We cruised with Icon of the Seas recently, and let’s just say — it was the best cruise of our lives! In this itinerary, we’ll walk you through how we spent our days here — from adrenaline-pumping activities to unexpected chill zones, plus the best spots to eat, drink, and just stare at the ocean dramatically like it’s a music video.
Here on Icon of the Seas, you’ll never run out of things to do. I mean it’s the largest ship in the world for a reason. And in this article, we’ll share with you our full 7-day itinerary, including our stops in Mexico, Honduras, and the Bahamas!
DAY 1: ARRIVAL & BOARDING
The Icon of the Seas is currently homeported in Miami. So the first step, of course, is making it to the United States. We landed at Miami International Airport in the morning. Then we hopped into an Uber straight to the Port of Miami Terminal A, which is often (if not always) the terminal used by Icon ship. The drive only took around 20 minutes and cost around USD 29, but when Icon of the Seas came into view, we gasped. It was massive! Definitely bigger than any ship we had laid eyes on.
You see it online, but nothing prepares you for the real thing. It’s not just a ship — it’s a floating city with water slides poking out like roller coasters and balconies stacked higher than our future goals.
Embarkation
- Go to the Baggage Drop-off Area. At the baggage drop-off area, we were greeted by porters who happily helped us load our bags. Actually, loading wasn’t the only thing they helped us with because we failed to print out our luggage tags. But they had extra tags and took care of it. Porters expect a tip, so make sure you have smaller bills with you.
- Make your way to the terminal building. Upon entering the terminal building, we noticed the giant ship propellers dangling and spinning in the air. The lines looked scarily long, but they actually moved fast.
- Proceed to the check-in counter. Check-in and boarding processes were a breeze. The staff looked for only three things: passport, US visa, and SetSail Pass, which we got when we completed the online check-in process using the app before the trip. And although our stops or so-called ports of call for this cruise include Puerto Costa Maya in Mexico, Roatan in Honduras, and Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, we weren’t asked to present a visa for any of these, even if we were holding a Philippine passport. They only checked our US visas’ validity and number of entries.
Aboard Icon of the Seas
- Locate your assigned muster station. After boarding, the first thing we did was find our muster point, which was the area to go in case of an emergency. The assigned muster number was indicated on the SetSail Pass.
- You can start exploring. Once done with the process, we were free to explore the ship, especially since our cabin room wasn’t ready yet. We boarded earlier than scheduled.
By the way, the first thing we spotted upon boarding was the staircase with a giant, rounded, shiny canopy called The Pearl. There was a café called Pearl Café, where new cruisers could grab a quick bite or drink.
At the Royal Promenade, which is the common area on Deck 5, we also had a chat with the Filipino baristas at the onboard Starbucks! Shout out to Elsa, who hailed from Pampanga! Vins was so delighted to meet a fellow Kapampangan!
Settle in the Cabin
We then proceeded to our room! Thankfully, it was ready. We grabbed our SetSail card on the door and used it to enter. Here’s our room!
It had been a long journey. We flew in from Seattle and connected in Las Vegas with a long layover, so we were in transit for almost 24 hours. We desperately needed a hot shower and a good sleep. And we did just that.
Dinner and Evening Show
After a rather long nap, we decided to walk around the various neighborhoods a bit and have a big meal at the Windjammer Café, the ship’s international buffet. I will be discussing the neighborhoods and various dining options later. Then we watched a show at the Royal Theater, featuring headliner Adam Kario, a professional comedy juggler. After a short walk on the top deck, we called it a night.
DAY 2: SEA DAY – SEVEN NEIGHBORHOODS
It’s only Day 2, but we were already deep into cruise mode: no alarms, no responsibilities, and no real idea what day of the week it was. We won’t be seeing our first stop in Mexico until Day 3, so we had one full day at sea. So let’s take this time to explore the ship. But seriously, when you’re on board Icon of the Seas, you don’t even feel like you’re on a ship. It’s a floating city with seven neighborhoods, each one with its own set of attractions. Seriously, how is this even on a boat?!
