During a media tour of the ship Thursday, the cruise line’s new class of ship that arrived to South Florida this week flexed its interior trappings, a combination of new offerings with familiar ones seen on the Oasis class, which are now just baby sisters to Icon.

Perhaps the most eye-catching is the first thing people will see once stepping on board is a massive sphere called the Pearl. It takes the place of the traditional atrium one might find on other cruise ships.

The three-deck space in the middle of the Royal Promenade features what Royal Caribbean’s chief product innovation officer Jay Schneider called a “jaw-dropping arrival experience” during a previous interview detailing the architectural approach to the new ship. That includes the floor-to-ceiling glass façade that acts as a massive window. It’s meant to hammer home the ship’s theme “to connect you to the ocean.”

“The experience and expanse you see as you walk onto the ship, as you come through [the gangway] you see the beauty of the Pearl, and so it serves a lot of different purposes,” he said. “It really is that mic drop moment as you walk onto the ship.”

The artist behind the centerpiece Pearl, who goes by the lone name Zolty, marvels at its stature within the space.

“It’s literally holding up the decks above it as well,” he said. “Structurally, the engineering, not just to make the artwork piece, but the structure is just mental.”

Working out of the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based studio named Breakfast, he has been toiling on what he called “the most complex artwork ever created” made up of more than 2 million parts for the last four years.

“When Royal came to us, they pretty much had their concept for the Pearl as a sphere and the shape of it but weren’t sure what to do with it as a thing,” he said.

Passengers climb the stairs through the Pearl laid in an inviting Spanish Steps approach. They venture within a globe of 3,000 small tiles in motion, each one with three linear actuator motors that when combined echo the sounds of holding a shell to one’s ear and hearing the ocean.

“Conceptually the whole piece is about bringing the water into the middle of the ship, this idea that you’re sort of floating, sort of following what the ship does as well,” he said.

It’s to be augmented by a soundscape and changing lighting effects throughout the day. As he was speaking it took on vivid red hues.

“It’s going to constantly change not just in terms of lighting, but how it moves at night. You’ll see shooting stars going down it and things like that,” he said. “Especially like late night, it gets sort of in the evening time. This all goes dark blue and it looks like large creatures are moving across the piece, and there’s whale sounds and other water sounds that kind of complement it.”

Some of the ship feels endless, like the 111 paces it takes to get from one end of the casino to the other. It’s like Royal Caribbean took a football field and filled it with shiny, beeping machines.

Other parts feel secluded with details tucked into corners that could make one forget they’re sharing space with as many as 7,599 other passengers.

That includes the Vitality Spa, now separated from the fitness center located several decks below to add even more serenity to the space, said massage therapist Alexandra Morgan.

That includes what she was was “the quietest place on board” — a lineup of thermal chairs between a pair of sensory showers nestled deep within the space. The array of calming offerings include a new-to-the-line quartz bed, filled with gold and amber-colored crystal grains.

“It’s like lying on warm sand,” she said. “We really learn it and experience ourselves so we know how to explain to you better. I know that I felt so Zen afterwards. Never felt a massage like it.”

Not everything on board was show-ready. An army of Royal contractors was out in force on board putting the final paint strokes in place before its first trip with paying customers on Jan. 27, although it’s already lining up its first preview sailings before then.

One of the most anticipated spaces on board is the new AquaDome neighborhood, within the massive glass-and-steel structure at the top of the ship. Now home to the AquaTheater, which has been housed on the lower decks at the aft of Oasis-class ships, production crews were working the sound system and tooling with mechanics on the stage that will be home to its diving, aerialist action show.

When not performing the stage is supposed to be home to a 55-foot-tall waterfall that was not flowing.

What was flowing, though, were soundwaves for some of the show’s music, so intense that you could see ripples across the froth of a cappuccino at new coffee and drink venue Rye & Bean adjacent the stage. And while the stage parts still looked like a deconstructed Lego set, the trappings around the other parts of AquaDome were sitting pretty in place allowing for many a seat to enjoy 220-degree exterior views.

