Introducing Surfside: The Stay-all-day Neighborhood Designed for Families on Icon of the Seas

September 2022 – Royal Caribbean International “broke ground” on Icon of the Seas in June 2021, when the first piece of steel was cut at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. Yet, putting pen to paper to bring this bold vision to life started long before that. In “Making an Icon: Shaping the World’s Newest Icon,” watch key design and construction milestones of the iconic vacation unfold. Hear from the industrial and naval engineers, interior designers, architects and other innovators about what it takes to manage unique challenges that come along with the most ambitious construction timeline cruising’s ever seen.

August 2022 – Making an icon begins with a bold idea: to create the world’s greatest vacation. Come January 2024, Royal Caribbean International is bringing this game-changing vision to life with the introduction of Icon of the Seas. You could say Icon has been in the making for more than 50 years, combining the best of the cruise line’s past, present and future. In the first episode of “Making an Icon,” Envisioning an Iconic Vacation, meet many of the innovators behind it all. From naval architects to interior designers and industrial engineers, to futurists and more, they share details from the early days of imagining the soon-to-be-revealed cruise ship and a sense of the revolutionary, evolutionary and familiar experiences to come.

August 2022 – Introducing “Making an Icon,” the online, monthly video series – premiering this August – that’s an inside look at Royal Caribbean International’s journey to create the world’s greatest vacation, Icon of the Seas. Industrial engineers, interior designers, architects, artists, teams across entertainment and food and beverage, and more take you behind the scenes to see all that goes into envisioning, designing and constructing the soon-to-be-revealed ship. In each episode leading up to Icon's arrival in January 2024, watch Royal Caribbean’s drive and unparalleled innovation at work as experts from Miami; Turku, Finland; New York City; Toronto and beyond come together on this iconic ride to make a bold, game-changing vision a reality. The stakes are high and the aspirations are even greater when you’re creating the vacation to rival all vacations.

April 2024 – Royal Caribbean International and Make-A-Wish come together in a multiyear partnership to support the nonprofit’s mission of granting life-changing wishes for children living with critical illnesses around the world. The cruise line’s Wishes at Sea program involves fundraising efforts, Walk for Wishes 5Ks and walkathons, auctions for exclusive experiences and in-kind donations of Royal Caribbean’s most impactful asset – memorable family vacations.

A new era of vacations is here: Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas, the first-of-its-kind combination of the best of every vacation, debuts its all-encompassing lineup of firsts and next-level favorites for every kind of family and vacationer. On 7-night vacations from Miami to the Caribbean, adventurers can experience highlights like six record-breaking waterslides, an adults-only retreat, seven pools, the first neighborhood designed for young families, 40-plus ways to dine, drink and be entertained; and more.

Overview B-roll footage of Icon of the Seas

May 2023 - In “Making an Icon: Creating Chill Island and The Hideaway,” Royal Caribbean’s innovators across naval architecture, design, food and beverage operations, and product development break down the pools, dining, bars and more that make up the ways to chill on Icon of the Seas. Designing the new Chill Island and The Hideaway neighborhoods came down to engineering more water on the top of a cruise ship than ever before and the purposeful combination of different experiences and vibes for every mood and vacationer. Discover how it was all made possible, from adding five pools – including the first suspended infinity pool at sea – to creating a variety of ways to grab a bite and drinks.

October 2022 – *teaser* Introducing Surfside on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. A neighborhood made for young families from end to end, Surfside is where adults and kids ages six and under can stay and play all day. There are three water experiences, including a pool for the grownups, and steps away are dining options, a bar, the signature carousel, an arcade, Adventure Ocean, and Social020 for teens.

B-roll footage of family experiences on board Wonder of the Seas.

B-roll footage of the Suite Neighborhood on board Wonder of the Seas.