We talk about cruising quite a bit here on DFB, although, granted, we’re usually talking about Disney Cruise Line.

Disney Cruise Line certainly offers a little something for everyone, including fine dining, private islands, fun activities, and more. But Royal Caribbean just took ownership of a new ship, Icon of the Seas, and we’ll admit that as we learn more about it, it’s giving us some FOMO (aka fear of missing out). 

Royal Caribbean just welcomed its new ship, Icon of the Seas, in a celebration at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turki, Finland. Icon of the Seas is the result of 900 days of design and construction and will be the largest cruise ship in the world. During the celebration, representatives of Royal Caribbean signed all the necessary documents to take ownership of the new ship, which will set sail for the first time in January 2024 from Miami.

The ship will feature the single largest glass and steel structure to ever be lifted onto a cruise ship, the AquaDome, as well as more water on board throughout the ship’s seven pools and six waterslides. The ship will now be sailing to Cadiz, Spain, where the finishing touches will be added before it heads to Miami.

The ship includes eight neighborhoods, 40 restaurants and bars, four signature stages for shows, and 28 room types. Icon of the Seas is also Royal Caribbean’s first ship that can be powered by liquefied natural gas. It also has the first waste-to-energy plant at sea.

“Welcoming Icon of the Seas to the Royal Caribbean family is a remarkable accomplishment years in the making for thousands of innovators, engineers, architects and designers,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Seven years ago, we had an ambitious idea to create the first vacation truly made for every type of family and adventurer; now, it’s in our hands, and in this final stretch, we’ll bring it all to life for the biggest debut in our history in January 2024.”

You can now book cruises on the Icon of the Seas, so if you’re looking for something a little different, you might want to check it out.

Stay tuned to DFB for more.

FREE Is Too High a Price for This Cruise Line