When the new Icon of the Seas debuts in 2024 for Royal Caribbean International, she will become the world’s biggest ship and is already breaking sales records.
“Despite being on sale for only five months, Icon is significantly more booked for her inaugural season at materially higher rates than any other Royal Caribbean ship launch,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, speaking on the company’s first-quarter earnings call.
“The Icon will join the fleet later this year and debut in the Caribbean in January 2024, with itineraries including Perfect Day at CocoCay and its new expansion, Hideaway Beach.”
Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, added: “Icon is literally the best-performing new product launch we’ve ever had in the history of our business, and we’re delighted with volume and rate, and that really is a full 2024 product … it’s really driving a huge amount of demand and a great rate.”
Following the Icon, the company has another Oasis-class ship coming in 2024, the Utopia of the Seas, plus two more Icon-class vessels, set to debut in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
Royal Caribbean International officially welcomed Wonder of the Seas into the family on Friday at Port Canaveral.
The cruise line’s latest ship was named by its Godmother and Wonder Mom Marie McCrea from Pennsylvania. The evening ceremony also marked the start of a new chapter for Wonder as it makes waves as Port Canaveral’s new, year-round family vacation, the company said.
Royal Caribbean executives and teams, families, friends, travel advisors, the cruise line’s partners and more came together on board the world’s largest cruise ship to celebrate the occasion.
In the time-honoured role of Godmother, Marie bestowed a blessing of safekeeping on Wonder, its crew and the millions of families who will make lifelong memories on board in the years to come. On stage with Marie were Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, and her daughter, Allie, who nominated her mother for the role as part of a nationwide search started by Royal Caribbean on Mother’s Day.
“Wonder of the Seas exemplifies Royal Caribbean Group’s focus on unparalleled innovation, sustainable cruise ship design and our commitment to delivering world-class, memorable vacations, responsibly,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, of Royal Caribbean Group. “This milestone represents the culmination of millions of hours of work, from the most innovative minds in the industry, to deliver the world’s latest wonder.”
Designed for memory-making from end to end, Wonder inspires awe and adventure in kids and vacationers of all ages with feats and experiences across eight neighbourhoods – a first in the revolutionary Oasis Class. To find the Godmother to match, Royal Caribbean took to TikTok and launched the #SearchforWonderMom contest, which saw 16,000 videos posted and 10.6 billion hashtag views.
The search was complete when the cruise line heard Marie’s story, one of a devoted mother, wife and cancer survivor whose spirit inspired her family and those around her to set out on adventures and enjoy every moment together despite the hardships they faced.
“It was an honour to officially welcome Marie, and Wonder of the Seas, to the Royal Caribbean family,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, of Royal Caribbean International. “Marie’s story is one of incredible strength and family memories to last a lifetime, and those are the types of memories we’ve committed to creating with our guests and crew on every Royal Caribbean ship for more than 53 years. Wonder is the adventure of all adventures that combines what families know and love on our revolutionary Oasis Class ships with brand-new experiences, and it’s already delivered memorable vacations to more than 180,500 guests since first setting sail in March.”
“Carrying out my role as Godmother and a part of such an important moment for Royal Caribbean and Wonder of the Seas was such an honour,” said Marie McCrea, Godmother of Wonder of the Seas. “Having my family by my side to celebrate this incredible ship was yet another memory we’ve made together – and with our new Royal Caribbean family – that I’ll never forget.”
Ahead of its first complete season in the Caribbean, the two-week repositioning cruise sailed from Barcelona. It included visits to four additional ports in Spain: Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, Cartagena and Malaga.
Before arriving in Florida, the vessel also paid a visit to Nassau, the Bahamas.
Now set to sail from Port Canaveral on a weekly basis, the Oasis-Class ship will offer a year-round schedule of cruises to both the Western and Eastern Caribbean.
For its first sailing from Central Florida, the Wonder offers a seven-night itinerary to the Eastern Caribbean.
In addition to three full days at sea, the voyage features visits to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
A highlight of the deployment, the Royal Caribbean International private island in the Bahamas is set to be featured on most of Wonder’s cruises.
Other destinations set to be visited by the 5,448-guest ship include Cozumel, Costa Maya, Roatán, Labadee, San Juan, Falmouth and more.
Built-in 2022, the Wonder is the latest vessel in the company’s Oasis Class and debuted as the world’s largest cruise ship.
Following the 2009-built Oasis of the Seas, the 2010-built Allure of the Seas, the 2016-built Harmony of the Seas and the 2018-built Symphony of the Seas, the vessel debuted new features, such as a lineup of more than 20 dining venues that include the all-new The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar.
With a menu of Southern staples and new twists on classics, the venue offers live music, a collection of more than a dozen American whiskey and more.
Completing the ship series, a sixth Oasis-Class vessel, the Utopia of the Seas, is set to debut in 2024.
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