Cruise tourism hit a record-breaking 31.7 million passengers in 2023, surpassing 2019’s numbers by 7% and roughly 2 million passengers, according to Cruise Lines International Association’s 2024 State of the Cruise Industry report. The biggest news on the high seas, however, was the debut of the biggest cruise ship to ever set sail. Nearly 1,200 feet long (more than three football fields) with a maximum capacity of 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas departed Miami for St. Kitts on its first official cruise on January 27. Among the blaring bells and whistles: seven pools, the largest water park at sea (17,000 square feet), a neighborhood just for families complete with a carousel with whimsical sea creatures, the largest ice arena on water (it hosts an immersive figure skating show with high-speed choreography), and the first at-sea performance of Wizard of Oz. The ship, which stands 20 decks high and is festooned with twisting slides, has drawn ire and adoration alike while simultaneously setting the bar for what’s to come in an industry that’s constantly evolving. “We pushed the limits on innovation and challenged ourselves to try things that had not been done before,” says Kara Wallace, chief marketing officer of Royal Caribbean International. “Icon became the culmination of everything we’ve learned in our more than 50-year history.” The next Icon Class ship, Star of the Seas, will debut in August 2025, according to the company. For cruisers happy to go (very, very) big, this new class in cruising is an indisputable show stopper.
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