ICON of the Seas: 5 Reasons To STAY AWAY

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  • Опубліковано 6 чер 2024
  • While our inaugural cruise on board of Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas was absolutely amazing, there we found 5 big Icon Of The Seas cons that may make some people rethink booking this ship.
    To save money on this cruise, we originally booked a neighborhood balcony guarantee. As I was looking at cabin availability before getting our room assigned, I kept seeing two types of cabins that have the most cabins left open: Infinite balconies and Surfside Neighborhood location.
    Since both of these were new concepts launching on Icon of The Seas, I spent a lot of times researching both trying to decide if we made a good choice. I'll explain what we ended up doing and why it was the right choice in this video.
    We also tested several specialty dining venues on Icon and were disappointed in several of them (while thoroughly enjoying a couple others).
    Additionally, we were very surprised at one of the new neighborhoods on Icon Of The Seas (which I'll go over in detail in this video).
    🛳️ 🛳️ 🛳️
    See our current list of available reduced group rates for Icon Class and other ships - cruiseandtravelnetwork.com/
    🛳️ 🛳️ 🛳️
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    Check out these videos next to help you decide if Icon Of The Seas is for you
    • Icon Of The Seas
    ===========================
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    ===========================
    ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS ⏱️
    0:00 Five Big Icon of The Seas Cons
    0:12 Controversial Cabins
    2:02 Surfside Neighborhood Cabins
    4:23 Specialty Dining
    7:48 Activities
    9:24 Pricing

КОМЕНТАРІ • 193

  • @williamrussell9404
    @williamrussell9404 Місяць тому +34

    1. Children 2. Children 3. Children 4. Children 5. Children - all the fails of Icon! Children pooped in the pool twice in the swim up bar, children threw up in the pools twice in the largest pee pool at sea.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +2

      Oh no!! That's horrible! We didn't have many children on our sailing but it was the maiden one so it was more expensive. I can't imagine having such mayhem. Sorry to hear that your cruise had these issues.

    • @williamrussell9404
      @williamrussell9404 Місяць тому +2

      @@CruisingKat Don't get me wrong I loved it, it was just soo many children, that we stayed in the adult only areas. Even the bars at night, you would see children sleeping on the coaches, while their parents were at the bar.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      I'm glad to hear that it wasn't completely ruined for you. The Hideaway was our favorite area on the ship and we ended up spending most of the time there, and it was without many kids on the ship. I have already had a number of comments on Icon videos talking about too many kids on the ship and I'm wondering what it will be like once school is out. We're already booked on Star next year, but I don't think I'd want to sail this class during school breaks.

    • @williamrussell9404
      @williamrussell9404 Місяць тому +2

      @@CruisingKat I think it will change because its marketed towards kids and the first year is a bunch of new cruisers that don't know how to handle their kids on a cruise!

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      Hopefully!

  • @PatrickWagz
    @PatrickWagz Місяць тому +15

    Those infinite balconies seem like a terrible design idea.
    It seems like whoever was in charge of implementing them, had no clue how a ship actually functions... and they were like, "Here, open this giant window and allow all your air-conditioned air to escape to the atmosphere, while bringing in all 95 degrees/ 99% humidity air into your cabin, while we sail in the middle of the Caribbean Sea!!"
    😁😁 *BRILLIANT!*

    • @cruisecrazy7066
      @cruisecrazy7066 Місяць тому +3

      New things can only be designed by those who know absolutely nothing of the topic.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому +2

      I agree! We're on Harmony in a regular balcony right now in Cozumel. It's close to 100 degrees outside and it's blistering hot. I could not imagine opening that infinite "balcony" even for a short time.

    • @suave-rider
      @suave-rider 19 днів тому +1

      @@CruisingKat ah yes but are you using the balcony at all since its so hot?

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  19 днів тому +1

      @@suave-rider , yes, we actually do. Even in the Caribbean, no matter how hot it is during the day, the evening is usually cool enough to enjoy the balcony. We just returned from a weeklong Harmony sailing in a regular balcony and it solidified our decision. It was so much nicer to have the use of a balcony.

  • @StaceyChamberlain-kf1qx
    @StaceyChamberlain-kf1qx 28 днів тому +7

    I hate those new balcony. Those aren’t balconies, those are rooms with a window. Those people are cheated

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому +2

      I agree. We're currently on Harmony in a regular balcony and it's so much better!

  • @seannielsen6587
    @seannielsen6587 Місяць тому +2

    I very much enjoyed your video and you gained a new subscriber. We love the 70s and 80s shows the most by far on every Royal cruise we go on. We would be very sad to see it go away. We have not sailed on the Icon yet but we will be spending two weeks on the Symphony this summer. Good luckwith your channel. Wishing you all the best.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      Thank you so much! The great news is that one of the commenters on this video said that they have now started the 70s night. That's always the most packed party on any Royal cruise we've been on. Symphony should definitely have it. We're sailing on Harmony next week and we've got our 70s outfits ready!