The soundproofing quality amid adjacent spaces within the AquaDome held up, though, too, as it was just a small din through the glass of the neighborhood’s dining venues. That includes the AquaDome Market, a new space for the cruise line offering up free, quick-serve thematic cuisine dedicated to savory and sweet crêpes, a litany of mac ‘n cheese plates, sandwiches and salads, as well as Greek and Asian fare.

With the AquaTheater migrating several decks up the ship, Royal took a new approach to what was the Boardwalk space on Oasis ships. It’s now the colorful, family-friendly Surfside neighborhood. It’s still home to a carousel, but this one filled with whimsical rides ranging from a VW bus to a pink flamingo to a rainbow-horned narwhal.

With a climbing structure, splash pad, arcade, sweet shop, restaurants and even a bar, it’d be easy for those with younger passengers to spend all day in the space.

The other eye-catching outdoor space taking advantage of the larger ship template is called Thrill Island. The six-slide water park called Category 6 snakes around a massive portion of the upper deck space. A bit of Key West theming including its own version of the Southernmost Point marker adds to an inviting if not frenetic feel.

Two other new neighborhoods tout relaxation, including the many pools of Chill Island including the Swim & Tonic, the line’s first swim-up bar at sea and the vast infinity-edge Cove Pool. At the aft of the ship but towering above the hubbub nine decks below of Surfside and tucked behind the clatter of Thrill Island is The Hideaway, with a suspended infinity pool, whirlpools and its own bar.

Among the carryover neighborhoods also found on Oasis-class ships are Royal Promenade with its array of bars including the new Dueling Pianos venue; the Suite Neighborhood covering four decks including its own sun deck, pool and dining for suite guests; and the return of Central Park, the open-air green space in the center of the ship.

For Icon, though, Central Park debuts some new walk-up features including champagne-slinging Bubbles and the sushi window at Izumi in the Park. It’s also home to new music venue Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues and a high-end dining concept called Empire Supper Club that draws on the look and feel of 1920s New York City.

It’s one of the many spaces on the ship that invites meandering and finding quiet around many corners of the 20-deck, 250,800-gross-ton ship.

Schneider said that despite the gargantuan size, the design approach always kept flow and space in mind so no one would ever feel crowded.

“You’ll find facades that are open for the first time, in a grand way. You’ll find connectivity between decks that we’ve never done before, and a lot of that design and ingenuity came from this notion of giving people more space, and as you kind of put the pieces and parts together, you suddenly find yourself with a fairly large footprint,” he said.

Cruise lines have juggled the tastes of mixed generations on board for decades, but contemporary lines like NCL cater to the latest generation making vacation decisions, and a good chunk of that clientele call themselves children of the 80s.

So while the structure of Norwegian Viva, a sister ship to Norwegian Prima, and the second of six planned vessels that look to redefine NCL’s fleet, is somewhat generation-agnostic, the entertainment programming is definitely geared toward those who find themselves in their 40s and 50s.

That includes the marquee stage show “Beetlejuice,” a visually intense musical version of the Broadway hit, although condensed down to 90 minutes.

The stage show is based on the 1988 movie Beetlejuice directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton. As the title character, the ship’s “ghost with the most” eats up the stage sort of akin to Genie in Disney’s “Aladdin,” except with F-bombs.

For the sailing, the character honed his comedic crowd interaction to poke fun at NCL, and even the ship’s godfather Luis Fonsi, the Puerto Rican singer behind the hit “Despacito,” noting he didn’t even stay on board with the sailing after the ship’s christening ceremony.

The show’s stage production includes some masterful, creepy puppetry including a massive sand snake just like in the movie. The story, though, is its own tale departing from the source material for an entertaining show.

The other major theater production on board also hearkens back to the ’80s with a version of the game show “Press Your Luck,” which originally ran from 1983-1986 hosted by Peter Tomarken, and saw a revival in 2019 hosted by Elizabeth Banks.

