6: SEA DAY – ONBOARD DINING SPOTS
Ah, how we missed the bliss of a full day at sea — no ports, no alarms, no rush. We awoke someplace in the midst of the Caribbean Sea, with nothing on the agenda besides doing nothing. Nicely, virtually. As a result of we deliberate on catching an ice skating present at Absolute Zero, entitled As soon as Upon a Time: The King’s Royal Ball, that includes characters from the most-loved fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel, Humpty Dumpty, Cinderella, and lots of others!
After this, we simply wandered aimlessly. However possibly, now is a superb time for me to speak concerning the numerous eating choices right here on Icon of the Seas!
With over 20 eating venues, you’ll by no means go hungry on board, particularly that eleven of those are complimentary.
Included Eating
No further cost. Sure, complimentary as a result of any meal at these meals spots is already included in your cruise fare. That means, you gained’t have to pay something when you select to eat at any of those.
- Major Eating Room. Basic, multi-course meals with rotating menus. Fancy-ish however completely complimentary. Location: Deck 3-5, Aft
- Windjammer Café. Royal Caribbean’s iconic worldwide buffet. You’ll most likely find yourself right here so much. Location: Deck 15, Aft
- AquaDome Market. RCI’s first meals corridor. It’s a brand new idea with 5 completely different stalls, together with crepes, Mediterranean eats, and Asian-inspired bowls. There’s additionally a stall serving solely various kinds of macaroni and cheese. Location: Deck 15, Ahead
- Surfside Eatery. A child-friendly buffet within the Surfside household neighborhood (suppose mac & cheese, nuggets, scorching canine, and stress-free meals). Location: Deck 7, Aft
- Sorrento’s Pizza. Open late, excellent for post-activity snack assaults. The pizza choice consists of Margherita, pepperoni, cheese, and my favourite, hen BBQ. Location: Deck 5, Midship
- Park Café. Gentle bites like sandwiches and salads in Central Park. Additionally they have chips and ice cream! Location: Deck 8, Midship
- El Loco Contemporary. Tacos, quesadillas, and a salsa station — ¡muy bien! This was our go-to after a shore tour as a result of it’s not as crowded because the Windjammer Café. And tacos are simply so satisfying after a day of exploring! Location: Deck 15, Midship
- Basecamp. A brand new informal eatery close to the fun zone (and it’s FREE for some snacks, however costs for specialty bites too). However crowd favorites like most burgers and hotdogs are complimentary. Location: Deck 16, Aft
- Pearl Café. Situated simply above the grand staircase. They serve snacks like sandwiches and desserts like cookies, tarts, and truffles. Location: Deck 6, Midship
- Vitality Café. Smoothies and wholesome choices close to the spa. Location: Deck 14, Ahead
Specialty Eating
Apart from the complimentary meals spots, there are additionally the so-called specialty eating places. Eating right here entails a further price. Consider them as your deal with yo’self spots.
For many of those, you’ll be paying a set value per individual. Dinner is often costlier than lunch. However you’ll be able to rating a reduction when you guide earlier than your crusing date or simply method a employees member in the event that they know the place they will get specialty eating reductions. Head waiters can often supply that. In our case, the pinnacle waiter on the Major Eating, who was additionally Filipino gave us 50% OFF, if I bear in mind accurately.
Anyway, listed below are the specialty eating choices:
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Chef’s Desk. The ship’s most upscale eating expertise — a multi-course, wine-paired gourmand dinner hosted by the chef in an intimate, elegant setting. With simply round 12 visitors per evening, it’s like a personal foodie present at sea. It’s a splurge, however excellent for particular events or when you simply need to eat like royalty.
