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Seven-night and shorter cruises are also popular with families, especially during American school vacation periods, when the ships will often be at filled at well past double capacity and carrying more than a thousand kids. Royal Caribbean ships really vary in terms of complimentary dining, with the main dining room and huge Windjammer Cafe as constants. Coffee, tea, milk, lemonade and a few other beverages are available without cost at all times, as well.
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In general, it provides a good value, and maybe a good entry into cruising for people who might be intimidated to try a larger ship. The shorter Vision of the Seas itineraries will help give you a good sense for whether cruising is an ideal vacation for you. For travelers who don't mind making their own fun, there is more than enough to stay busy during a shorter sailing. This itinerary are generally 8 nights long and include two days at sea. As a ship made for families, Icon of the Seas primarily attracts cruisers traveling with children – 82% of the cabins can hold three guests or more.
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Check out the latest Royal Caribbean International Cruise news—from cruise updates to Royal Caribbean sailings, cancellations, new ships, and more. Cruise Critic’s experts have you covered with everything you need to know today. In keeping with the family theme found throughout the ship, Icon of the Seas rooms are designed for groups. Half of the ship’s 28 cabin categories are new to the line, including the much-talked about three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse, which costs a cool $80,000 a week and includes a slide from the top level down. Deck 15 is home to AquaDome, one of Icon of the Seas’ new neighborhoods that’s housed within a 363-ton glass dome.
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While it received some minor upgrades in 2017 and 2022, Vision of the Seas had its most recent major refurbishment in 2013. We saw some discoloration on cabin walls and well-worn carpeting and furniture. However, most of the public areas seemed clean, comfortable and well-maintained, and the glass gave the ship a bright glow throughout.
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The ship is ideal for first-timers, whether they're a family dipping their toes in the water for the first time, a group of friends looking for a fun-filled break or a couple celebrating a significant wedding anniversary. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Vision is neither the newest nor most high-tech ship on the Royal Caribbean fleet. But it offers all the basics – and a few extras – for a fun, relaxing vacation.
Mariner of the Seas dining is fairly great across the board, from the extensive breakfast buffet at Windjammer Cafe to dinners in the Main Dining Room and specialty restaurants like Izumi, Chop's Grille and Jamie's Italian. Allure of the Seas is breathtaking, both in scale and ambition, yet it never feels overwhelming. Deck 14 is all about the kids in Adventure Ocean, and, at the back of the ship, right up on Deck 15, you have the Sports Area, complete with FlowRider surf simulators, a zipline, mini-golf, Ping-Pong and basketball courts. The ambience and atmosphere in each area are so distinct, it's as if there are seven different ships on one.
For more than a year before Icon of the Seas launched, Royal Caribbean ran a marketing campaign unlike any we’d ever seen, with flashy messaging promising a ship filled with family fun, thrills and incredible choice. Royal Caribbean's Izumi is one of the most popular specialty restaurants on Mariner of the Seas if you're after high-energy hibachi dining. Izumi Sushi is located inside of the restaurant, and has a large assortment of rolls (which can be custom ordered for vegetarians and those who cannot eat gluten).
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The only places where you get a sense of the sheer number of people onboard are in the Royal Promenade during parade times, on sea days round the pool deck, and prime food times in the Windjammer Cafe buffet restaurant. You can sit in Allure of the Seas’ Central Park under a tree, drink in hand, stars above you, (piped) birdsong all around, and feel almost alone -- despite being overlooked by hundreds of cabins. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. Caps, tank tops and bathing suits are never allowed in the main dining room or specialty restaurants; shorts are not permitted during dinner and footwear is always required.
Allure of the Seas shares roughly 95 percent of its DNA with other Oasis-class ships -- including a novel neighborhood concept that divides the ship into seven distinct spaces. It also shares inward-facing balcony cabins, arguably the biggest (and best) kids’ program at sea, an ice rink, a bar that rises between three decks, simulated surfing, rock climbing walls and an outdoor high-diving AquaTheater. The Centrum – also known as the Vision of the Seas atrium – is the heart of the action during the evening. It has a similar concept to the Promenade on other Royal Caribbean ships, with passengers filling its shops, bars, lounges and entertainment venues.
Broadway shows (on the ships that have them) are also quite popular and fill up any night they're on offer. Equally as in demand are the high-flying and diving acrobatics of the AquaTheater and the ice-skating shows on the Freedom- and Voyager-class ships. Where it succeeds is with its clever approach to its eight neighborhoods, each distinct in its offerings but seamlessly transitioning to the next. Wows abound, from the spectacular six-slide waterpark to the gravity-defying AquaTheater and fun, kid-friendly touches (like a full-time resident golden retriever and slides that move you from one deck to the next).
It routinely holds gatherings for LGBTQ+ and solo travelers, though the ship does not have any solo or studio cabins. Cabins also are relatively quiet for a busy ship, though we did hear a little noise from the AquaDome, as our room was located at the front of the ship. Other rooms to avoid on Icon of the Seas include those directly above or below busy spaces, especially on Deck 14. Speaking of neighborhoods, there are eight on Icon of the Seas and five of them are new to Royal Caribbean – AquaDome, Thrill Island, Chill Island, Surfside and The Hideaway. Upon embarkation, you’ll enter through the Royal Promenade – a Royal Caribbean mainstay and the beating heart of the vessel. The variety of rooms onboard Icon of the Seas is impressive, with more than 80% offering beds for three passengers or more.
Men should come with closed-toe shoes or clean sneakers for dining on all nights. Bare feet are not permitted at any time in any venue, and tank tops are not allowed in any of the restaurants, except the buffet, for dinner. Shorts are discouraged in the main dining room for dinner, but you'll see people in them anyway. Royal Caribbean emphasizes the "wow" factor with the most high-tech fun at sea on most, but not all, its cruise ships. Boasting surf and skydive simulators, rock climbing walls and mini-golf, plus Broadway-style shows and several onboard eateries, this family-friendly line sails all over the world.
That all makes Royal Caribbean's two- to five-night itineraries on Mariner of the Seas a great bet for sunseekers needing a quick Caribbean escape. The 225,282-ton Allure of the Seas was the world's largest cruise ship -- for six years -- before other sister ships kept stealing the title; the latest being Wonder of the Seas debuting in 2022. The Allure of the Seas capacity is 5,492 passengers at double occupancy or 6,452 when every berth is full. The main pool areas are a magnet onboard any Royal Caribbean ship, as is the peaceful adults-only Solarium. Cruisers line up for the most adrenaline-pumping activities, whether to surf Royal Caribbean's FlowRider or try out new experiences from simulated skydiving and ice skating to bumper cars and escape rooms. A ship that is more than two decades old is bound to show some wear and tear.