Chill Island
Chill Island is the ultimate sun, sea, and pool combo. There are four massive pools on this deck alone, including Royal Bay Pool, one of the largest pools, if not the largest at sea. If you want to take a dip or just bathe in the sun, this is a great spot!
Location: Deck 15-17, Midship
Central Park
After too much sun, we wandered through Central Park (yes, on a ship), complete with live plants, peaceful benches, and sometimes, live music playing in the background. It’s like a zen garden in the middle of a cruise ship.
Location: Deck 8, Midship
Thrill Island
How about a dose of adrenaline? We headed to Category 6 Waterpark, the largest waterpark at sea! The most exhilarating attraction here is the Frightening Bolt, a drop slide with 10/10 for thrill factor. There’s also Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter, both less terrifying but still heart-racing.
Location: Deck 16-20, Aft
Surfside
While we’re not kids and we don’t have kids, we couldn’t resist checking out Surfside, the family-friendly neighborhood complete with a carousel, splash area, arcade, and restaurants that feel like they came from a Pixar movie. It’s cute overload. If we had nieces or nephews with us, they’d never want to leave. But we’re just here for free hotdogs and free soft serve ice cream.
Location: Deck 7, Aft
Royal Promenade
Basically, Royal Promenade is a mall-meets-entertainment district. You’ll find shops, pizza by the slice at Sorrento’s, a few bars, and even a comedy club. We window-shopped pre-loved luxury goods, and properly shopped for souvenir items.
Location: Deck 5, Midship
The Hideaway
For a late afternoon chill, we escaped to the Hideaway Pool, an adults-only infinity pool suspended off the back of the ship. The view? Unreal. The vibe? Straight out of a hiphop music video from the naughties. It’s also where you’ll find the FlowRider, which is a simulated surfing experience.
Location: Deck 15, Aft
AquaDome
AquaDome was our favorite spot! This futuristic dome at the top front of the ship gave us panoramic ocean views, a loungy atmosphere, and another scenic bar — Overlook Bar — with glass spheres you can actually sit inside. This is also where the AquaTheater shows happen — think high dives, acrobatics, and Cirque du Soleil energy, all while the ship is moving.
Location: Deck 15, Forward
With so many things to do (and so many calories to burn off), we still somehow felt like we barely scratched the surface. There’s a minigolf course, rock climbing, ice skating shows, and even Escape Rooms onboard. Do we even need to get off in Mexico? Not if you don’t want to, but of course, we did.
DAY 3: PUERTO COSTA MAYA, MEXICO
We woke up to blue skies above, bluer waters below, and — wait, are those Mayan-style structures? Yup, from our balcony, we could already see a lot. No doubt about it — we had arrived in Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico’s playful little port town, where the atmosphere was very warm in more ways than one.
But instead of going full Dora the Explorer, we made a strategic (and slightly lazy) decision: stay in the port area and save our energy for the next two shore excursions. Relax mode ON today, excursion mode TOMORROW.”
Getting off the ship was a breeze, and within minutes, we were off the ship and wandering around the very Instagrammable port complex. And when we say “port complex,” we don’t mean a boring parking lot. Costa Maya’s port is a mini destination in itself — complete with shops, restaurants, a huge saltwater pool, and even a swim-up bar. There were a lot of sun, a lot of sweat, and a lot of sweaty dancing in the sun.
We strolled around slowly, popping into souvenir shops (yes, we bought fridge magnets and T-shirts — and yes, we’re that kind of travelers), and then found a shady spot by the pool. The whole place had a relaxed, festive energy — live music, and people already drunk in margaritas before lunch. Love that for them.
