Icon of the Seas - Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day: St. Maarten & St. Thomas
Icon of the Seas' classic Eastern Caribbean rotation from Miami pairs the duty-free shopping and beaches of Philipsburg and Charlotte Amalie with a full closing day at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Two opening sea days give you time to work through the world's largest ship before the islands arrive.
Price Range
$$$
Premium
*Prices vary by cabin type, sailing date, and availability. Confirm rates with Royal Caribbean before booking.
Ship Details — Icon of the Seas
View full Icon of the Seas details
Year Built
2024
Tonnage
248,663 GT
Passengers
7,600
Crew
2,350
Decks
20
Class
Icon
Itinerary & Route Map
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Where this cruise calls, day by day
5 ports and 3 sea days over 7 Nights.
- Day 1Miami, FL port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Miami, FL
United StatesDepart Day 2 · At sea
Day 3 · At sea
- Day 4
Philipsburg
St. MaartenPortA one-street town on Great Bay: Front Street for duty-free liquor and jewelry, Back Street behind it, and a boardwalk of bars on the sand. The island's real draw is elsewhere — Maho Beach at the end of the Princess Juliana runway, where arriving jets pass a few dozen feet overhead, and the French side at Marigot and Grand Case for lunch.
- Maho Beach plane spotting
- Great Bay boardwalk and Front Street
- Orient Bay on the French side
- Loterie Farm zip line and hiking on Pic Paradis
- Getting ashore
- Docked at the A.C. Wathey pier; town is a 20-25 minute walk around the bay or a few dollars each way by water taxi.
- Best months
- Dec-Apr; Sep-Oct is the hurricane peak, and damage from Irma in 2017 is still visible in places
- Day 5Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
U.S. Virgin IslandsPort Day 6 · At sea
- Day 7Perfect Day at CocoCay port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Perfect Day at CocoCay
BahamasPort - Day 8Miami, FL port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Miami, FL
United StatesArrive
Onboard Amenities
Cruise Highlights
About the Ship
What Travelers Say About Icon of the Seas
Reviews of the ship itself — the same for every Icon of the Seas sailing. Distilled from 343 traveler threads, passenger reviews and travel blogs.
Icon of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's headline act: the world's largest cruise ship, the first in the LNG-powered Icon class, and a floating resort organized into eight distinct neighborhoods so it never feels like one undifferentiated mega-ship. What stands out most is how well it manages its own size - even with roughly 7,600 passengers aboard, smart neighborhood zoning, an intelligent elevator system, and seven separate pools keep the crowds dispersed in a way older Oasis- and Wonder-class ships never quite cracked. The vibe is high-energy, family-forward, and unapologetically maximalist, anchored by record-setting attractions like Category 6 (the largest water park at sea) and The Hideaway (the first suspended infinity pool at sea).
What People Love
- Crowds disperse remarkably well across 8 neighborhoods despite ~7,600 passengers - decks and the Royal Promenade rarely feel packed
- The Hideaway is the first suspended infinity pool at sea, anchoring an adults-leaning party zone among the ship's 7 pools and 9 hot tubs
- Category 6 is the largest water park at sea with 6 slides, including Frightening Bolt (longest drop slide at sea) and the free-fall Pressure Drop
Common Complaints
- Peak times get genuinely crowded - members report shows and restaurants must be booked early, leaving little room for spontaneity
- The top water slides draw long lines on warm sea days (waits of nearly an hour reported for the drop slides)
- Premium and steeply rising pricing - balcony fares that launched near $4,100/wk have climbed to $7,000-$8,000+, and over $12,000 on holidays