Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, has 2,805 staterooms and suites. And within those, there are 28 different categories of room. So how can you pick the one that’s best for you?
In this guide, I’m going to give you a rundown of all 28 cabin categories. I’ll tell you which are the best, as well as specific cabins to avoid. I’ll be using real customer reviews, taking an in-depth look at the deck plans and much more.
After reading this guide, you’ll be able to decide which stateroom or suite will best meet your needs aboard Icon of the Seas. So let’s go!
Icon of the Seas cabins – an overview
At the most basic level, there are four broad categories of stateroom/suite on Icon of the Seas. All of those 28 categories of cabin I mentioned fit into one of those four categories.
Room | Sleeps | Size (inc balcony) |
---|---|---|
Interior | 2 to 4 | 157 to 187 sq ft |
Ocean View | 2 to 4 | 160 to 258 sq ft |
Balcony | 2 to 6 | 196 to 285 sq ft |
Suite | 2 to 8 | 322 to 1,772 sq ft |
Interior Staterooms
Here’s a quick list of all the interior stateroom options:
- Interior
- Interior Plus
- Spacious Interior
- Surfside Family View Interior
- Central Park View Interior
Traditionally, an interior stateroom is one that has no windows, and therefore no natural light. This makes them the least desirable option for many guests, but also the cheapest.
Suggested read: Why I (Almost) Always Choose an Inside Cabin for a Family Cruise
That’s broadly true on Icon of the Seas too, but not entirely. Two of the interior stateroom options have a window that faces the inside spaces in the ship, namely Central Park or Surfside.
They might be a good option if you want some natural light, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend them – more on that later.
Interior Plus only has additional storage space, so it’s not really a bigger stateroom. If you want a larger interior room, choose the Spacious Interior option.
Ocean View Staterooms
There are only two types of ocean view stateroom on Icon of the Seas:
- Ocean View
- Panoramic Ocean View
As the name suggests, a Panoramic Ocean View is a larger stateroom with a much better view. They’re all situated on Deck 14, and you do get quite an impressive sight when you look out of the window.
Otherwise, the standard Ocean View rooms are a good alternative to an Interior, especially if you want to see the sea but you don’t want to pay for a Balcony room. You can get them from Decks 3 to 11. I’d recommend the lowest decks if you suffer from seasickness.
Balcony Staterooms
There are an impressive number of stateroom options available if you want a Balcony room:
- Ocean View Balcony
- Ocean View Large Balcony
- Infinite Ocean View Balcony
- Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony
- Connecting Ocean View Balcony
- Central Park View Balcony
- Infinite Central Park View Balcony
- Surfside Family View Balcony
You can see from the list that there’s a mix of balcony and infinite balcony options. The regular balconies are those you’d expect from a cruise ship, with a sliding or hinged door that opens into an outside balcony area.
Infinite balconies are different, in that there isn’t really a separate balcony. Instead you get a section of the stateroom to treat as a balcony, and an infinity window that lets you slide down the entire upper half of the window.
Some guests have complained in reviews about this, saying they didn’t realise what they were paying for:
Many of the balcony staterooms don’t face the ocean, but instead face either the Central Park or Surfside internal neighbourhood.
This means someone will have a balcony stateroom directly opposite you as well! But they are cheaper than balcony rooms with an ocean view.
Finally, a quick but important note on Guarantee staterooms. Each category of stateroom (Inside, Ocean View, Balcony and Suite) has a Guarantee option. This is cheaper, but you’ll be assigned a room by the cruise line instead of choosing your own. It’s a risky move, but one that some people prefer due to the lower cost.
Within the Balcony category, if you want to make sure your room is in a neighbourhood or has an ocean view, you can actually select a Balcony Guarantee OR a Neighbourhood Balcony Guarantee.
Suites
Finally, there are the suites on Icon of the Seas. There are loads of these! They range from the entry-level Junior Suites all the way up to the very best multi-storey suites, such as the Ultimate Family Townhouse and the Royal Loft Suite.
Suites are the most expensive accommodation, but come with a host of extra perks, depending on which suite you choose. They’re also the most spacious options. So if you like to spend a lot of time relaxing in your own private space, they’re worth considering.
With so many suite options, it’s best to read my dedicated guide to Icon of the Seas suites if you want to know more about them.
The Cabins To Avoid On Icon Of The Seas
Here are the cabins that you might want to avoid, although it’ll depend on your personal preferences.