  • @TeamReeseTravels
    @TeamReeseTravels Місяць тому +7

    Very solid points! We didn’t try Chop’s Grille, but from your video the tables look way too jam packed for specialty dining. Definitely think that would take away from our experience.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      Thank you! Chops was the most shocking to us since we usually go to it on every ship. Even Freedom class Chops is better than this one.

  • @planedudea380
    @planedudea380 Місяць тому +7

    Having been on several RCL ships, I am kind of glad they are updating some of the entertainment. I get some love 70s parties but they have to dable with some more modern musical decades. Offer a mix indeed.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому

      Their “One Hit Wonder” party was pretty good. It had music all the way from the 70s to the 2000s and pretty much all the songs they played were very well-known.

    • @easysailing7130
      @easysailing7130 Місяць тому

      I agree. They need to freshen things up

    • @charlesschroeder4062
      @charlesschroeder4062 23 дні тому

      I wouldn't mind them having the same theme nights or something new, just LET US KNOW. We always feel we are guessing on what to bring for attire. When you fly to the destination you can't bring the whole wardrobe. The Wonder won't have the same nights as the Radiance. I learned to look for itineraries online, but they are not always available when you sail on the "Shoulder" cruises.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  23 дні тому

      @@charlesschroeder4062 that’s a great point! I agree that they should let people know more ahead of time.

  • @hgordonf
    @hgordonf 24 дні тому

    Thanks Kat ! This is a great & informative review of this HUGE ship !
    I subscribed from DC 💙

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  23 дні тому

      Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it 😊

  • @ladymax23
    @ladymax23 Місяць тому +3

    I have never booked a guaranteed balcony. I always book an ocean view balcony. When I was working for a travel agency I was the artist coordinator and we were short on cabins so I took a Promenade balcony but probably wouldn't do again because it was a little noisy late evening at night time. I'm on Symphony of the Sea, and my girlfriend has booked a Boardwalk balcony for her and her twins, but I have an ocean view balcony as usual. I don't see the icon of the sea in the future for me until it come to Bayonne, NJ. I do not like to fly to board the ship because I overpack. I love your lamp. I have one similar to yours in my bedroom and living room, and I think they add elegance to you're a backdrop. Happy sailing🎉

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  29 днів тому

      Thank you for the compliment on the lamp. I was actually wondering if it was too distracting. 😊 We are currently on Harmony of the seas, Symphony’s sister, in an ocean view balcony cabin and loving it so much more than that infinite balcony silliness 😂 Sitting out on the balcony, watching the ocean waves, feeling the breeze as I’m typing this… I will definitely stick to stick to oceanview balconies from now on. Hope you’re enjoying your cruise!

  • @finned958
    @finned958 28 днів тому +4

    I stayed in the Promenade rooms on a Royal Caribbean ship. It’s noisy in the evening when They did the party show up to 12 midnight. Better to not stay there. No wonder it’s as cheap as the inside rooms.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому +1

      I agree. We've stayed in the Promenade room once on Oasis class ship and it was noisy there too. Of course, you get the tradeoff of having something to look at but I prefer quiet rooms when you are trying to rest.

  • @heatherqualy9143
    @heatherqualy9143 24 дні тому

    Ok, gotta say, you video inserts crack me up! 😂 Very informative AND entertaining video. Well done.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  24 дні тому

      Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed my quirkiness 😂.

  • @ronmoya6964
    @ronmoya6964 25 днів тому +3

    With respect to Giovani’s table, it dated and I found the food offered was boring. They need to upgrade their menu, a spaghetti and meatballs with marinara or meat sauce would be nice. Also a wood fired pizza would be a plus. The pizza in the buffeteria is adequate but it’s certainly not high end.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  25 днів тому

      We feel the same way about Giovani’s Table so if we do any specialty dining, we choose other restaurants.

  • @davidrle23
    @davidrle23 Місяць тому +12

    Don't let any UA-camr put you off, we had the best cruise ever last month on Icon! Well worth the money.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      So glad you had a great cruise! We did too so I started this video with saying that it was an amazing trip. The purpose of the video was to highlight some of the things that some people won’t like. It’s definitely not once size fits all. But I did another video with 9 big improvements on Icon that made it worth the price. Just trying to be objective 🙂

    • @briandaly6868
      @briandaly6868 Місяць тому +3

      I didn’t take her comments as negative. Mostly positive and complimentary with some constructive criticism. The whole concept of the “Infinite Balcony” was horrible to begin with. What’s next? A Virtual Balcony for Inside Rooms that can blow hot air in your face to enhance the illusion?

