I stayed in a balcony cabin on Royal Caribbean's 2 newest and largest cruise ships. One was clearly better — and $900 cheaper.

Tech Insider : Travel
composite of cruise cabin on Wonder (left) and Icon (right)
My balcony cabin on Wonder of the Seas (left) and Icon of the Seas (right) have a $130-per-person-per-day difference in 2024. The cheaper one was my favorite.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

I went on 2 of Royal Caribbean's largest and newest cruise ships. I enjoyed them, but they're not for everyone.

Tech Insider : Travel
Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas docked at Perfect Day at CocoCay
Royal Caribbean operates the two largest cruise ships in the world, Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas. These ships are jam-packed with amenities, but they're not for everyone.

Pieter De Boer

I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas. These were my 8 favorite amenities on the world's largest cruise ship.

Tech Insider : Travel
Icon of the Seas docked at port
My eight favorite amenities on the new world's largest cruise ship are, for the most part, ones I've yet to see on other ships.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Royal Caribbean's newest ship is also its priciest. Here's what it's like spending as little as possible, with no lobster or other upgrades.

Tech Insider : Travel
Icon of the Seas at Perfect Day at CocoCay
It's possible to avoid paying for any of Icon of the Seas' upcharged amenities — but be prepared to stay sober and repeat meals.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Ultrawealthy cruising: See inside Royal Caribbean's most extravagant upgrades and a $100,000-a-week cabin on its Icon of the Seas

Tech Insider : Travel
Icon of the Seas' outdoor decks
Affluent travelers could have a pretty cushy vacation on Royal Caribbean's giant Icon of the Seas cruise ship.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

I sailed on the world's 2 largest cruise ships. The older one was just as good — and $1,000 cheaper.

Tech Insider : Travel
Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas docked at Perfect Day at CocoCay
Royal Caribbean' operates the two world's largest cruise ships, Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas. Here's how the two compare.

Pieter De Boer

I went on Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship and saw why bookings are surging to record highs

Tech Insider : Travel
view of icon of the seas cruise ship
Royal Caribbean International is increasingly targeting multigenerational families. Its new world's largest cruise ship, the Icon of the Seas, is a "great example" of this, the cruise line's president and CEO told investors in February.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

See how the world's largest cruise ship feeds 10,000 people every day

Tech Insider : Travel
cook preparing food on trays on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas
Royal Caribbean's new Icon of the Seas mega cruise ship can accommodate 9,950 people. Feeding everyone is no easy feat.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Royal Caribbean's CEO said its massive new ship was designed for Instagram. I saw 9 things on board that make it a social-media sensation.

Tech Insider : Travel
Icon of the Seas' water park
Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group's president and CEO, said Icon of the Seas has "Instagrammable moments" that generate "FOMO" from guests' friends and family, in turn driving more bookings.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

My $540-a-night cabin on the world's largest cruise ship was shockingly small and disappointing

Tech Insider : Travel
Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas' ocean-view balcony cabin's bed and living room
I'm not sure a family of four could happily coexist in the $3,790 per person ocean-view balcony cabin on Royal Caribbean's new Icon of the Seas cruise ship.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

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