Just like the game show, the cruise line’s version lets contestants answer questions to build up a bank of turns with which they can press the button to stop a random board hopefully on cash or prizes, but also trying to avoid the show’s signature antagonist, the “whammy,” an animated red character that comes on screen suffering some sort of silly calamity in cartoon form, but also taking all of the contestant’s accumulated cash.

The show is known for contestants chanting, “no whammies,” between turns.

Other Gen-X touches can be felt during the sailing, such as the classical strings versions of early ’90s hits like R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” playing in the background like a Muzak station while dining in the main dining room Hudson’s, and the lineup of classic arcade games of Space Invaders, Donkey Kong and the Galaga-Pac-Man combo found for free play within the sports bar concept The Local.

For those who like their gaming a little more modern, but still enticing to Gen-X, the ship has its own version of the Galaxy Pavilion, which is filled with virtual reality games and even an escape room.

The ship is rife with options for those seeking an adrenaline fix as well.

At the top of that list is the three-deck go-kart track. Viva’s version is the fifth for the fleet, but only Prima and Viva have the triple-decker version.

The course of electric vehicles with piped-in engine revving sounds that can go up to 27 mph during group races, but also allows for spectators to aim and fire guns that let riders speed up their carts with a boost of earned energy. It’s a $15 extra cost, although cruisers can buy an unlimited pass for $199.

The ship also features two twisting dry slides that drop riders 10 decks in seconds while also leaving room for a small, but satisfying tube ride called the Tidal Wave that quickly shuttles riders into a small half pipe and down a quick drop that allows for quick turnaround and invites repeat rides.

The top deck also has a Vegas-style covered mini-golf course amid other gaming stations including dart board rooms.

For those who eschew adventure in favor of food, beverage and music, the ship is not lacking.

In addition to gratis dining at The Commodore Room, Hudson’s, The Local and normal ship buffet Surfside Cafe, the ship like Prima once again offers the food hall concept Indulge Food Hall, with little kiosks offering up Italian, Latin, Indian, barbecue and other cuisine that diners can order using touchpad screens. The food comes quick to both indoor and outdoor seating, and you don’t have to keep getting up to refill. Just tap, swipe and consume.

It has eight specialty restaurants including global cuisine offering Food Republic, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Hasuki Japanese grill, French offering Le Bistro, Mexican option Los Lobos with its curious entryway of sculpted animals, Nama Sushi & Sashimi, seafood offering Palomar and fine Italian dining Onda by Scarpetta.

The lineup of bars includes Syd Norman’s Pour House, which is like a hybrid of CBGB’s and a TGIF, and has cover band shows like “Rumours” featuring playing Fleetwood Mac hits.

For the environmentally conscious, NCL has brought back the Metropolitan bar, which stacks its cocktail menu with sustainable alcohols and even Prosecco.

That’s also home to the 52-foot-long digital interactive mural called ” Every Wind has a Silver Lining by British artist Dominic Harris with thousands of silvery-blue butterflies that flutter into life as passengers walk by.

Norwegian Viva made its debut this past summer and is amid a short set of sailings from Miami before it migrates to San Juan, Puerto Rico, from which it will be sailing through March on an intense set of Caribbean itineraries, each one of which will feature a new island port of call for each day of the sailing.

“We have this space for a true European luxury brand that is like a luxury hotel or luxury resort you usually travel to, but on the ocean,” said line CEO Michael Ungerer, speaking aboard the 63,900-gross-ton ship when it arrived to Miami earlier this month to begin a winter sailing season in the Caribbean.

The ship features six restaurants, 12 bars and lounges as well as a chef’s kitchen. The shipwide design is a mix of modern lines, but every space seems filled with unique curiosities that manage to feel like each is on display in a modern museum, not an antique shop.