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      @@briandaly6868 that’s a funny thought! Don’t give Royal any new ideas 😂

    • @Retro-2-now
      @Retro-2-now 28 днів тому

      Don’t think they are trying to “put anyone off” these channels (and I watch a lot of different ones) just go over pros and cons so people can make informed decisions when booking.
      What you loved, others might hate. We just booked Carnival Celebration, but honestly, we have our doubts that we are going to like it, but we had a good discount and a big on board credit, so we figured we would give it a try

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому

      I 100% agree that some things may be a pro for one person and a con for another. That's why I think it's important to go over them so that people can decide for themselves if this class ship is for them or not.

  • @iluvutube4886
    @iluvutube4886 3 дні тому

    Oasis class is still my favorite. They did a lot of stupid things when they made this ship to turn me off:
    1)the infinite "balcony" rooms that are just oversized windows and shuts off your a/c when it's down.
    2) taking away the boardwalk and turning it into a kid's playground and relocating the aqua show with less seating.
    3) less storage space in the cabins. Baskets in open spaces instead of drawers, less closet space too.
    4) the set up of the junior suites. If you open up the sofa bed, it's right on top of the regular bed facing the outside. Less walking space compared to the same room on Oasis class ships.
    5) no inside separate adults only solarium; the Icon just has a smaller outdoor area in the bad of the ship, not enclosed
    6) the entrance and exit to the teen club is right in Playmakers

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  3 дні тому

      Yep, I agree on all of these points. And we also like Oasis class the best at this point.

  • @barryhaley7430
    @barryhaley7430 26 днів тому +2

    Infinity balconies make more sense in cooler climates like the Baltic or Alaska. Regular balconies for warm climates.

  • @melvinjacobs2328
    @melvinjacobs2328 Місяць тому +7

    There are real balconies on this ship also. You could have picked on of them easily.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +2

      Yes, next time we definitely will. We wanted to try this type since it was new but we won’t do it again.

  • @FraserAtSea
    @FraserAtSea 28 днів тому

    Hey, have just found your channel - hello from your newest subscriber!
    It's interesting how many 'controversial cabins' exist on Icon - I thought the same with the newest Celebrity ships - a real movement in the industry!

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому +1

      I'm loving reading all the comments and I keep wondering how they decided on this movement. So far, majority of the commenters do not like these new types of cabins. Some do, of course, so it will be interesting to see how the cruise lines will proceed.

    • @FraserAtSea
      @FraserAtSea 27 днів тому

      @@CruisingKat totally agree!

  • @ronmoya6964
    @ronmoya6964 25 днів тому +1

    Also Chops has been serving the same thing for two decades. While the steaks are prepared well, they need to upgrade their offerings. The sides could be upgraded as well.

  • @cherylmckinley6516
    @cherylmckinley6516 14 днів тому

    I just came off ICOn and it was ICONIC!! OMG so Awesome..from my room to the food and impeccable service....Im been on numerous ships which I had a good cruise to a bad cruise..Nothing compares to the ICON!!! CANT wait to try UTOPIA OF THE SEAS!!!

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  14 днів тому +1

      I agree! Even though the purpose of this video was to point out some things we didn't like on the cruise (just to be objective), it was still the best cruise we've ever taken. I did another video going over the 9 biggest improvements on Icon that I think took it to the next level - ua-cam.com/video/zjpJqsZFOs8/v-deo.html. We're looking forward to Utopia too!

  • @obbie1osias467
    @obbie1osias467 28 днів тому +2

    Keep all the negatives coming! I love it because it will bring their rates down if cruisers start getting spooked!👍👍👍

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому +1

      😂 That might be wishful thinking, lol. I think there are plenty of people that will still love this class ship. We actually did and I did another video about 9 huge improvements that we absolutely loved on this ship - ua-cam.com/video/zjpJqsZFOs8/v-deo.html. I think it's important to know the pros and cons because I'd hate for people to make a wrong choice at this price point.

  • @jackredmond6023
    @jackredmond6023 19 днів тому +1

    Great video! Thanks.

  • @gempotente7801
    @gempotente7801 27 днів тому +1

    I did the Infinite balcony for Central Park on the 4/13-4/20 itinerary. I was quite pleased with the comfort level of my stay. My only call out is more security at the basketball court and every room should be providing gratuity if it's auto or cash in hand.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому

      Glad to hear you liked the infinite balcony! Most people commenting did not so I'm hoping there are enough people who like them. What happened on the basketball court?

  • @nikkinecolem
    @nikkinecolem Місяць тому +2

    I just got off the Icon a week ago and they had the 70s disco party and the one hit wonder party.. sorry you didn’t get to experience both like we did.. and the had an all white laser light dance party for families. They even introduced a new game show for the first time on any of there ships called truth and consequences.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      Oh, I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know. It's great that they are keeping the old favorites AND adding new things!