We were so excited to get off the ship that morning that we skipped breakfast. Actually, we’re not really breakfast people. So it didn’t take long before we heard our stomachs grumble. We ordered a quesadilla and a burrito at one of the casual restaurants. We love Mexican food, but we didn’t like what we had here very much. We should’ve just had breakfast on the ship.
By early afternoon, we were back onboard — no sunburns, no sore feet, just a chilled-out kind of day. We took advantage of the empty ship to explore more of its quieter corners.
DAY 4: ROATÁN, HONDURAS
If Day 3 was about relaxing, Day 4 said, “Let’s get wild.” We docked in Roatán, Honduras early in the morning, and from the moment we stepped out onto our balcony, we were greeted by lush green hills, dense jungle, and that unmistakable “something epic is about to happen” energy.
And epic it was — we signed up for the Ultimate Extreme Adventure Combo, which sounds like a video game, but is actually a full-on jungle thrill experience featuring 11 ziplines and 7 hanging bridges. Yes, ELEVEN ZIPLINES.
After meeting up with our group, we were shuttled into the Roatán hills where our adventure began. First up: ziplines. The first one was quite low and short, not too thrilling. But they got more and more insane, sending us soaring above the treetops, gliding past birds and our last few rational thoughts. Each line got faster and higher. The last two were SUPERMAN-style. Instead of just dangling upright, we were zipping down parallel to the line. And by the end of it, we were feeling SUPER. Like superheroes. Super exhausted, super sticky superheroes with sweaty palms and slightly crooked helmets.
Then came the hanging bridges, which looked peaceful at first glance until we were halfway across, dozens of feet above the jungle floor, clinging to ropes while the bridge wobbled like it had a personal vendetta against us. Still, the views were breathtaking — a full 360-degree panorama of Roatán’s tropical rainforests.
The whole experience lasted roughly four to five hours, but the adrenaline rush stayed with us all day. By the time we returned to the port, we were exhilarated, mildly dehydrated, and VERY ready for food. But before that, souvenir time! And again, we bought ref magnets and t-shirts!
On board, still reeling from the awful burrito and quesadilla from yesterday, we decided to try El Loco Fresh, Icon’s outdoor taco bar. We went back to the room, showered, took a nap and went out for dinner and an evening walk.
DAY 5: COZUMEL & CHICHÉN ITZÁ
Today’s adventure? A big one. We woke up to this view of Cozumel, Mexico — a sunny, sea-breezy island paradise. But instead of hanging around the beaches or sipping margaritas with cruise folks, we went full Indiana Jones and joined a tour to the legendary Chichén Itzá ruins.
First, we alighted the ship, and again, no Immigration checks here, either. We then boarded a smaller WinJet ferry to Playa del Carmen on the mainland. Travel time was around 50 minutes. Once there, we met our tour group, led by our guide Carlos, who welcomed us with a placard. After a 5-10-minute walk to the terminal, we hopped into a shuttle van for an hour-and-a-half long (but very comfortable) ride inland to the ruins.
To keep things “modern,” this tour was supposed to feature an augmented and virtual reality experience. That sounded super cool on paper — like we were about to see the ancient city rise up in front of us with the help of tech magic. In reality? It was an iPad. Just a regular ol’ tablet with visuals and info overlays, which, under the scorching Yucatán sun, was basically a mirror of our own sweaty faces.
Thankfully, our guide Carlos was amazing. On the drive there, he walked us through all the major structures — the Temple of Kukulcán, the Ball Court, the observatory, and even the acoustic tricks used by the Mayans to make the sound of a bird. So by the time we arrived, we already had the context and could focus on seeing rather than squinting at a smudgy screen.
We were also warned by Carlos that there was a 5-dollar fee for cameras other than a cameraphone, and that microphones, selfie sticks, and tripods were not allowed inside. So we decided to leave our GoPro and mic in the van and just use our phones to shoot.
Once inside Chichén Itzá, it was jaw-dropping. The sun? Brutal. The vendors? Pushy. The pyramid? Absolutely majestic. We wandered around the site, pretended we were in a National Geographic or History Channel special, and tried to absorb as much as we could before retreating to the van like dehydrated archaeologists.
