This 3-Storey Cruise Ship Suite Costs $80K Per Week!

Icon of the Seas might be the biggest cruise ship in the world, but the main reason that’s exciting is the fantastic accommodations and features she packs into all that space.

And none of the staterooms or suites on Icon of the Seas is more unique and thrilling than the Ultimate Family Townhouse. This takes the Ultimate Family Suite concept debuted on some of the Oasis-class ships to a whole other level – literally.

Let me explain why that’s a bad pun, and why the Ultimate Family Townhouse is one of the best family suites at sea – but also why it’s not for everyone.

The Ultimate Family Suite accommodations first debuted with the two-storey Ultimate Family Suite on Symphony of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas.

With the Ultimate Family Townhouse, Icon of the Seas has added a third storey (there’s your “other level” pun) and is packed with great features for adults and kids alike.

The suite is massive!

The Ultimate Family Townhouse has 1,772 square feet of interior space, as well as three balcony areas – a main level balcony off the living room (410 square feet), a second balcony off the master bedroom (90 square feet) and a backyard area (251 square feet).

To put that into context, an Interior Stateroom on the same ship measures 156 square feet – so the Ultimate Family Townhouse has 11 times the interior space, along with three outdoor spaces – two of which are bigger than the Interior Stateroom in total.

And if you just totalled up the balcony and backyard space alone, that’s over 750 square feet – bigger than most of the other suites on the ship with their balconies included. This really is a massive suite.

The Ultimate Family Townhouse is situated on Decks 7, 8 and 9 of Icon of the Seas, so it’s around the middle of the decks on the ship. You can find it on the Icon of the Seas deck plans – the information for it is listed under Deck 8, as that’s where the main living space is.

Here’s what you get for your money…

The Ultimate Family Townhouse consists of two bedrooms, a cinema room, a living room and an outdoor backyard. There’s a balcony off the master bedroom and another off the living room, and a slide connecting the upper floor with the main living space.

That just scratches the surface through. This is a suite that is packed with entertainment for the whole family. The living area includes a spacious living room and a dining room, which has an interactive gaming table. The sofa in this room is a double sofa bed, which is useful if you’re travelling with a party larger than 4.

Inside the cinema room, as well as a giant TV you’ll find your own popcorn machine and karaoke machine, and there’s comfy seating including a monster-themed daybed.

The master bedroom has a king-size bed and its own master bathroom with twin vanity and two shower heads, while the kids’ room has bunk beds and its own TV and games, and its own bathroom including a bath. So they can get that one messy and leave yours looking pristine.

Down the steps into the backyard, you’ll find a ping pong table and some cosy seats, along with a white picket fence which opens straight into the Surfside neighbourhood on the ship, so you’ve got easy access to the splash areas and many of the best family-friendly features on the ship.

There’s even your own mailbox – perfect for picking up any notes from your Royal Genie (more on that below). It’s also just really picturesque – your own idyllic private entrance to one of the most exciting parts of the ship.

You get some extra perks too

The Ultimate Family Townhouse is classed as a Star Class suite under the Royal Suites Program with Royal Caribbean. This means guests get extra benefits including the services of a Royal Genie, free drinks, free WiFi and more.

There are a lot of perks that you get as part of your cruise fare. The Royal Genie is one of the most notable ones – these are essentially the butlers of Royal Caribbean, but with a less formal name.

But the other perks shouldn’t be discounted. Free drinks packages and WiFi help to justify a small part of the additional cost, while your typical gratuities are included too – although, not those of your Royal Genie, which are extra.

Let’s talk about the cost…

The Ultimate Family Townhouse is one of the most expensive suites at sea – expect it to cost around £17,500 / $20,000 for a week. That’s the per-person cost too – although you may get discounts for booking up to the maximum 8 guests. Expect to pay around £70,000 / $80,000 for the suite in total.

That’s a lot of money for a one-week cruise. Bear in mind that you can get an Interior Stateroom on the same ship for around £950/$1000 per person; you’re paying 20x more if you decide you want the Ultimate Family Townhouse.

Or to put it another way, that’s 20 cruises at the ‘normal’ Icon of the Seas rooms prices, versus one cruise in an Ultimate Family Townhouse. I know which I’d choose!

So, is the Ultimate Family Townhouse worth it?

Whether the Ultimate Family Townhouse is worth it depends entirely on your budget. It’s out of reach for most passengers who’ll book a cruise on Icon of the Seas due to its high cost, but for some guests, it could be the perfect base for your family vacation.

You do get a lot of extra benefits included, but you also get those in some of the other suites on the ship – many of which are a quarter of the price of the Ultimate Family Townhouse.

Ultimately (sorry), it’ll come down to your own situation and budget. For the average cruiser, it would probably be better to spend the money on multiple cruises. But for the lucky few with the money to spend, it’s definitely a suite that’ll provide some magical moments for your kids (and for you, too).

It’s not the only Icon of the Seas family suite, either, so you do have other options if you want suite perks without paying the high prices for this one!

Final Word

The Ultimate Family Townhouse is a suite worthy of the biggest ship in the world – it’s massive, it’s fun-packed, and it’s innovative too.

It’s not indicative of the entire ship, though – it’s pretty exclusive, thanks to its high price point, while Icon of the Seas is very much about everyone having an incredible cruise, no matter whether you choose the best suites or an Interior Stateroom.

Anyone who books the Ultimate Family Townhouse will have one of the best holidays ever, but you don’t need to book the Ultimate Family Townhouse to have an incredible time on Icon of the Seas.

Related Posts:

• Icon of the Seas Itinerary
• Icon of the Seas Size Comparison
• Icon of the Seas Vs Wonder of the Seas
• Icon of the Seas Restaurants Guide
• Icon of the Seas Waterslides Guide