  • @rustynail6819
    @rustynail6819 Місяць тому +14

    The infinite balcony is one of the biggest mistake in the cruise industry. I have yet to read one review where someone said "Oh we loved this!!". A ship like the Icon that is pretty much dedicated to the Caribbean agenda where it gets ridiculously hot, the infinite balcony is a horrible idea!! Open it and bye bye AC!! Plus, the AC shuts down when you open it so getting the room cool again takes hours. RCI and the rest of the lines that opted for these are going to regret it in the long run.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +2

      110% agree!

    • @PatrickWagz
      @PatrickWagz Місяць тому

      I just left this exact comment. LOL. Terrible terrible design.
      I like how they have the "Save the Waves" program and want you to re-use your bath towel to save a quart of water..... meanwhile, they pump thousands of dollars worth of A/C into the 90 degree Caribbean atmosphere. Make it make sense!!

    • @btbcc12859
      @btbcc12859 29 днів тому +1

      If you don't close the door the same thing with the standard balcony. However the plus is your cabin is larger than the standard cabin.

    • @PatrickWagz
      @PatrickWagz 28 днів тому

      @@btbcc12859 I don't know too many people that sit on their "regular" balcony with the door open, and then complain that their cabin got too hot/humid because all the A/C went out. At least in that scenario, you have a choice to sit out in the hot OR stay in the cold A/C without having to then wait hours? for the cabin to then cool back down. Plus, the cruise line tells you to "Save Resources" by re-using your bath towel, but then they are essentially air conditioning the entire world with their terrible design with their 1000s of these new "innovative" infinite balcony cabins.

    • @rustynail6819
      @rustynail6819 28 днів тому

      @@btbcc12859 A plus for a regular balcony is I can close the door and keep my AC going while outside. So can I also count my regular balcony space as usable cabin space?

  • @PostcardAndAPint
    @PostcardAndAPint 27 днів тому +1

    That's not a balcony! That's a window! We've never cruised with RCCL - we definitely want to give them a try. You made some great points here. Cheers 🍻

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому

      Absolutely. It's a window that opens. We love RCCL and cruise almost exclusively with them but I would definitely recommend a regular balcony instead.

  • @alisongood9572
    @alisongood9572 29 днів тому

    Very intelligent, articulate, thoughtful presentation

  • @jayholiday256
    @jayholiday256 27 днів тому +2

    Royal pricing is why we now shop Princess and Viking for our cruise 🚢. Currently on Odyssey and got a good deal 12 days Mediterranean

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому +1

      Princess is nice but I haven't been on Viking yet. Enjoy your Mediterranean cruise! That's on my list to do soon.

    • @cherylmcknley7498
      @cherylmcknley7498 14 днів тому +1

      Would love to do the Odyssey Mediterranean cruise where did u get the deal?

    • @jayholiday256
      @jayholiday256 14 днів тому

      @@cherylmcknley7498 I bought a year in advance during a Royal Caribbean on line sale. Unfortunately prices have gone up since then

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  12 днів тому +1

      Enjoy your cruise! We were looking at Mediterranean on Odyssey next year but they are only doing 7 day itineraries in 2025. I think the 12-day is a lot better.

  • @feelosophy1921
    @feelosophy1921 11 днів тому

    Children usually have a bed time so I would think it gets quiet at an earlier time than a cabin near the theater venues or adult dining and dance areas.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  11 днів тому

      Yes! That would absolutely be the case and a great reason to avoid being near, underneath or above those areas.
      While my kids were raised on a rather strict bed time schedule, many others don't follow that parenting style so you can still have little kids playing in that area at 10 - 11 pm (when my kids would have been asleep a long time ago.) Granted, it's a lot quieter than during the day when Surfside is a very loud playground.
      So the point is, if you like peace and quiet (like we do), learn which area to avoid so you can enjoy your time on the ship. If loud noise environment is your thing, then none of those areas would bother you. 🙂

  • @artichoke60045
    @artichoke60045 15 днів тому +1

    Oh the boat sailed only 2/3 full! This is a critical fact you revealed in the middle of the video. Everything good you said must be significantly discounted. At a certain level crowds become unbearable, and that level might be just a little higher than the number they allowed on the inaugural cruise.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  15 днів тому

      Yes, I agree. It appears that many people are experiencing more crowds now and many are commenting about too many kids on the ship (which we didn’t have many of on our cruise).