The return journey was the same — van to Playa, ferry back to Cozumel (but this time with more leg cramps), sun-kissed shoulders, and a sense of “wow, we actually just visited one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.”
Was it a long day? Yup. Was it worth it? You bet. The real magic was standing in front of a pyramid that’s been there for over a thousand years.
DAY 6: SEA DAY – ONBOARD DINING SPOTS
Ah, how we missed the bliss of a full day at sea — no ports, no alarms, no rush. We woke up somewhere in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, with nothing on the agenda except doing nothing. Well, almost. Because we planned on catching an ice skating show at Absolute Zero, entitled Once Upon a Time: The King’s Royal Ball, featuring characters from the most-loved fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel, Humpty Dumpty, Cinderella, and many others!
After this, we just wandered aimlessly. But maybe, now is a great time for me to talk about the various dining options here on Icon of the Seas!
With over 20 dining venues, you’ll never go hungry on board, especially that eleven of these are complimentary.
Included Dining
No extra charge. Yes, complimentary because any meal at these food spots is already included in your cruise fare. Meaning, you won’t need to pay anything if you choose to eat at any of these.
- Main Dining Room. Classic, multi-course meals with rotating menus. Fancy-ish but totally complimentary. Location: Deck 3-5, Aft
- Windjammer Café. Royal Caribbean’s iconic international buffet. You’ll probably end up here a lot. Location: Deck 15, Aft
- AquaDome Market. RCI’s first food hall. It’s a new concept with five different stalls, including crepes, Mediterranean eats, and Asian-inspired bowls. There’s also a stall serving only different types of macaroni and cheese. Location: Deck 15, Forward
- Surfside Eatery. A kid-friendly buffet in the Surfside family neighborhood (think mac & cheese, nuggets, hot dogs, and stress-free meals). Location: Deck 7, Aft
- Sorrento’s Pizza. Open late, perfect for post-activity snack attacks. The pizza selection includes Margherita, pepperoni, cheese, and my favorite, chicken BBQ. Location: Deck 5, Midship
- Park Café. Light bites like sandwiches and salads in Central Park. They also have chips and ice cream! Location: Deck 8, Midship
- El Loco Fresh. Tacos, quesadillas, and a salsa station — ¡muy bien! This was our go-to after a shore excursion because it’s not as crowded as the Windjammer Café. And tacos are just so satisfying after a day of exploring! Location: Deck 15, Midship
- Basecamp. A new casual eatery near the thrill zone (and it’s FREE for some snacks, but charges for specialty bites too). But crowd favorites like most burgers and hotdogs are complimentary. Location: Deck 16, Aft
- Pearl Café. Located just above the grand staircase. They serve snacks like sandwiches and desserts like cookies, tarts, and cakes. Location: Deck 6, Midship
- Vitality Café. Smoothies and healthy options near the spa. Location: Deck 14, Forward
Specialty Dining
Aside from the complimentary food spots, there are also the so-called specialty restaurants. Dining here entails an additional fee. Think of them as your treat yo’self spots.
For most of these, you’ll be paying a fixed price per person. Dinner is usually more expensive than lunch. But you can score a discount if you book before your sailing date or just approach a staff member if they know where they can get specialty dining discounts. Head waiters can usually offer that. In our case, the head waiter at the Main Dining, who was also Filipino gave us 50% OFF, if I remember correctly.
Anyway, here are the specialty dining options:
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Chef’s Table. The ship’s most upscale dining experience — a multi-course, wine-paired gourmet dinner hosted by the chef in an intimate, elegant setting. With just around 12 guests per night, it’s like a private foodie show at sea. It’s a splurge, but ideal for special occasions or if you just want to eat like royalty.
