Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas will give guests more than 20 ways to dine when it enters service in January 2024, including a new supper club and a multi-stall food hall.
From restaurants to walkup windows, casual to upscale, live music to chefs who put on a show, the ship is featuring an unprecedented number of options for every occasion.
New elevated dining experiences include the old-New York-style Empire Supper Club, near the Central Park neighborhood. An eight-course menu of premium American cuisine, from caviar to wagyu can feature a drink paired with every dish. It also features a three-piece band playing unexpected renditions of modern favorites.
For special occasions and milestones there’s Celebration Table, a 12-seat private experience. Paired with AquaDome’s sweeping ocean views, guests can have their choice of exclusive American, Italian, Asian and seafood menus.
Returning favorites also found on other Royal Caribbean ships include Central Park’s American steakhouse, Chops Grille, and Trellis Bar, with a debut menu of bites; the Dining Room, where three levels are matched with three courses; Hooked Seafood in AquaDome; Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Bar, new to Royal Promenade; the now two-level Coastal Kitchen in the Suite Neighborhood; and the exclusive Chef’s Table.
For more casual eating, the AquaDome Market is Royal Caribbean’s first food hall, with five different stalls and a selection of wines and beer to the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Flavors range from sweet and savory crepes at Creme de la Crepe to macaroni and cheese with a twist of tasty toppings at Mac’s, to fresh pitas and bowls at Feta Mediterranean, to Asian-inspired treats like Korean beef and broccoli at GNGR, and sandwiches and salads at Toast and Garden.
Other outlets include Izumi in the Park, an all-day window debuting next to the first Izumi restaurant in Central Park, serving up fresh sushi and street food to go like taiyaki ice cream with Insta-worthy toppings. The Pearl Café will feature freshly toasted sandwiches and ready-made salads. Basecamp is a new spot to refuel between Thrill Island, Chill Island and The Hideaway, serving drinks and treats like pretzel bites with cheese and crispy shrimp bao buns. For a sweet ending, nearby is Desserted the new milkshake bar with over-the-top shakes, including adults-only boozy options.
The Grove is a new al fresco and casual Mediterranean dining option conveniently located on the suite sun deck in the Suite Neighborhood – only steps away from the private pool, whirlpool and cozy spots to hang out.
Returning favorites include Central Park’s Park Cafe – now open in the evening for tapas and El Loco Fresh, the grab-and-go spot for Mexican delights in Chill Island. Sorrento’s in the Royal Promenade will feature different specialty pizzas for every day of the week and the Icon will have the Windjammer buffet that offers an expansive menu of flavors from around the world, along with a section of selections designed for kids.
Family restaurants include Surfside Eatery, a new buffet dedicated to families at the heart of Surfside, the stay-all-day neighborhood for young families. And a new all day brunch called Pier 7 in Surfside will serve up casual California-inspired dishes like surf-and-turf tacos, smoked salmon benedict and sharable platters. Surfside Bites is a walk-up window for quick snacks like burgers, popcorn chicken and treats like cinnamon-sugar donut holes.
And returning favorites include the Asian-inspired Izumi as well as Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade for bar bites, and Sprinkles for ice cream all day and night.
The lineup of new and returning favorites join the recently announced bars and nightlife that will light up Icon, including spots for families like The Lemon Post in Surfside, with a menu for adults and another for kids; and Dueling Pianos in Royal Promenade, the cruise line’s first dueling pianos bar.
“The experiences had over great food are at the heart of so many shared memories that we could all use more of in our day-to-day. We’ve designed Icon of the Seas to offer every guest, no matter their tastes, age and mood or the occasion, a variety of ways they can easily make those moments their way every day while on vacation,” said Linken D’Souza, vice president, food and beverage, Royal Caribbean International. “If vacationers want to stick to their favorites, like kids and their chicken tenders, or mix it up every night and try new flavors, more than 20 experiences across Icon’s eight neighborhoods make that possible – without compromise – more than ever.”
Starting January 2024, Icon will sail seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations from Miami year-round and visit destinations like Royal Caribbean’s award-winning Perfect Day at CocoCay, The Bahamas, Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Cozumel, Mexico; and Roatan, Honduras. More details about the first Icon Class ship will be revealed in the coming months.
