Icon of the Seas

Set within Thrill Island, Crown's Edge invites guests onto a swinging platform suspended around 50 metres above the ocean, where the floor briefly disappears beneath their feet. Part obstacle course, part skywalk, it is one of the more daring and adrenaline-fuelled additions to Icon of the Seas.

Ice-skating at sea might sound strange, but Absolute Zero brings a full-sized rink and a rotating line-up of skating productions to Icon of the Seas. Beyond the choreographed evening shows, guests can also book open skate sessions, giving this ship yet another way to keep everybody entertained, whatever the weather outside.

Set beneath a dome built from more than 600 glass panels, The Overlook offers sweeping views out across the ocean by day, before the AquaDome stage takes over each evening with high dives and synchronised swimming performed above what Royal Caribbean calls the tallest waterfall at sea. It is a fitting centrepiece for a ship that treats entertainment as seriously as it treats dining.

Running the length of the ship, the Royal Promenade is anchored by The Pearl, a large sculpture that opens the deck above to daylight and sea views. Shops, bars and casual dining line the walkway on either side, making it a natural gathering point whether guests are killing time before dinner or catching a nightcap at Dueling Pianos.

Guests looking to make an evening of it on their Icon of the Seas cruise have no shortage of speciality restaurants to choose from. Empire Supper Club serves an eight-course dinner inspired by 1930s New York, Hooked Seafood plates up Maine lobster rolls and freshly shucked oysters and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar brings Old World dishes such as pappardelle with radicchio cream to the Royal Promenade.

For something more relaxed, casual dining on Icon of the Seas is spread generously across the ship. The Windjammer Marketplace serves its usual international buffet, the AquaDome Market brings Royal Caribbean's first food hall to sea with five separate stalls to choose between, and Sorrento's keeps the pizza coming for guests fancying a late slice.

The drinks list on Icon of the Seas stretches well beyond the usual pool bar. Swim & Tonic, the largest swim-up bar at sea, keeps guests topped up without them leaving the water, while Schooner Bar offers a quieter, nautical-themed spot for a cocktail with live piano. For something different, Dueling Pianos brings Royal Caribbean's first dedicated piano bar to the evening's entertainment line-up.

Thrill Island is home to Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea. Here, six slides, including the side-by-side Storm Surge racers and Hurricane Hunter, the first family raft slide of its kind, offer unrivalled excitement. Guests after something steeper can also try Pressure Drop, a near-vertical descent that opens out onto the deck below.

Reserved for adult guests, The Hideaway sits at the very back of the ship around a suspended infinity pool that appears to spill straight into the ship's wake. Loungers, a whirlpool and The Hideaway Bar surround the pool, giving guests a quieter corner of Icon of the Seas to enjoy once the rest of the ship gets busy.

Icon of the Seas introduced Royal Caribbean's first Thermal Suite as part of the Vitality at Sea Spa, complete with heated stone loungers inspired by traditional Persian Gardens. Beyond the usual menu of massages and facials, the spa also houses a barbershop, a full hair and nail salon and a nurse-led clinic for guests looking to add treatments such as IV therapy to their cruise.