1. Surfside Staterooms if you don’t have kids
Surfside is a fantastic new addition to Icon of the Seas. This is a neighbourhood specifically targeted to younger families, primarily with kids aged between 0 and 6. They have attractions suitable for them, spaces for parents to unwind, and accommodation that’s family-friendly.
However, young kids can be noisy! Not all of them, but you shouldn’t expect peace and quiet in an area of the ship designed for fun, especially if you have balconies near the pools where the sound’s going to carry.
So if you don’t have young kids, it’s best to avoid booking the Surfside Family View Interior Staterooms, but especially the Surfside Family View Balcony Staterooms and Surfside Family Suites.
2. Rooms directly below Chill Island
14164 to 14286, 14565 to 14686
Common advice when booking any cruise cabin is to try to avoid any staterooms directly under the pool. The main pools on Icon to be concerned with are around Chill Island, which hosts several pools, whirlpools and loungers.
The area can be pretty noisy, both early in the morning and late at night. The crew will often be moving loungers around, which can scrape on the floor. Then at the end of the day they’ll stack the chairs, which can cause more noise disruption. And that’s without the sound of people enjoying Chill Island during the day!
The early mornings and late nights are more of a concern though, so best to avoid these rooms if you value a lie-in or an early night.
3. Rooms below The Hideaway
14288 to 14350, 14352 to 14362, 14688 to 14750, 14752 to 14762
I’ve already explained how the kids’ area and pool area can be quite loud. Surprisingly, the adults-only space can also be one of the worst offenders for noise!
Icon of the Seas doesn’t have a peaceful Solarium, like many other Royal Caribbean ships do. Instead it has The Hideaway, a space with an infinity pool, bar and some luxurious day beds to enjoy. But this definitely has more of a party atmosphere.
So if you book a stateroom directly below The Hideaway, don’t be surprised to hear loud music above you.
4. Rooms close to the AquaDome
12134 to 12162, 12530 to 12562, 14538 to 14562, 14138 to 14162
This is another new neighbourhood for Royal Caribbean. It’s close to the AquaDome with a modern space that offers entertainment throughout the day and evening, with some amazing productions to enjoy.
Those productions often use a lot of music, with a pretty thumping bass track. There are also rehearsals, but they tend to happen during the day when you’re more likely to be exploring the ship or ashore.
Still, if you’re likely to be tucked up in bed a little earlier, stay clear of this part of the ship when choosing your stateroom.
5. Surfside and Central Park Interior Staterooms
These two odd stateroom categories could be a great choice for a lot of people. Personally, I’m not too sure.
Although technically classed as an ‘Interior’ room, they do offer some natural light through a reasonably sized window. They’re also bigger than standard Interior or Spacious Interior Staterooms, so they have that going for them.
But I don’t know how often you’ll want to have your curtains open in these rooms. There is a serious amount of foot traffic walking right past your stateroom window, meaning any sense of privacy is essentially gone.
Interior-facing balcony staterooms also have some privacy issues, since you’re directly opposite someone else, although that’s not as bad. At worst, you’re exposed when enjoying your balcony, or to the room directly across from you.
But the interior rooms that are right at eye-level for anyone walking past in Surfside or Central Park? I’m not a fan.
6. Suites forward and high if you get seasick
Icon of the Seas utilises all kinds of amazing technology, including the very latest in stabilisers.
However, tech can’t do everything, and the ship is utterly massive. So it’s going to rock when it hits rough seas, and there’s no way of preventing that.
The general advice for anyone who suffers from seasickness is to stay in cabins on lower decks, in the middle of the ship. They should ideally have an ocean-facing balcony too, as it can help to have fresh air and a horizon to focus on.
Many of the top suites on Icon of the Seas are situated on Decks 16, 17 and 18, right at the front of the ship. That’s the worst area you could be in if you feel seasick. So if you get it pretty bad, I’d look elsewhere.
7. Rooms with sofa beds if your kids are bigger
Here’s something I didn’t expect to be an issue for a ship this modern, but it’s a comment I saw several times when researching!
Icon of the Seas has moved away from using pull-down Pullman beds for kids, and instead prioritises sofa beds where possible. On many ships that would be preferable, because there’s no risk of children falling out (or, more likely, adults bumping their heads on the bed).
But the sofa beds in many of the staterooms aren’t very big. If you’ve got an older child, or two smaller children who want to share, you might find that it’s a bit uncomfortable for them:
If you’re travelling with older kids, it’s best to look at staterooms or suites that are larger, and have better bed options than these sofa beds. You want to make sure they’re fully rested for all the activities!
The Best Rooms On Icon Of The Seas
The vast majority of cabin options on Icon of the Seas are pretty good. Even if you do get one that’s not ideal, you probably won’t be too upset considering how much time you’ll spend outside of your room.
I’ve picked out some of the new stateroom/suite categories as the best ones. Unsurprisingly, they’re all aimed at families, since the ship is very family-oriented.
Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony
Of all the different balcony cabin options for families, this one’s probably the best, and that’s mainly down to the layout of the room.
As I’ve mentioned, many of the family rooms use smaller sofa beds. However, the Family Infinite Ocean View has a separate bedroom area, with cool bunk beds that each have their own TV. So as long as there’s no arguments about the volume, everyone can watch what they want!
The room also has a split bathroom, which is a huge perk that not many Royal Caribbean staterooms can offer. Having a shower while your children use their own toilet, instead of interrupting you, is a bigger win than it might sound!
These are the best and the most spacious balcony staterooms. You’ll pay a premium compared to other balcony options, but it’s still cheaper than choosing a suite. It’s absolutely worth the extra money if you’re travelling with kids, especially older kids who would struggle on a sofa bed.
Surfside Family Suite (with young children)
The Surfside Family Suite might be an odd choice for one of the ‘best’ rooms, since it is facing the often-noisy Surfside area and only has a sofa bed for children.
But for younger kids, I think it’s great. That sofa bed is in a half-bedroom of its own, which can be partitioned off and has its own huge TV.
If you’re travelling with younger children, you can let them enjoy their own entertainment while you unwind in the spacious main suite area. And again, you have the perks of a split bathroom.
The Surfside Family Suite is a Sky Class suite, which means it’s considered a mid-tier suite. There are many additional extras, including access to The Grove sun deck when the kids are in Adventure Ocean, access to the Coastal Kitchen and the Suite Lounge, and priority dining reservations.
You also get VOOM internet included, which is perfect if your kids prefer to watch their favourite shows on a tablet or phone.
The Family Infinite Balcony is a better choice for older kids. But I’d say the suite perks for parents, and the proximity to Surfside, make this the best choice for young families who aren’t super-rich.
However, if you ARE super-rich…
Ultimate Family Townhouse
The Ultimate Family Townhouse really is the best of the best when it comes to family suite accommodations. The price tag is a serious caveat – expect to pay around £20,000 per person for a week. It really is a suite only for those with a huge amount of money to spend.
It has an amazing location on the aft corner of the ship. There is direct access to the Surfside neighbourhood from its own picket-fenced backyard area, which is super-cute.
It’s a three-storey suite and super-spacious, around 11 times the size of an Interior Stateroom. The perks include separate bedrooms for kids and parents, gaming tables, a karaoke machine, a slide from the upper levels, a piano staircase (that plays notes as you walk up or down it), and much more.
Plus, as a Star Class suite, you get complimentary gratuities, complimentary drinks packages, and your own Royal Genie (essentially a butler).
Sure, most people reading this will never book the Ultimate Family Townhouse. But it’s called ‘Ultimate’ for a reason, so I had to include it.
Read more about the Ultimate Family Townhouse.
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Final word
Icon of the Seas is still a relatively new cruise ship. So the recommendations in this guide are a little broad, and are based on real customer reviews and my investigation of the deck plans.
There might be odd staterooms or suites that have an unusual quirk or issue. These are likely to come to light as more people sail on the ship. If you’ve experienced anything like that, please let me know in the comments so I can add it to the list!
Generally, the ship’s accommodations are comfortable and very modern. Most people will have an incredible cruise onboard, with their stateroom often just being used for sleep, showering and getting dressed.
If you want to book a particular cabin on Icon of the Seas, you can check to see if someone has reviewed it already. Here are some of the resources I used to write this guide:
- Icon of the Seas deck plans
- Royal Caribbean Blog forum
- Cruise Critic reviews
- Icon of the Seas Facebook group
Related Posts:
- Icon of the Seas Size Comparison
- Guide To All 27 Dining Venues On Icon Of The Seas
- Icon of the Seas Itinerary & Home Port
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.