The color scheme exudes earthy tones. Waltzing through the coffee lounge feels like walking through a caramel-filled chocolate confection. Restaurants have their own individuality such as the monochrome Marble & Co. Grill steakhouse, or the red-and-pink hues with cherry-blossom ceiling found in the Pan-Asian concept Sakura.

The European influence is there as well, from the five kinds of pasta at the buffet to the massive wine displays at each restaurant to the clean marble flooring in the public spaces.

Ungerer says customers it expects to rein in are not necessarily those that have been on ships before, or as an alternative to existing brands because the market opportunity is so huge.

He said before the pandemic, the luxury cruise market had about 800,000 people worldwide sailing, a number that has after the restart grown to 1.3 million. But as teams were surveying potential travelers, the estimated target pool was near 29 million.

“We surveyed about 20,000 qualified potential guests worldwide, of which 97% have never been on a ship yet, and the addressable markets are by selected by high net worth but also by the propensity to travel and by attributes and by benefits ultimately,” he said, and that other research has shown that could grow closer to 45 million.

So with that market research, the first of six planned vessels over the next five years made its debut this year. With a 922-guest capacity and a 1-to-1.25 crew-to-guest ratio, it’s similar to many luxury offerings already sailing.

That includes newcomers Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton on top of new and revamped ships from existing brands Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, Seabourn and Crystal. Ungerer even welcomes the marquee names like Ritz-Carlton.

“To me, those brands, of course, they need to be in this as well,  and it gives validity and importance and permanence to that segment,” he said.

Ahead of its Miami arrival, it made a sailing from Quebec with only about 200 passengers on board.

“I don’t need to price to fill. We said from day one no discounting,” Ungerer said noting the line had already gone through two price hikes so that it’s making the company an average of $650 per person per day. “I would rather have a few suites left and have the right people at the right price.”

That sort of market line in the sand is one benefit Explora Journeys has since it is run by the Italian ship magnate Aponte family, which owns the massive MSC shipping and cruise empire that has been in business for more than 300 years.

“When you build ships and you make a living off the sea, you have to have a long-term view,” Ungerer said. “Especially as a family company and you have only one shareholder you’re responsible to. So they think in generations. They don’t think in quarters.”

With that in mind, the end result is a refined combination of modern luxury, but with detailed touches throughout the ship. That combined with a strategy to sail to destinations on more laid-back itineraries is something Ungerer says will bring customers in.

“That was the idea — traveling slower, lingering longer and going deeper, meaning you have ample time at sea, you arrive later at the destination, you stay overnight,” he said. “I think it’s just the combination of all those factors — that level of thought, and a lot of detail and attention and that sort of planning and curation.”

He pointed out the array of selections on display in the ship’s observation lounge.

“You sit here for instance, and if you look at the materials we use, and the wood floors and the color scheme, and all the different objects, that are not there by surprise or by coincidence. They have been curated. So the owners are very hands-on. It’s also kind of an expression of the way they like to travel,” he said.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line also has a pair of deals for those booking this week.

The “Pre Cyber Early Saver Sale” has up to 35% off cruise rates and reduced deposits as low as $50 per person for sailings through April 2026. The “Great Rates Free Room Upgrade Sale” also has up to 35% off and free room upgrades within the same category, but that’s only for sailings through February 2024. Both sales end Sunday. Details at carnival.com.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises is offering either a BOGO rate of 75% off for nonrefundable bookings or 50% off refundable bookings for sailings through April 30, 2026. It’s also offering $150 per passenger up to four per cabin in onboard credit. Deal ends Wednesday. Details at celebritycruises.com.

Costa Cruises

Costa Cruises is offering sailings from $399 per person with $100 onboard credit for select sailings for up to $200 credit per cabin. Deal ends Dec. 4. Details at costacruises.com.