- Chops Grille. A Royal Caribbean staple for steak and carnivorous cravings. We’ve tried this on Spectrum of the Seas, so we skipped it this time. Location: Deck 8, Midship
- Empire Supper Club. A swanky, 8-course fine dining experience with live jazz. Think Gatsby at sea. Location: Deck 8, Forward
- Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar. Pizza, pasta, and wine-fueled bliss in a new open-air setting. Location: Deck 6, Midship
- Izumi Hibachi & Sushi. Located at Central Park. You can do the à la carte sushi bar or order a full hibachi. We’ve enjoyed this on another ship, too. Location: Deck 8, Midship
- Pier 7. Casual all-day dining in Surfside, serving breakfast burritos, coconut shrimp, and more. Location: Deck 7, Aft
- Hooked Seafood. This is the one spot that the crew members constantly recommended to us! New England-style seafood restaurant. Location: Deck 15, Forward
This one, we tried and we loved it! Safe to say, we were hooked! For appetizers, I had a bowl of creamy chowder while Vins had shrimp cocktails. For mains, Vins opted for surf and turf composed of tender steak and Maine lobster tail grilled to order and served with vegetables and melted butter.
I had their signature Captain’s Platter, with 4 oz. lobster tail, fresh fish filet, and four medium-sized shrimps, served with warm melted butter and a side of lobster mac and cheese. We also ordered Drunken mussels, steamed in garlic white wine. For dessert, the options were coconut cream pie, cherry pie, lemon tart, and decadent chocolate brownie.
Other Specialty Food Spots
- Celebration Table. A private dining room for special occasions — birthday? proposal? post-buffet nap celebration? Location: Deck 15, Forward
- Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade. Wings, sliders, beer, and game-day energy. This is located near Surfside. Location: Deck 6, Aft
- Starbucks. Yes, they have a Starbucks on board. They even sell its own souvenir collectible mugs. Location: Deck 5, Midship
Specialty dining is great if you’re celebrating a special occasion and you just want to get away from the crowd.
Bars & Lounges
Aside from proper restaurants, there are also bars and lounges on board, including:
- The Overlook. Futuristic cocktails with panoramic views in the AquaDome. Location: Deck 14, Forward
- Swim & Tonic. The cruise line’s first swim-up bar! Location: Deck 16, Midship
- The Lime & Coconut. Poolside tropical cocktails. Location: Deck 15-16, Midship
- Rye & Bean. A coffee shop that transforms into a cocktail bar. Location: Deck 15, Forward
- Bubbles. The new champagne bar in Central Park. Location: Deck 8, Midship
- Trellis Bar. Relax in the garden with a glass of wine or your favorite cocktail drink. Location: Deck 8, Midship
- The Hideaway Bar. Serving Hideaway Pool guests. Location: Deck 15, Aft
- Cantina Fresca. Another bar at Chill Island. Location: Deck 15, Midship
- Basecamp Bar. Serving Thrill Island guests. Location: Deck 16, Aft
- 1400. Lobby bar. Location: Deck 5, Midship
- Point & Feather. Location: Deck 5, Midship
- Schooner Bar. Location: Deck 6, Midship
- Boleros. Location: Deck 6, Midship
By the end of the day, we were full, floored, and floating into bed like stuffed sea creatures
DAY 7: PERFECT DAY AT COCOCAY, BAHAMAS
Our final port of call was Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. And let’s just say, the name stayed true to its promise. This place is a full-blown island playground, and we were ready to go wild again.
We pre-booked tickets to the Thrill Waterpark. At the center of it all: Daredevil’s Peak, the tallest waterslide in North America. One look up, and our knees started negotiating. But of course, we did it. We climbed what felt like a hundred floors, then took the slide while screaming the whole way down, and lived to tell the tale. Unfortunately, cameras are not allowed at any of these slides.
Do this slide first because the line here gets longer and longer as the day progresses!
We also tackled the Dueling Demons, which were two exhilarating slides that Vins and I did at the same time. These slides start with a nerve-wracking drop, but so, so fun.