  • @Powerful_Female
    @Powerful_Female Місяць тому +2

    I don’t know how you didn’t know about the balconies and locations it was on all correspondence and videos I saw of the ship before it sailed. If you want a certain location then you purchase a specific room at that location. I don’t think it’s fair to list that as a ship con when you have a choice. Also inaugural sailings never have all activities and shows available. You sail on an inaugural to be the first onboard but everything is never available

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +2

      Thank you for the reply. You're correct, we definitely had a choice. I knew about the infinite balconies and, as I mentioned in the video, we actually wanted to try it out to see what it's about. The main point I was tying to make is that most of Royal Caribbean's marketing is pushing this class cabin as the best thing since sliced bread. These cabins are priced at the balcony level (with the regular balconies being another thousand dollars or so per person - pushing them into a "suite" price range). Also, with more than half of the balconies on Icon class ships being this infinite category, a person who is not familiar with it would think it's a big improvement over regular balconies and then they may end up being disappointed after paying so much for their cruise. So my main goal is to alert others to do thorough research on this topic. Just because RCCL says these cabins are the best, it doesn't mean they will be best for everybody. But some people do love them.
      100% agree on the inaugural sailing point. I was happy to hear that they started the traditional themes that we love on cruises and they were just not ready yet. I was hoping they weren't throwing everything away that many cruisers love.

    • @downtovacay
      @downtovacay Місяць тому

      Are inaugural cruises a crap shoot? Never wanted to do one because of the newness of the ship and not all of the staff are completely familiar with the layout. Here you have the Icon. HUGE.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      @@downtovacay yes, inaugural cruises have a certain number of issues. We enjoyed ours but you do end up paying more for less. For example, the water show is incredible on Icon and I was really looking forward to it but we only got to see half of it because the performers weren’t ready. Staff was amazing and bent over backwards and I make us feel special though. We’re booked for Utopia and Star but I just can’t see a reason to pay so much more for the inaugural sailing so we’re booked both after a month or so of them launching.

    • @downtovacay
      @downtovacay Місяць тому

      ​@@CruisingKatHow much are the 2?

  • @yucasola
    @yucasola Місяць тому +1

    I get that these titles are clickbait. It should have been, "5 Reasons you might want to stay away". Great ship if you can afford it. We were on it last month, going back soon. Thanks for the vid.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому

      Thank you for watching and the feedback. 😁. We loved it and I did another video about the biggest improvements we saw on Icon. We’re on Harmony right now and, oh how we miss those elevators!! 😂

  • @KappaMan69
    @KappaMan69 28 днів тому +4

    Dont like the title of this video - very misleading

  • @bally_malone8
    @bally_malone8 15 днів тому

    cruising with 7k people sounds like a nightmare, bigger is not always better

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  15 днів тому

      I agree. Hopefully, Royal will start working on that new smaller Discovery class that they hunted at last year.

  • @vickieholm8287
    @vickieholm8287 10 днів тому +1

    Royal needs a ship for adults only. It would be maxed out every sailing.
    Not the swingers kind.
    Kids are 💩 ing and peeing in the hot tubs, pools. Running unsupervised even in the main dining room

  • @Nrustica
    @Nrustica 12 днів тому

    5000 people on a 7600 capacity ship is a sold out ship, that capacity number is putting 4 people in every cabin

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  12 днів тому

      I agree. From what I'm hearing, they are sailing with more people than our cruise was. The staff was telling us that they kept it lower for the first month while they are working out the kinks. It didn't feel crowded at all, which is the opposite of what I'm hearing a lot now from people sailing in the last couple of months. Summertime will probably be even more packed.

  • @R_C_x
    @R_C_x 29 днів тому

    Surfside is not noisy at all. After 8pm it's quite dead. They do silent party there one night so cant hear what they're listening to anyways. Around 10pm you might see couple people with their kids who might like playing the slides at night or just trying to tire them out to sleep. During the day, nobody really hangs out their balcony. I saw maybe 5 people just to take pics. Also it has partial ocean view at the back of the ship from Surfside.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому

      Glad you had a good experience in a Surfside cabin!

    • @jerryrancier5020
      @jerryrancier5020 26 днів тому

      They are all in the adult areas with their parents.

  • @raulruly
    @raulruly 29 днів тому +1

    Personally I think activities need to vary ship by ship. I would hate to go on a new ship and have repeat experiences, for me it's all about something New...so RCI going away from traditional shows. The maiden voyage was during school time, so makes sense that they had reduced capacity, I went during spring break and it was to full capacity.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому

      Thank you for the feedback. I think it's an interesting topic so I love to hear what people think.

  • @FireandWaterTravel
    @FireandWaterTravel Місяць тому +1

    this is why you never do a review of a new ship on the inaugural sailing.. things are not really ready yet..

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому

      Yes, I learned that the hard way. That was our first inaugural and probably the last.

  • @Jonusbiker
    @Jonusbiker 24 дні тому

    She’s really complaint about the cabin that SHE booked?! lol it was your choice!! Jesus.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  24 дні тому

      Thank you for watching. 🙂 You are correct, I chose this cabin and I'm glad I got to try it out. The goal of the video is not really to complain but to go over some points on a brand new ship to help others make a choice that will work best for them.