Cunard

Cunard is offering fares starting at $799 with up to $25-$500 per person in on-board credit depending on the length of the voyage. Deal ends Sunday. Details at cunard.com.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line doesn’t have any specific Black Friday deals but offers year-round discounted sailings for select voyages running up to 30% off normal prices. Florida resident deals are also in place for up to 30% of select Caribbean and Bahamas sailings, while its offering up to 35% off select Australia sailings. Deals can be found at disneycruise.disney.go.com/special-offers.

Holland America

Holland America is offering 30% off cruise fares on top of prepaid gratuities on more than 800 cruises. Some European cruises qualify for a $500 air credit. The offer ends Sunday. Details at hollandamerica.com.

MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises is featuring for new sailings through 2024 an amenity package that includes free drinks, Wi-Fi and a $75-$500 on-board credit depending on length of booked trip, along with a Kids Sail Free promotion for select sailings. Deal runs through Friday. Details at msccruisesusa.com.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line has offers on top of its main offer of 50% off all cruises. In addition, the line is offering its “Free at Sea” promotion that includes unlimited open bar, free specialty dining, a $50 excursion credit, free Wi-Fi and free third and fourth guests on select sailings. There is also a free airfare for second guests deal on select cruises. Deal runs through Sunday. Details at ncl.com.

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises, which just debuted its new ship Oceania Vista from Miami, has savings of up to $5,400 per stateroom for more than 100 of its global voyages in 2024. The sailings run from seven to 34 nights for itineraries in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and South America. The line also has its “Simply More” offer in play that includes free roundtrip airfare and airport transfers, free vintage champagne. premium wines and international beers in ship restaurants and a shore excursion credit of up to $1,600 per stateroom. Deal runs through Dec. 5. Details at OceaniaCruises.com.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises has three savings offers in play. The headliner is 50% off all fares, which is also applicable to its upcharge packages that bundle things like Wi-Fi, beverages and gratuities. This deal is good for 2024 and 2025 sailings. Also in place is 50% off deposits for sailings 45 nights or fewer. And for select sailings, the line is offering free third and fourth passengers. Deal ends Nov. 30. Details at princess.com.

Regent Seven Seas

Regent Seven Seas, the luxury sister line to NCL and Oceania, also has a deal combo with up to 30% off fares and a $1,000 on-board spending credit per suite for select 2024 and 2025 voyages. Deal ends Nov. 30. Details at rssc.com.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean’s Black Friday deal is knocking 30% off each guest for new bookings along with a Kids Sale Free promotion for several sailings, although with exclusions for holidays, spring break and summer. Deal ends Dec. 4. A Black Friday Early Access promotion that ends Nov. 21 offers an additional savings of up between $75-$700 per stateroom for sailings departing Dec. 15 or later. Details at royalcarribbean.com.

Seabourn

Seabourn, a luxury line with seven ships sailing globally, is offering a two-category veranda suite upgrade, up to $2,000 per suite of shipboard credit and 50% reduced deposits on select 2024 voyages. Deal ends Nov. 27. Details at seabourn.com.

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages is taking 30% off sailings through 2024 and adding a bar tab credit. The bar tab deal is worth $125 for 3-night sailings, $300 for 4-6 nights and $600 for 7 nights or more. Deal runs through Nov. 30. Details at virginvoyages.com.

“It’s about consistency,” said Michael Jacobs, lead for culinary operations during a recent tour of Royal’s headquarters where it workshops ideas for everything from attractions to bars to the new dishes set to appear on board its upcoming fleet. “It has to coat the pasta. Each pasta is cut for its own sauce.”

A test kitchen full of chefs concur for what turned out to be an unusually long mac-and-cheese-related conversation as visiting media tried samples of a variety of dishes coming to what will be five food hall options within the planned AquaDome Market, itself just a small corner of the massive AquaDome superstructure at the top of the 20-deck, 250,800-gross-ton cruise ship currently under construction in Finland.

Icon of the Seas dome an engineering feat for world’s next largest cruise ship

One of those venues is Mac’s with working — as in not necessarily final, repeat, not final — menu items that for the time being include ideas such as Pepperoni Pizza Mac, Creole Mac, Bacon Mac, Carolina Pulled Pork Mac and of course, Classic Mac.

