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Royal Caribbean's 'Icon of the Seas' Completes First Sea Trials, Sets Sail Towards 2024 Debut Icon of the Seas is said to be "the first-of-its-kind combination of the best of every vacation."

By Madeline Garfinkle Edited by Jessica Thomas

Key Takeaways

  • Royal Caribbean International's new cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, has successfully completed its initial round of sea trials.
  • The next step is a second round of sea trials later in the year before the ship's debut in Miami in January 2024.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, has completed its initial round of sea trials and set sail on the open water for the first time, the cruise line announced in June.

After four days of preliminary testing with over 2,000 specialists, the ship returned to the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland for further construction.

Before the ship's debut in Miami in January 2024, Icon of the Seas will go through a second round of sea trials later this year, Royal Caribbean said in the release.

Original story below:

Royal Caribbean International had the single largest booking day in its 53-year history this week after reservations opened for the cruise line's new ship, Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean first unveiled the new ship on October 20 as "the first-of-its-kind combination of the best of every vacation," with the versatility to appease every vacationer, family member and "adventurer."

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean

"The enthusiasm and excitement for Icon are undeniable in more ways than one," Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, said in a statement. "The incredible response we have received from our loyal guests, vacationers new to cruising, crew members and travel partners continues to come in, and this is just the beginning. We can't wait to share more of what Icon has in store in the coming months."

Icon of the Seas has been five years in the making and encompasses "firsts and reimagined favorites." The ship has eight "neighborhoods" ranging from "Thrill Island" to "Chill Island," and offers 28 different room categories.

Icon is set to sail year-round, with seven eastern and western Caribbean vacations departing from Miami and set to debut in January 2024.

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean

Related: A Luxury Cruise Ship Will Allow Residents to Permanently Live At Sea. See Inside Its 237-Square-Foot Studios Selling for $1 Million.

Madeline Garfinkle

News Writer

Madeline Garfinkle is a News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate from Syracuse University, and received an MFA from Columbia University. 

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