The 15 coolest features on the new world's largest cruise ship complete with a water park, waterfall, and 7 pools

The bigger the better, according to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s new 10,000-guest cruise ship.

In late October, the popular cruise brand gave eager travelers a closer look at its upcoming mega cruise ship — the Icon of the Seas — sailing in January 2024.

We may be a little over a year from the cruise ship’s debut, but it seems like cruise fans already can’t get enough of this upcoming behemoth ship.

Royal Caribbean saw its largest booking day in the company’s history when it opened reservations for the new cruise liner.

Source: Insider

And its first sailing, a seven-night roundtrip from Miami to the Caribbean, was practically sold out in just a few hours.

It’s easy to see why cruise fans have flocked to the Icon of the Seas so quickly.

There are very few cruise ships with a full onboard water park, waterfall, and a miniature Central Park. But these — and more — are all available to entertain passengers.

The list of fun amenities on the Icon of the Seas is overwhelmingly long for a cruise ship.

So to make exploring the floating resort a little less complicated, here are the 15 best features on the record-breaking Icon of the Seas.

1. Mega cruise ships just keep getting bigger.

The 1,198-foot-long Icon of the Seas will be the world’s largest cruise ship, stripping the title from Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas.

This 20-deck floating town can sail up to 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew, bringing its total maximum capacity to just shy of 10,000.

2. There are eight “neighborhoods” throughout the cruise ship, including five that are new to the brand.

These diverse neighborhoods range from a boardwalk-like deck with a carousel, children’s water park, and arcade …

… to a neighborhood reserved for passengers staying in suites …

… and an outdoor park designed for adventurous guests.

3. Plenty of ships now have water slides and surf simulators. But not every cruise liner has a full outdoor water park like the Icon of the Seas.

Outdoor neighborhood Thrill Island is home to “Category 6” …

… a water park with six water slides, including the tallest one at sea and one with a family raft.

4. If water slides aren’t exhilarating enough, the Icon of the Seas’ “Crown’s Edge” will surely satisfy a thrill seeker’s itch.

This outdoor rope and obstacle could leave people strapped to the ship and dangling 154 feet over the water.

6. For the slightly lest adventurous, there are seven pools throughout the Icon of the Seas, including the largest pool at sea …

… a swim-up bar …

… and a suspended infinity pool.

8. Pool deck Jacuzzis can get crowded. Luckily, the Icon of the Seas has nine hot tubs.

8. Instead of musicals, the AquaDome neighborhood’s AquaTheater will have a dazzling water show with divers and dancers.

9. This same neighborhood will also be home to the cruise ship’s waterfall.

10. If you’re a fan of Disney on Ice, you might enjoy the ice skating show.

11. And if your idea of a leisurely afternoon is a stroll through the park, there’s a neighborhood for you: Central Park.

Here, the open-aired neighborhood will have real plants, live music, and plenty of dining options.

12. Speaking of dining, there are over 40 restaurants, bars, and nightlife venues to keep the up to 7,600 guests entertained.

With this many options, you likely won’t be able to stop by most restaurants and venues by the time your vacation is over.

13. There are 2,805 staterooms across 28 room categories.

14. The most unique of these staterooms is the Ultimate Family Townhouse, a three-floor getaway with a slide, theater, and terrace.

15. If you’re traveling with children but looking for something less glitzy, staterooms like the Family Infinity Balcony will still have rooms designed just for younger guests.

Here, you’ll find fun furnishings like a bunk and a chalkboard.

If it wasn’t evident from the water slides, fun shows, and children friendly staterooms, the Icon of the Seas ship was designed to appeal to families.

But its grandeur and multi-generational family fun won’t come cheap.

The Icon of the Seas’ 2024 seven-night roundtrip sailings from Miami to either Mexico or the Bahamas starts at a little over $980 per person.

Source: Royal Caribbean

This may be more expensive than some of the $60 a day cruises that have attracted budget travelers …

… but these cheaper ships probably won’t have Icon of the Seas’ seven pools, six water slides, and an indoor waterfall.