“The twist in the noodle does catch the sauce to make it cheesier,” said Royal Caribbean’s vice president of food & beverage Linken D’Souza. “I’m super proud of our mac and cheese as we have not done it well. This will let us do it well.”

Other new flavors coming to the complimentary food hall concept, which is a first for the line, look to cater to quick, casual yet different taste buds. On top of Mac’s are Crème de la Crêpe, GNGR, Feta, and Toast & Garden as well as a small bar.

The amount of attention invested in something as seemingly simple as macaroni and cheese, though, is just illustrative of the depths to which Royal Caribbean is investing time and effort into what will be its new flagship, the first in a class that will take over the title of world’s largest cruise ship from the line’s six Oasis-class vessels. It will arrive to the U.S. for test sailings in December, and begin Caribbean voyages from PortMiami in January.

It has a similar footprint as the Oasis-class ships including a neighborhood approach complete with the Royal Promenade and open-air Central Park in the middle of the ship, but many of the spaces have been retooled.

“I have a hard time comparing this ship to other ships,” said Tim Klauda, the line’s vice president of product development. “We often try to compare it to Oasis class and I even encourage us to not do that. Because while it has the split hull and it looks similar-ish — and it’s big — it’s so different. … the way you can get from neighborhood to neighborhood is so different that I think flow of people will be very different.”

He led a tour through Royal’s 7,600-square-foot working space where the line has built out a full-scale model for the marketplace so that designers can see how it will work in practice, and not just on the drawing board.

“It’s a chance to talk through some of these moments before we’re on board and before we have guests on board,” he said. “We can really work through the details together and it can be contentious and fun. But it allows us by having a cruise compass this early even though we have no idea how some of this is going to play out.”

For the food hall, the structures with potential menus are laid out in the real dimensions as when they will appear on board that let’s food and beverage staff interact with the space and set up potential changes.

“We’ve got all this awesome food and all these options which our guests want. How many people can really pack in there, and get to the food, and get in line, and how is that going to work, and having a queue?” he asks spitting out mental possibilities like hitting a punching bag. “We’re still working through the details but without this we’d be solving this after the ship was built which is way, way too late,” adding that sometimes “it’s silly details, but if you don’t catch it now, the change order you have to do … is a real pain … in the back side.”

The crêpe concepts, which again are not final, include both sweet and savory options. GNGR is an Asian build-your-own bowl concept. Feta is a similar approach with Mediterranean bowls and pitas while Toast & Garden is salads and sandwiches.

One of those sandwiches is likely to be a Monte Cristo for those who dig their savory ham, turkey and Swiss with powdered sugar and berry jam. Klauda and D’Souza are big fans and shared where their favorite versions are around the world — a Disneyland restaurant for Klauda and in a Toronto diner for D’Souza.

Icon of the Seas will launch with those five concepts, but future Icon class ships could see five entirely different food hall venues. The real goal was to give cruisers a free (for now) option that isn’t the traditional buffet that opens up new tastes, but executed with a higher level of quality than a buffet.

“This is a great place to iterate. We’re going to launch with this and we’ll learn,” he said. “This is variety — variety in day-over-day, variety for different guests. Obviously what kid doesn’t love mac ‘n cheese? This is largely a family vacation. You don’t have to have a family to come on an Icon ship and have fun but you need to have all these options.”

D’Souza said the goal was to satisfy as many types of people as possible.

“There’s a little bit of food for everyone. People want choice, selection, variety, it allows a multigenerational family to sit together and enjoy a dining experience that’s individualized but at the same time allows for that coming together as a family and being able to dine together,” he said.

Also mocked up in full form is the new Rye & Bean specialty coffee venue that will also be within the AquaDome neighborhood.