Thrill Waterpark also had wave pools, racing slides, and tube slides for groups here at Splash Summit. Again, we prioritized the most popular slide here, which was the Slingshot, and it was terrifyingly magnificent. I loved how our positions flipped and how high we got catapulted up this steep part of the slide before making a grand splash as we hit the pool.
The green slide called Tailspin was a bit dizzying but also a bit underwhelming given how insane Slingshot was. Then we tried the Splash Speedway, where you could use a mat and race three others swirl to the pool below. We spent hours hopping from one to the next like kids on vacation (because…we were kids at heart on vacation).
But if adrenaline isn’t your thing, don’t worry — CocoCay has a chill side too. Literally. It’s called Chill Island, and it’s open to everyone without needing any tickets or reservations. We strolled over after conquering the waterpark and found white sand beaches, calm blue waters, and plenty of free loungers where you can do absolutely nothing and feel great about it.
One of the best things about CocoCay? Meals are complimentary. No extra charges, no complicated dining reservations — just walk up, grab your food, and feast. We hit up Skipper’s Grill for burgers and tacos, followed by way too many soft-serve cones. Because calories don’t count on private islands. That’s the rule. Right?
We headed back to Icon of the Seas, salty, tired, and grinning like fools. We showered, took a nap to recharge, and when we woke up, started packing up because the staff would be picking up our luggage later that night. We left our suitcases outside our door on our way out to see the show in the Aqua Theater. It was amazing! High dives, acrobatics, music, and dramatic lighting — all happening while the ship’s literally moving. HOW?
Definitely the best show on board!
And of course, it’s our last night on board, so we shopped for more souvenirs and other products! We couldn’t think of a better way to end this perfect day! Perfect Day? Confirmed.
DAY 8: END OF CRUISE
Like all good things, our cruise had to come to an end, and Day 8 was officially disembarkation day. We woke up docked back in Miami, blinking away the disbelief that a week had flown by that fast. (Seriously, how is it already over?!)
Breakfast & Disembarkation
- We had an early breakfast at Windjammer Café, our faithful food haven all cruise long. The buffet was still in full swing, but the mood? A little quieter. People were rolling in with suitcases, sleepy faces, and the universal post-cruise sadness. Still, we filled our plates one last time — because if we were saying goodbye to unlimited glazed ham, we were doing it properly.
- After breakfast, we headed off the ship. We were pleasantly surprised at how fast and seamless the whole process was. There were no manual immigration counters and no endless lines of people fumbling for passports. Instead, we went through automated gates equipped with biometric and passport scanners. Just a quick scan, a short walk, and boom — we were officially back on land, wondering how long it would take before we missed the ship’s rocking motion.
Icon of the Seas gave us unforgettable memories — from adrenaline rushes and lazy sea days to ancient ruins and epic eats. And while it hurt a little to say goodbye, we left with full hearts, full photo galleries, and plans to cruise again very, very soon. Bye, Icon…It’s Been Real.
Off to Orlando!
While most people headed straight to the airport after disembarking, we weren’t done yet. Nope — our vacation had a Part 2, and it involved roller coasters, castle sightings, and way too much theme park magic. Next stop: Orlando.
We grabbed an Uber to Brightline’s Miami Central Station, which took about 10 minutes.
The station itself was sleek, modern, and honestly kind of felt like a fancy airport lounge, with coffee shops, charging stations, and zero chaos. Brightline knows how to make train travel feel bougie.
We boarded the train bound for Orlando, settled into our comfy seats (with Wi-Fi, outlets, and plenty of legroom!), and watched as the Miami skyline faded behind us. The ride was smooth and scenic. It’s basically the chillest way to transition from cruise life to theme park madness.
Next up: a full-blown Orlando theme park binge. Disney, Universal, who knows — we’re going all in. Because when one vacation ends, another begins.
Updates Log
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