Sponsored By

On Icon, crew areas get special attention, patented cabin designOn Icon, crew areas get special attention, patented cabin design

Aboard Icon of the Seas, crew get their own neighborhood that spans four decks plus a new, patented cabin design.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

July 3, 2023

3 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

The crew neighborhood includes the Clubhouse, an indoor-outdoor pub, gaming area, gym, store and a barbership/salon. There's also a multifunctional space for celebrations and/or training and an enhanced Windjammer Cafe.

Icon of the Seas will be served by more than 2,300 crew from 83 countries.

'For us to think about where our crew live as a neighborhood tells a lot about our focus on the crew,' said Jason Liberty, president/CEO, Royal Caribbean Group, in the latest 'Making An Icon' video (embedded below).

Increased energy and investment in crew areas

The 'amount of energy and investment' in crew areas has increased and it mirrors the effort Royal Caribbean puts into its guest areas, according to Michael Bayley, president/CEO, Royal Caribbean International. He has special insight since he got his start as a crew member, working at sea for a number of years. For example, Bayley considers crew accommodations 'incredibly important.'

New ships give Royal Caribbean the opportunity to 'start from scratch and elevate the crew life onboard,' Icon Capt. Henrik Loy said.

For Icon, the company started with research including a fleetwide survey of crew to get their feedback. Their No. 1 interest: their room.

Cabin 'designed by crew, for crew'

After the classic process of having executives and architects design a cabin, Royal Caribbean started over and went to the crew. More than 1,000 — from over 25 positions and nationalities — reviewed room mock-ups in person.

The result: Icon sports an entirely new type of cabin, 'designed by crew, for crew,' with a patented, L-shaped layout and features like an easier climb to the top bunk (steps instead of a ladder), privacy curtains, more storage and enhanced finishes and materials.

The Clubhouse

Designers also enhanced the Clubhouse at the front of the ship — 'Our place to chill out and relax,' said Robert Hines, newbuild human resources manager, RCI. 

Icon's Clubhouse offers a coffee shop, lounge seating with TVs and massage chairs, virtual balconies with digital 'windows,' and pool tables, ping-pong and foosball. There's also a private lounge.

Gaming, celebration area and training

The adjacent Game Room offers seven gaming nooks, a VR station and private spaces.

The pub has forward-facing views and an outdoor area.

A multifunctional room can transform for celebrations with karaoke and entertainment. Next door is a crew training space. The wall can be opened to combine the areas.

Enahnced Windjammer Cafe

The crew Windjammer Cafe, with portholes for ocean views, will provide 'a lot of the same options we offer our guests,' according to Rebecca Burns, senior manager, restaurant operations, RCI. It offers hot and cold stations and introduces live cooking stations.

Finding a balance

The large number of crew carried means that when designing their spaces, Royal Caribbean had to strike a balance between functionalty, practicality, comfort and design, 'which I think we've found with Icon,' Bayley said.

 

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

The latest cruise news, analysis and more straight to your inbox
Get the free newsletter read by industry experts

You May Also Like