I recently returned from a 7-night cruise aboard the world's largest ship, Icon of the Seas. I had been looking forward to this particular vacation for nearly a year and a half, and though hours of planning helped ensure a memorable experience, there's one mistake I wouldn't make again.
My partner's dad always says, "If you're going to do something, do it right," and we took that advice to heart when planning our Icon cruise. From the unlimited drink and dining packages to shore excursions and unique onboard attractions, we made the most of our weeklong vacation. In doing so, we unintentionally overexerted ourselves.
Here are the five things that were worth the extra cost on this trip and the one thing I'd skip next time.
I'm glad we booked an excursion through Royal Caribbean in St. Thomas
Royal Caribbean recently launched Royal Signature Excursions aimed at immersing guests in the local culture with reputable third-party operations that know the places, people, language, and culture better than anyone else.
With amenities like skip-the-line privileges, insightful local guides, intimate small groups, top-tier service, and more, they're meant to be an upgrade from regular tours. My partner and I were intrigued about these new excursions and booked the "St. John by Sea: Catamaran, Champagne, & Snorkel" tour through Royal Caribbean for $221.98.
Another reason we wanted to book through the cruise line while in St. Thomas is that we were only in port for a few hours. With an all-aboard time of 1:30pm, we didn't want to risk navigating the island on our own and potentially missing the ship.
On embarkation day, our tickets were already in our stateroom, revealing a strict meeting time of 7:00am. Knowing it would be an early morning, we ordered room service for breakfast, which made the morning start off more relaxing than trying to squeeze in time to venture to the Windjammer or Park Café.
We were waiting in line to be led to the open-air safari bus by 7:25am. The bus ride was a little wild, winding through the steep, twisting roads of St. Thomas during the morning rush hour. However, we safely made it to the Compass Point Marina by 8:20am.
Our bus was split into two groups, with one boarding the Dancing Dolphin catamaran and the other sailing on the Adventuress. Both were U.S. Coast Guard-inspected vessels!
The waters were calm as we made our way to Honeymoon Beach in St. John (not to be confused with Water Island's Honeymoon Beach). After arriving, we enjoyed about an hour and a half of free time at the beach. My partner and I opted to spend most of it snorkeling. However, many made their way to the soft white sands to sunbathe.
Afterward, we were treated to an open bar with rum punch, champagne, and soda, as well as a small assortment of snacks, as we sailed back to the Compass Point Marina. The safari bus ride back was infinitely more fun, as everyone had taken advantage of the bar!
While sailing on a catamaran is always a good time, the crew was equally incredible. Deena, our captain, had originally visited St. Thomas on vacation before deciding she didn't want to leave and had been living on the island for 13 years. Ian and Cameron were also attentive and walked around with pitchers of punch to keep the drinks flowing.
The onboard escape room was more fun than I anticipated
My partner and I love testing our problem-solving skills at escape rooms, so when she discovered Icon had a space-themed room, it was immediately added to our must-do list.
We waited until we were onboard to make our reservation because we weren't sure when we'd want to do it. This cost more than making reservations through the Cruise Planner, coming in at $78 for the two of us. Still, that's about what we pay for escape rooms in Charlotte, so we didn't mind the price.
I don't want to spoil the room too much, but if you like space and puzzles, it's definitely worth the money, especially if you're looking for an indoor activity on a warm sea day. The escape room was immersive and highly interactive, with everyone participating in solving different parts of the mission. Our group managed to successfully escape with five minutes to spare!
While I wouldn't book a Central Park infinite veranda again, I'm thankful for the natural light and spacious layout
When we booked our 7-night cruise, our travel agent quoted us over $6,000 for an ocean-view balcony. Though I love ocean view rooms, that price was steep when I assumed we wouldn't spend much time in our stateroom.
Instead, we chose to book a Surfside guarantee balcony, leaving the specific stateroom assignment up to Royal Caribbean to save over $2,200. Ultimately, we were placed in a Central Park infinite veranda cabin. While I had some issues with the stateroom — namely, the lack of privacy — it was worth the extra money compared to windowless interior cabins.
The infinite veranda layout meant we had more living space than traditional balconies. Plus, we could open the floor-to-ceiling window for fresh air. I also appreciated opening the curtains each morning to natural light, whereas I tend to wake up groggy in dark inside staterooms. Next time, however, I'd consider an ocean-view window room, so I could still take in the passing scenery and have more privacy.
Read more: Are infinite veranda cabins worth it? Pros and cons
Sailing during spring break meant we were around more children, so purchasing passes to the adults-only beach club was well worth the cost
Because my partner is a teacher, we don't always have as much flexibility when it comes to traveling. As such, once we knew we were cruising on Icon of the Seas over spring break, we started planning ways to limit our time around kids.
While the Hideaway pool onboard was a great retreat, we were excited to spend time at Hideaway Beach at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas. Thanks to a great pre-cruise sale, we secured tickets for just $92.36.
The food alone is worth the extra cost. The island guava barbeque chicken pizza is much better than the barely edible pies served at Sorrento's, and I thought the Caribbean coconut shrimp basket was tastier than the coconut shrimp at Hooked, the specialty seafood restaurant on Icon.
We only spent about two hours at Hideaway Beach before returning to the ship to make the most of our last day aboard Icon, but I'm glad we had a child-free morning on the beach. Plus, we enjoyed the best of the adults-only area before the afternoon party crowd rolled in.
Finally, thrill seekers should test their bravery at Crown's Edge
Crown's Edge is part ropes course, part zip-line. After navigating across a floating bridge and a series of over-the-water platforms, the floor drops from underneath you as you soar over the ocean. I'm not typically a ropes course gal, but I hyped myself up after seeing how short the route to the zip-line platform was. Still, my legs were trembling as I stepped onto the hanging bridge!
Onboard, Crown's Edge costs $35 per person, but there was a special embarkation day deal for just $10. Because we had other priorities, we booked the more expensive time slot and had our first reservation canceled due to high winds at sea.
We rescheduled for shortly after our St. Thomas departure time, and we had amazing views of the Virgin Islands and the ocean below! Crown's Edge definitely tested my bravery, especially as I waited for the trap door to release, but it was worth the cost.
The purchase I regret the most was the Unlimited Dining Package
Unlimited lobster, filet mignon, and shrimp tacos, oh my! Specialty dining is always a must-do on any cruise. While sticking to the complimentary dining options is a great way to keep costs low onboard, I don't mind splurging on higher-quality foodie experiences.
On this particular sailing, we decided to treat ourselves with Royal Caribbean's Unlimited Dining Package, which is exactly what it sounds like — unlimited specialty dining for the duration of the cruise. It cost $665.48 during a pre-cruise sale in December 2024.
Initally, we were excited not to have to venture into the Main Dining Room. However, by the fourth day, we realized our eyes were far bigger than our stomachs.
We bounced from one restaurant to the next, sometimes squeezing in a three-course brunch at Pier 7, which is exclusive to Icon of the Seas, just hours before another multi-course dinner.
The food quality, from the juicy filet at Chops Grille to the interactive hibachi experience at Izumi, was well worth the price, but we began to consistently feel stuffed rather than satisfied.
By the end of the weeklong cruise, we realized that trying to "get our money's worth" came at the expense of actually enjoying the meals. Next time, I think a 3-night dining package would be more enjoyable, as we could better pace ourselves or skip a meal here and there in favor of more casual options.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
