7 Secrets of the Icon of the Seas

On a ship as massive as the Icon of the Seas, it seems like everything onboard must be larger than life! But there are quite a few small touches and secrets that show the attention to detail that was put into building this gigantic ship. Read below to find out some of the fun, little, below-the-radar details to keep an eye out for onboard.

1. The Icon of the Seas has a resident dog that sails full-time on the ship! Rover, the golden retriever, is the Icon’s very own ‘Chief Dog Officer’! He is a permanent fixture aboard the ship with one job: to bring joy and happiness to all guests and crew. Rover even has his own handler, Allison - a crew member from Australia, who takes him on walks, introduces him to all the guests on board and even shares a cabin with him (specially made for Rover with a built-in luxury crate and all!) He will have plenty of room onboard to go on lots of walks since the ship is so large and can even get off in the ports! The golden retriever even has his own Instagram if you want to follow all his fun adventures.

2. There are over 3,000 pieces of artwork on the Icon of the Seas that have each been carefully chosen to add to the ambiance of the ship. They are all themed to the luxury feel of the ship and some give a nod to the spirit of adventure and exploration of the travelers who first traversed the seven seas. There is a collection of rare vintage nautical maps that you can find scattered around different parts of the ship. See if you can spot some of these treasures as you explore the ship during your voyage.

3. The hallways are color-coded! If you are ever feeling lost walking through the corridors of the Icon of the Seas while looking for your room, look at all the cabin nameplates. If you are in the aft (also known as the back) of the ship, they will be dark blue, and the further forward you go, they will start changing into a light teal color. If it is somewhere in the middle of teal and blue, then you are somewhere in the middle of the ship, too! This color-coding system makes it super easy to know which section of the ship you are in.

4. There are binoculars hidden all around the ship to look out into the ocean and ports! These are completely free to use and are such a fun way to check out what is going on in the outside world. Look through the lenses to see what you can spot. Perhaps you will get lucky and see some wildlife such as dolphins, sea turtles or even whales! Or start a fun game of I Spy with the kids once you are docked in the port and start exploring before you even get off the ship.

5. Do you want free drinks for life on all Royal Caribbean ships? Head to the AquaDome neighborhood to find a jewelry store called ‘Royal Bling’. This shop sells all sorts of souvenirs such as rings, necklaces, and other keepsakes with the Royal Caribbean logo on them. There is also a purple throne that you can sit on in the shop for some fun photo opportunities. For the small price of $100,000, you can be the owner of the very special Royal Chalice, a super blingy and decadent drinking goblet fit for a king! The owner of this one-of-a-kind drinking cup also has the incredible honor of free drinks for life on any Royal Caribbean ship. What a perfect stocking stuffer for any Royal Caribbean super fan!

6. There are statues hidden all around the Icon of the Seas. See if you can spot them all! A bronze dog, three little rabbits, divers that are mid-dive into the water, and a pair of jazz musicians are some of the ones you might come across. There is even a statue that pays homage to some of the Royal Caribbean executives who brought this dream of a ship into reality. Look for a man with a hard hat crawling out of a manhole. If you read the manhole cover, you can see their last names on it! It may look like the name of the sewer cover company, but it actually says "Fain, Liberty, Bayley, Kulovaara & Co."

7. Speaking of incredible art pieces, did you know that the Icon of the Seas is home to the World’s Largest Kinetic Sculpture? The Pearl, created by a Brooklyn-based media studio called BREAKFAST, is an incredible and one-of-a-kind exhibit that is sure to turn heads. At around 46 feet tall and 17 feet wide, this art piece is no joke. It comprises over 3,000 moving kinetic tiles that can also change color, making for some unique effects. It looks like something out of a Sci-Fi movie and can even recreate some natural occurrences like ocean waves, breezes, and more. The technology is so advanced that the tiles can even respond to the real-time tidal and wind patterns of the Caribbean Sea and recreate them. Make sure to go back to visit the Pearl at nighttime as it transforms into the night sky! There are even shooting stars for you to make a wish on.

With so much to see and do, it can be easy to overlook the intricate details hidden around the Icon of the Seas. Now that you know some of the secrets of the ship, you will be able to keep your eyes out and share some of these fun surprises with your friends, family, or other passengers on board! Reach out today if you want to find out more about all of the amazing things there are to see and do on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas.