Today in the St. Maarten Cruise Port: Icon of the Seas
Cruise Port St. Maarten report: Icon of the Seas
In our weekly review of special ships docking in the Philipsburg St. Maarten cruise port today, we chose to highlight the largest cruise ship in the world, the Icon of the Seas of Royal Caribbean. In winter, this behemoth of Royal Caribbean offers a frequent spectacular view for St. Maarten visitors especially for those on Great Bay Beach, the closest beach to the cruise port.
Have fun with some fun facts below whilst staring at this massive vessel!
1. Largest Cruise Ship in The World
With a length of 365 meters and just over 250000 tons the ship took the title of largest cruise ship in the world from her sister ship Wonder of the Seas. The cruise ship can hold a maximum of 7600 passengers and 2500 crew members. It is divided in eight “neighbourhoods” divided over 20 decks. Building of this towering vessel commenced in 2021. Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) was chosen as fuel for the ship. Construction was done in specialized wharf Meyer in Turku, Finland at a price of 1.8 billion euros.
2. A St. Maarten Reception With Fireworks
The Royal Caribbean ship arrived in Miami for the first time on January 2024, making a start with her routes. It is from Florida that most St. Maarten cruises depart. Icon of the Seas arrived on February 13th for the first time on St. Maartens cruise port after which a welcome ceremony and the traditional exchange of plaques between officials of the cruiseliner and Port st Maarten took place. After her over 12 hour inaugural stay in port St. Maarten cruise visitors received an iconic farewell with fireworks. Whereas an exchange of gifts is commonplace for new ships arriving in Port St. Maarten, fireworks is not.
3. Star of The Seas to Take Over the Record
In summer 2025 , Icon of the Seas’ sister ship Star of the Seas is slated to have her maiden voyage, taking away the title from Icon of the Seas. As with all largest cruise ships in the world, she is prone too to get a regular spot on the St. Maarten cruise ship schedule. But today the world record is solidly in the hands of the Icon of the Seas docking on island.
4. Worlds Largest Kinetic Artwork: A Look Inside the Goliath of St. Maarten Cruises
Are you looking at this vast ship today from Philipsburgs Great Bay as the nearest beach to the St. Maarten cruise port, wondering what all happens inside this Royal Caribbean colossus of the seas? Let’s start with the fact that everything aboard this boat is of a different magnitude. The Icon of the Seas is divided in eight themed neighbourhoods to have visitors easily navigate the ship and to not get lost on the massive vessel. In the Royal Promenade area you find amongst others the Pearl, the worlds largest kinetic artwork. Thrill Island is the neighbourhood you want to go to as a thrillseeker, boasting a rock climbing wall, a zipline and the biggest waterslide park at sea. As the name says it, Central Park brings you live trees and plants and is a rustic area compared to the previous. Chill island has the largest Swim-Up bar in the world and centers around hedonistic relaxation. Surfside is intended for families with various kid enjoyments, Suite Neighbourhood serves those that want to be in an exclusive setting. Some rooms here go for 100.000 per trip. Aquadome has everything centered around the ocean, from attractions like the aquatheater to special viewpoints over sea. Hideaway is an adult only neighborhood in the back of the ship.
5. Record Amount of Restaurants
Most themed neighborhoods encompass various levels. Spread over these neighborhoods, Icon of the Seas boasts no less than 40 restaurants and bistrots. Aquadome Market, Basecamp, Coastal Kitchen, Dining Room, El Loco Fresh, Park Cafe, Pearl Cafe, Sorrentos, Sprinkles Surfside Bites, Surfside Eatery, The Grove and Windjammer provide a wide array of tastes. In addition Icon of the Seas offers specialized restaurants with Celebration Table, Chef’s Table, Chops Grille, Desserted, Empire Supper Club, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, Hooked Seafood, Izumi and Izumi in the Park, Pier 7, Starbucks, Sugar Beach, Trellis Bar and Vitality Cafe.
Additional bars offer pleasure for Jazz & Blues lovers, karaoke and sports fans and ofcourse for travelers who like a good Caribbean cocktail. Kids have a good time at adventure ocean, arcades, playscape and more water fun at splashaway bay. The mammoth ship also has a conference center, a mini golf, a sports court and fitness center, spa and escape room just to name a few amenities.
6. Big ship, small island – Book your St. Maarten Cruise Excursions Timely
St. Maarten is known and praised for its diverse offer of shore excursions, both on land, under water and on water,. As one of the largest cruise ports of the Caribbean, logistics are well prepared to cope with many St. Maarten cruise arrivals at the same time. However, if you are on the ship or your ship or your stayover or cruise holiday coincides with the arrival of the Icon of the Seas coming, it might be worthwile to take a look at the st maarten cruise port schedule as some tours have limited groups. The extra presence of Icon of the Seas might influence the availability of your favorite things to do in the St. Maarten Cruise port and beyond so it is advised to book your excursions in advance. When you are renting a car, keep in mind that extra traffic can occur around rush hour due to this huge ship around rush hour.