- Chops Grille. A Royal Caribbean staple for steak and carnivorous cravings. We’ve tried this on Spectrum of the Seas, so we skipped it this time. Location: Deck 8, Midship
- Empire Supper Membership. A swanky, 8-course wonderful eating expertise with stay jazz. Suppose Gatsby at sea. Location: Deck 8, Ahead
- Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar. Pizza, pasta, and wine-fueled bliss in a brand new open-air setting. Location: Deck 6, Midship
- Izumi Hibachi & Sushi. Situated at Central Park. You are able to do the à la carte sushi bar or order a full hibachi. We’ve loved this on one other ship, too. Location: Deck 8, Midship
- Pier 7. Informal all-day eating in Surfside, serving breakfast burritos, coconut shrimp, and extra. Location: Deck 7, Aft
- Hooked Seafood. That is the one spot that the crew members always beneficial to us! New England-style seafood restaurant. Location: Deck 15, Ahead
This one, we tried and we cherished it! Secure to say, we had been hooked! For appetizers, I had a bowl of creamy chowder whereas Vins had shrimp cocktails. For mains, Vins opted for surf and turf composed of tender steak and Maine lobster tail grilled to order and served with greens and melted butter.
I had their signature Captain’s Platter, with 4 oz. lobster tail, contemporary fish filet, and 4 medium-sized shrimps, served with heat melted butter and a aspect of lobster mac and cheese. We additionally ordered Drunken mussels, steamed in garlic white wine. For dessert, the choices had been coconut cream pie, cherry pie, lemon tart, and decadent chocolate brownie.
Different Specialty Meals Spots
- Celebration Desk. A personal eating room for particular events — birthday? proposal? post-buffet nap celebration? Location: Deck 15, Ahead
- Playmakers Sports activities Bar & Arcade. Wings, sliders, beer, and game-day vitality. That is situated close to Surfside. Location: Deck 6, Aft
- Starbucks. Sure, they’ve a Starbucks on board. They even promote its personal memento collectible mugs. Location: Deck 5, Midship
Specialty eating is nice when you’re celebrating a special day and also you simply need to get away from the gang.
Bars & Lounges
Apart from correct eating places, there are additionally bars and lounges on board, together with:
- The Overlook. Futuristic cocktails with panoramic views within the AquaDome. Location: Deck 14, Ahead
- Swim & Tonic. The cruise line’s first swim-up bar! Location: Deck 16, Midship
- The Lime & Coconut. Poolside tropical cocktails. Location: Deck 15-16, Midship
- Rye & Bean. A espresso store that transforms right into a cocktail bar. Location: Deck 15, Ahead
- Bubbles. The brand new champagne bar in Central Park. Location: Deck 8, Midship
- Trellis Bar. Chill out within the backyard with a glass of wine or your favourite cocktail drink. Location: Deck 8, Midship
- The Hideaway Bar. Serving Hideaway Pool visitors. Location: Deck 15, Aft
- Cantina Fresca. One other bar at Chill Island. Location: Deck 15, Midship
- Basecamp Bar. Serving Thrill Island visitors. Location: Deck 16, Aft
- 1400. Foyer bar. Location: Deck 5, Midship
- Level & Feather. Location: Deck 5, Midship
- Schooner Bar. Location: Deck 6, Midship
- Boleros. Location: Deck 6, Midship
By the top of the day, we had been full, floored, and floating into mattress like stuffed sea creatures
DAY 7: PERFECT DAY AT COCOCAY, BAHAMAS
Our closing port of name was Good Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s personal island within the Bahamas. And let’s simply say, the identify stayed true to its promise. This place is a full-blown island playground, and we had been able to go wild once more.
We pre-booked tickets to the Thrill Waterpark. On the middle of all of it: Daredevil’s Peak, the tallest waterslide in North America. One lookup, and our knees began negotiating. However in fact, we did it. We climbed what felt like 100 flooring, then took the slide whereas screaming the entire means down, and lived to inform the story. Sadly, cameras should not allowed at any of those slides.
Do that slide first as a result of the road right here will get longer and longer because the day progresses!
We additionally tackled the Dueling Demons, which had been two exhilarating slides that Vins and I did on the identical time. These slides begin with a nerve-wracking drop, however so, so enjoyable.
Thrill Waterpark additionally had wave swimming pools, racing slides, and tube slides for teams right here at Splash Summit. Once more, we prioritized the preferred slide right here, which was the Slingshot, and it was terrifyingly magnificent. I cherished how our positions flipped and the way excessive we bought catapulted up this steep a part of the slide earlier than making a grand splash as we hit the pool.
The inexperienced slide referred to as Tailspin was a bit dizzying but in addition a bit underwhelming given how insane Slingshot was. Then we tried the Splash Speedway, the place you can use a mat and race three others swirl to the pool under. We spent hours hopping from one to the following like children on trip (as a result of…we had been children at coronary heart on trip).
But when adrenaline isn’t your factor, don’t fear — CocoCay has a chill aspect too. Actually. It’s referred to as Chill Island, and it’s open to everybody while not having any tickets or reservations. We strolled over after conquering the waterpark and located white sand seashores, calm blue waters, and loads of free loungers the place you are able to do completely nothing and really feel nice about it.
Probably the greatest issues about CocoCay? Meals are complimentary. No further costs, no difficult eating reservations — simply stroll up, seize your meals, and feast. We hit up Skipper’s Grill for burgers and tacos, adopted by means too many soft-serve cones. As a result of energy don’t rely on personal islands. That’s the rule. Proper?
We headed again to Icon of the Seas, salty, drained, and grinning like fools. We showered, took a nap to recharge, and after we awoke, began packing up as a result of the employees can be selecting up our baggage later that evening. We left our suitcases outdoors our door on our means out to see the present within the Aqua Theater. It was wonderful! Excessive dives, acrobatics, music, and dramatic lighting — all taking place whereas the ship’s actually shifting. HOW?
Positively the very best present on board!
And naturally, it’s our final evening on board, so we shopped for extra souvenirs and different merchandise! We couldn’t consider a greater solution to finish this excellent day! Good Day? Confirmed.
DAY 8: END OF CRUISE
Like all good issues, our cruise needed to come to an finish, and Day 8 was formally disembarkation day. We awoke docked again in Miami, blinking away the disbelief {that a} week had flown by that quick. (Significantly, how is it already over?!)
Breakfast & Disembarkation
- We had an early breakfast at Windjammer Café, our devoted meals haven all cruise lengthy. The buffet was nonetheless in full swing, however the temper? Somewhat quieter. Individuals had been rolling in with suitcases, sleepy faces, and the common post-cruise disappointment. Nonetheless, we stuffed our plates one final time — as a result of if we had been saying goodbye to limitless glazed ham, we had been doing it correctly.
- After breakfast, we headed off the ship. We had been pleasantly stunned at how briskly and seamless the entire course of was. There have been no guide immigration counters and no countless traces of individuals fumbling for passports. As an alternative, we went by means of automated gates geared up with biometric and passport scanners. Only a fast scan, a brief stroll, and increase — we had been formally again on land, questioning how lengthy it might take earlier than we missed the ship’s rocking movement.
Icon of the Seas gave us unforgettable recollections — from adrenaline rushes and lazy sea days to historic ruins and epic eats. And whereas it harm somewhat to say goodbye, we left with full hearts, full picture galleries, and plans to cruise once more very, very quickly. Bye, Icon…It’s Been Actual.
Off to Orlando!
Whereas most individuals headed straight to the airport after disembarking, we weren’t finished but. Nope — our trip had a Half 2, and it concerned curler coasters, fortress sightings, and means an excessive amount of theme park magic. Subsequent cease: Orlando.
We grabbed an Uber to Brightline’s Miami Central Station, which took about 10 minutes.
The station itself was modern, fashionable, and actually type of felt like a flowery airport lounge, with espresso outlets, charging stations, and nil chaos. Brightline is aware of how one can make prepare journey really feel bougie.
We boarded the prepare certain for Orlando, settled into our comfortable seats (with Wi-Fi, shops, and loads of legroom!), and watched because the Miami skyline light behind us. The trip was clean and scenic. It’s mainly the chillest solution to transition from cruise life to theme park insanity.
Subsequent up: a full-blown Orlando theme park binge. Disney, Common, who is aware of — we’re going all in. As a result of when one trip ends, one other begins.
Updates Log
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