  • @ronmoya6964
    @ronmoya6964 25 днів тому

    The thought of 7000 people disgorging from the Icon is disconcerting. Also the base price for this boat is beyond my income level. Sadly I’ll never sail on the Icon.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  25 днів тому

      Definitely a lot of people on this ship! We will hope that pricing will come down at some point when novelty wears off.

  • @mikeycj
    @mikeycj Місяць тому

    Surprised to hear surfside staterooms are loud with children playing “late into the night”

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +3

      Ha ha. Good catch! Maybe “late into the evening” would be a better choice of words. But there were definitely kids playing there at 9 and 10 pm, when I would expect it to be quiet outside my normal balcony.

  • @meddyven
    @meddyven Місяць тому

    My beef with Royal, regarding Izumi, is, the Teppanyaki option is ONLY on two ships, Oasis and Spectrum OTS. That stinks!

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      Interesting! I didn't even realize there is a difference. Do you like Teppanyaki better?

    • @meddyven
      @meddyven Місяць тому +2

      What's behind the prices, of Not only the " ICON" Class ships, but a good majoriry of the fleet, is Royal Caribbean expects YOU, the cruising public, to help pay to pay to retire their massive billion dollar debt, which they put on themselves. TheOasis class,is where they should have stopped. I go on a cruise to relax, not go to be surrounded by 6,500 people, like an amusement park. The Icon class ships will be a long term fail for them. As you mentioned, your sailing was about 700 passengers below capacity, and that will surely remain that way, with these egregious prices. Those, who just HAVE TO book a cruise on a brand new ship, are like the fools that the cell phone companies target, each year with a new cell offering. No need to do that! And, what happened to that new smaller " DiscoveryClass" of ships they announced late in 2023?

    • @meddyven
      @meddyven Місяць тому

      ​@@CruisingKat Yes I prefer the Teppanyaki more. Not a sushi fan. Still offer that for those who do, but add Teppanyaki!

    • @Determination212
      @Determination212 Місяць тому +1

      I'm definitely more excited about the discovery ships. Because mega big ships are so limited to what ports they can go to. If they want to fill the ship more, maybe offer more casino comps for icon. It was restricted again this year when redeeming my annual cruise benefit.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      Yes, I'm waiting for that new class too! Freedom has been our favorite for a long time. When Oasis class came out, we felt that it was too big so we mostly sailed on Freedom class. But those ships are getting older too. I hope they have some smaller new ships soon for those quiet relaxing vacations.

  • @easysailing7130
    @easysailing7130 Місяць тому +3

    Royal has a challenge. A lot of its clients are set in their ways and don't like any change
    But Royal really has to push its programming forward beyond the same old hackneyed routines that its done for 20 years
    The 70s party has outlived its useful life. Same exact songs. Same routines. Same order. Meanwhile its more hip competitors like Virgin Voyages and Carnival keep things contemporary and evolving
    They really need to rethink their staffing in entertainment so things dont continue to get stale led by people largely reared outside the US. They said they want to attract younger crowd with small kids. The same old I Will Survive and Love Train isnt going to cut it

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому

      Very good point! I'm all for adding new entertainment options. You're right, the 70s theme caters to older people (like me, lol). Hopefully, they can come up with good quality options for the younger demographic.

  • @obbie1osias467
    @obbie1osias467 28 днів тому

    But to all the people complaining that it's a virtual chaos. The ship carries 10,000 people! What do you all expect?😳 It would be like me complaining how chaotic the aircraft carrier that the Navy asigned me to work on. Unless you have the ability to buy your own cruise ship, you are all pretty much stuck with what's available out there. I've been cruising with RCL and they have their ups and downs, but I really don't complain much about the best they could offer for what I could afford to pay them.

  • @lh8372
    @lh8372 15 днів тому

    If you don’t want to cruise with a lot of children, sail with Virgin, Cunard, Holland, Viking, Ritz Carlton, Regent Seven Seas. Why would you sail on a ship built for families and complain about kids being on it?!?! That’s like buying a motorcycle and confused as to why you got wet while riding in a rain storm.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  15 днів тому

      I actually don’t mind having a lot of kids on a ship, but many people do so it’s an important factor to consider. With that said, the surface neighborhood cabins are positioned around the kids splash area and playground. Again, it may not be a big deal for some people, but I wouldn’t want to pay this much for a balcony cabin and spend a week listening to the playground sounds instead of the ocean. Just trying to highlight things to think about.

  • @jlawrence0181
    @jlawrence0181 25 днів тому

    Ridiculous high fares. I could take a 7 day yacht cruise on a Windstar ship in a suite for 30% less than an inside cabin on Icon of the Seas.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  24 дні тому

      Oh, that sounds like something I need to check out!