Alex Palmeri, manager of beverage operations, was on hand to serve up espresso martinis and other drinks, some with and some without alcohol with a tongue-in-cheek menu featuring the fictitious drink, the Mocha Bayley, named after Royal Caribbean President Michael Bayley, going for $100.

“That is a joke,” Klauda said with team members saying they wanted to make sure the head of the cruise line was paying attention. “If you can’t have fun at these things, then why do it?”

While the ship will have a Starbucks, this space looks to execute on taste and atmosphere with one of the best vantage points on the ship.

“The views are silly,” Klauda said. “You’re at the forward side of the dome and so you’ve got that view right behind the bar, but that wraps all the way around and that expands to the entire dome. Behind you is the AquaTheater. When that’s having a show and you want to pop over and get a really nice cocktail instead of a canned beer or something, you’ll have that access.”

It’s going to be popular both day and night, he said, and among what he expects to be the most popular new spaces when Icon debuts.

“I think in the morning you’ll have fountains, and mellow Zen and all this natural light. You’re out of the sun a little bit but you can still be outside-ish,” he said. “I think the idea of having coffee in a space like that and then being able to have booze — because I’m on vacation — any time of day.”

The showcased spaces are just some of more than 40 food and beverage options coming to the ship. Of those, 20 will be what the line deems new or signature venues.

One high-end offering coming to Central Park will be Empire Supper Club, which will take on the look, sound and feel of 1920s New York City serving an eight-course meal with offerings from caviar to wagyu steak and drink pairings with each dish.

“Empire Supper Club is what I would say is the most elevated dining experience we’ve created at Royal Caribbean,” D’Souza said noting even the music is paired with the courses and cocktails, and the venue will only be serving about 35 diners during two seatings per night. “It will be a full, immersive dining experience … unique and exclusive kind of new style dining experience.”

D’Souza was excited about bringing new dishes like rabbit and oysters to the table and what he said was everyone’s favorite, a cheesecake shaped like a block of cheese complete with a little mouse figurine accompaniment. He noted the challenge, though, of pairing cocktails across eight courses.

“What’s the size of the cocktail? So when people are walking out, they aren’t really happy when they walk out. We want them to be happy, but not fall-over happy,” he said.

Another new option in Central Park will be Izumi in the Park, an all-day sushi and Japanese street food walk-up window.

This is in addition to the normal sushi and hibachi offered by the main Izumi venue.

Other Central Park options include American steakhouse Chops Grille, the Trellis bar serving a new menu of small bites, and Park Cafe, which will be open in the evening for the first time. While there’s no food, Central Park is also home to Bubbles, the walk-up champagne bar and the Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues club.

Another new venue will be Celebration Table, a 12-seat private VIP dining option that will offer another vista from the AquaDome.

“The views are ridiculous,” Klauda said.

Also in the AquaDome will be Hooked Seafood and Coastal Kitchen in the Suite Neighborhood.

Royal Caribbean details nightlife options on massive Icon of the Seas

Other specialty dining on board includes Royal Caribbean mainstay Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Bar and an exclusive Chef’s Table. Other small bites are available at the new Pearl Cafe in the Royal Promenade as well as Basecamp and Desserted near the new neighborhoods Thrill Island and Chill Island. Also for suite guests is The Grove with al fresco and casual Mediterranean.

Elsewhere on the ship are Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, El Loco Fresh, Sorrento’s pizza, Sprinkles for ice cream fans and the biggest Windjammer buffet yet.

The family-centric Surfside neighborhood has the Surfside Eatery buffet, all-day brunch at Pier 7 with casual California-inspired dishes and Surfside Bites walkup window. That also has a family-friendly bar with both adult and kid menus called The Lemon Post.

D’Souza loves getting into the details of each of the dishes, but knows feeding the ship’s maximum passenger capacity of 7,600 will be a challenge.

“As amazing and as big as Icon is, that means having food in more places than we’ve historically had,” he said unsure of how much more difficult it will be compared to Oasis-class ships. “To be honest, we don’t know yet. It’s a first in class ship.”