    • @jlawrence0181
      @jlawrence0181 24 дні тому

      @@CruisingKat Another benefit of Windstar is that the cruise line does not believe in sea days. On MOST seven day cruises, you stop at six ports.
      I am just a lowly budget cruiser who scours for deals all over the internet so Windstar is a little out of my price range. (G)

  • @Nrustica
    @Nrustica 12 днів тому

    Going on an inaugural cruise is the opposite of saving money.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  12 днів тому

      That's correct! We wanted to experience the excitement of the inaugural cruise and were actually able to save by finding a great deal, but either way, it was more expensive than any cruise we've ever taken.

  • @mfo5939
    @mfo5939 Місяць тому +1

    I think your title of STAY AWAY FROM THE ICON is a very poor choice. The issues you have with room type and location are alleviated by picking the correct type of room you want. While I agree noise from the neighborhood can be a detriment, I simply would find another or not book at all. It's not necessarily a bad thing, just something you don't like personally. I don't do specialty dining, so no comment. As far as the activities, I stayed busy the entire 7 days, enjoying old things and new. I figure with a new class of ship, might as well have a new class of activities. Price? No argument here, but for what I paid for my cruise I felt that I got at the least my money's worth.
    Simply put, do your own research, ensure you are aware of the plusses and pitfalls of certain rooms and locations, BOOK DINING ETC EARLY, enjoy the activities that you can, and don't overpay if you feel the price is not worth it.
    It is an incredible ship, Don't stay away, just research, plan and prepare early.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому

      Thank you for the reply. I actually agree with you on all these points, which is why I started this video with the fact that this was an absolutely amazing cruise. I have another video where I went over 9 big improvements that we saw on Icon Of The Seas and why I think this class ship is in another league.
      With that said, I read so many reviews, forum posts and social media comments from people that really don't like the ship (and I'm only referring to the ones that actually sailed on it, not the ones that keep comparing it to Titanic or silly things like that). I do see a number of things that, for some people, are not going to be good. Mostly, for those who want a quiet relaxing vacation with fine dining included and not many kids around, this is not going to be the best choice for them.
      So the goal of this video was to highlight the things we didn't like on the ship because we are trying to be objective. Some of the comments I received on other videos were describing how they hated their Icon cruise for the same reasons I outlined in this video.
      In the end, every ship will have its pros and cons, which is the reason for the two videos to go over both. Again, I appreciate your feedback!

  • @jocknuke
    @jocknuke Місяць тому +3

    Best cabin is always the interior cabin. Cheaper, darker, peaceful.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      We've stayed in a number of interior cabins. Best sleep we ever got!

    • @downtovacay
      @downtovacay Місяць тому +1

      I def need a night light if we do an interior. Haven't sailed in one yet.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому

      @@downtovacay definitely, it’s pitch black in there, lol. It’s a good cabin choice on a cruise with few sea days when you don’t spend much time in your cabin anyway.

  • @blanchegiunta4316
    @blanchegiunta4316 25 днів тому

    Food will always b good on a new ship..well,not MSC..
    Im not a fan of the new balcony stateroom w motorized window..they were 1st done by celebrity on Edge Class several yrs ago..ac stops when open. Royals shows always good id like to have same shows,parties across fleet..but thats just me..

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  25 днів тому

      Thank you for the reply. I’ve never been on Celebrity, but from watching videos, I saw that it has a hard partition with sliding / folding doors to close off the balcony area. At least that would help with air a little. But Icon only has curtains so they don’t do anything to keep the cool air in. I’m with you regarding the shows.

  • @tonylarussa4046
    @tonylarussa4046 12 днів тому

    REASON NUMBER ONE TO STAY AWAY.... THE PRICES FOR THE CRUISES ARE OFF THE HOOK EXPENSIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Infinite balcony staterooms were introduced on Celebrity's newest ships.

  • @Determination212
    @Determination212 Місяць тому

    When I have watched online videos of Icon. To me it just looks a lot more cluttered. At least on an oasis class ship, things are more spread out. And you don't have as many decks between other decks. Icon, I feel they needed to fill every piece of empty space. Sometimes having some empty space is a good thing so I don't feel like I'm sitting on top of other people. Plus the itineraries are basically the same on Icon as they are with the oasis class ships because at many of the carribean ports, large ships cannot dock and it would be chaotic of they did a tender port.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      I agree that some areas felt more cluttered, while others (like the pool deck and promenade) felt more spacious. I think it would really depend on where you spend most of your time on the ship. We loved the Hideaway on the back of the ship and there was always plenty of comfortable seating and gorgeous views. At the same time, there were only 5,000 passengers on board for the inaugural cruise so this may change with a full sailing.

    • @Determination212
      @Determination212 Місяць тому +1

      @@CruisingKat Inaugural is the first sailing so issues can happen when it's the first time for both the crew and ship carrying lots of passengers. The prices seemed to be insane. Another thing I forgot to mention is while I like that the newer ships have more amenities and actually have working air conditioning. There ports are so limited. At least the smaller to medium sized ships can stop at different ports. The large Oasis Class Ships and Icon all seem to have the same itineraries. Lack of diversity of port stops.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому

      Yes, very good point. On our Icon sailing, we didn't even get off the ship except for CocoCay. Same ports, been there... done that. The ship becomes the destination at that point. Plus, with most people gone, you can really enjoy the ship's amenities a lot more. But that won't stop us from continuing to cruise on smaller ships to get to more interesting ports.

    • @downtovacay
      @downtovacay Місяць тому

      @@Determination212 I priced the Icon for 2025 and still the same $6500. We won't be sailing on it again because of that very reason. One of the biggest and best, but just too many kids and not enough quiet space for adults. Cloud 17 is supposed to be adults only but still had kids in the area. Not good.

  • @stevenjohnson4205
    @stevenjohnson4205 26 днів тому

    Any ship larger then 2000 passengers is not for me

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  25 днів тому

      Unfortunately, that’s most of the current ships out there right now. Have you done river cruising before? That’s on my to-do list. A lot smaller and relaxing.

  • @bsr6823
    @bsr6823 29 днів тому

    Too many kids!!! Disney cruises have less kids, wth??

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  29 днів тому

      Yes, I’m hearing that more and more now. Summer will probably be even worse.

  • @jjoyner5339
    @jjoyner5339 15 днів тому

    Title designed to draw you in.....misleading? Maybe!!

  • @bobscott5022
    @bobscott5022 27 днів тому

    I would never book this ship too many kids way too many kids it’s built for kids. Why would I adult go on this? It’s like going on a Disney ship even worse does not feel to me at all, bro Caribbean. You’ve been my cruise line since I started cruising, but this is a definitely strike out

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  24 дні тому

      I'm hearing that more and more as the time gets closer to summer. I'm wondering what it will be like when school is out.

  • @stevee4636
    @stevee4636 29 днів тому

    Cozy atmosphere on a 7k guest Ship, isn't that an oxymoron...

  • @Marvin-P
    @Marvin-P 26 днів тому

    A lot of complaining about nothing in this video!

  • @marymcmahan5603
    @marymcmahan5603 27 днів тому

    We would NEVER sail on a ship this big.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому

      They are definitely not for everybody. What size ships do you like?

  • @dee_mcgee11
    @dee_mcgee11 20 днів тому

    Reason #1: It's too big!

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  20 днів тому

      It's definitely its claim to fame!

  • @baldone60
    @baldone60 Місяць тому

    So, don't sail icon.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому

      Exactly. I think, for many people, that's the right answer. We did enjoy our Icon cruise and I did another video about 9 huge improvements we saw. So for many other people, it's a good choice. That's the reason I did these two videos. I don't think it's once-size-fits-all like many ships are.

  • @fv1291
    @fv1291 Місяць тому

    First world problems. 😟

  • @juansanchez5451
    @juansanchez5451 Місяць тому

    It’s called teppanyaki not hibachi

    • @TeamYancey
      @TeamYancey Місяць тому +2

      So why it is called “Izumi ‘HIBACHI’” on the Royal Caribbean’s cruise planner pages?

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому

      Yep, it's all confusing... 😂

  • @commonsense246
    @commonsense246 Місяць тому

    One and done for your channel. I disagree with almost everything you said. And nobody should use clickbait to lure people in. Definitely NOT SUBSCRIBED.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому

      Thank you for watching. I understand we can't all agree on everything.

  • @chrisharwood5448
    @chrisharwood5448 28 днів тому

    Bring back smaller ships

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  27 днів тому +1

      Royal hinted that they are planning a smaller Discovery class ship about a year ago. They haven't announced anything since then. We're all hoping for it to come soon!

  • @PTMcMullen
    @PTMcMullen Місяць тому

    Icon class targets families with kids, so perhaps less demand for specialty dining. The innaugural cruise passengers likely didn't fully reflect the target demographic of the class, and the pricing reflects that it is new and it is currently the only ship designed primarily to cater to the family demographic.

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому +1

      That's a very interesting point. With more family targeting, it may mean less specialty dining demand. I know one thing, Windjammer is definitely upgraded! It's huge, spans both sides of the ship around Central Park and had very good food.

  • @jamesreed1969
    @jamesreed1969 Місяць тому

    You look like Winona Ryder!😊

    • @CruisingKat
      @CruisingKat  Місяць тому

      Wow! Thank you 😊. I haven’t heard that before 😁