Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas 2024: 10 Main Differences

Royal Caribbean is one of the oldest cruise line. As trendsetters in the cruising industry, Royal Caribbean is known for having the largest cruise ships in the world like Icon of the Seas (launched in 2024) and Utopia of the Seas (still under construction). 

These two ships offer grand experiences for all types of travelers from solo adventurers to families and groups of friends. How do you choose between Utopia of the Seas and Icon of the Seas, two siblings from the same family?  

This guide is about Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas to help you understand how they are similar and different.

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Ship Class Difference 

Royal Caribbean has 8 ship classes with unique layouts and activities. The main difference between Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas is in their class.  Icon of the Seas is the first ship in the Icon Class, while Utopia of the Seas is the sixth ship in the Oasis Class. 

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Size Comparison 

Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas is 6% smaller than Icon of the Seas in terms of Gross Tonnage (GT) or internal volume. Icon of the Seas is bigger in every aspect, including capacity, length, and total decks.  

Icon of the Seas is 1,198 ft long, 213 ft wide, and weighs 250,800 (GT). While Utopia of the Seas is 1,188 ft long, 211 ft wide, and weighs 236,473 (GT). Icon of the Seas has 2 more decks and a higher capacity.

Icon of the Seas vs Utopia of the Seas Size Comparison Chart:

Stats	Icon of the Seas	Utopia of the Seas
Gross tonnage (GT)	250,800	236,473
Length	1,198 ft	1,188 ft
Width	213 ft	211 ft
Total decks	20	18
Passenger decks	18	16
Maximum guest capacity	7,600	6,988
Guest capacity at double occupancy	5,610	5,668
Crew capacity	2,350	2,290

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Construction Cost

Icon of the Seas Construction Cost

Icon of the Seas cost $2 billion to build, making it one of the most expensive ships ever and was built in Turku, Finland by Meyer Turku. 

Utopia of the Seas Construction Cost

Utopia of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas (same class) cost about $1.35 billion each. Utopia of the Seas is under construction at Chantiers de L’Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France and set sail for the first time in July 2024.   

Note: Both ships, Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas, use Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as fuel. 

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Passenger Capacity

The Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas and Icon of the Seas are large ships that can hold many passengers and offer different cabin choices for travelers to book. 

Icon of the Seas Passenger Capacity

 The Icon of the Seas can accommodate up to 5,610 passengers in double occupancy, and nearly 7,600 passengers at full capacity. The Icon of the Seas has about 2,350 crew members. 

Utopia of the Seas Passenger Capacity

Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas can hold 5,668 passengers in double occupancy, and up to 6,988 passengers at full capacity. Utopia of the Seas has about 2,290 crew members. 

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Itineraries

Both ships Utopia of the Seas and Icon of the Seas sail from Florida.

Icon of the Seas Itinerary

Icon of the Seas departs from Miami and only offers 7-night cruises with options to visit various Caribbean destinations including Mexico, Honduras, St Maarten, and the Dominican Republic. Most cruises also stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Utopia of the Seas Itinerary

Utopia of the Seas leaves from Port Canaveral and offers short cruises of 3 or 4 nights. It’s designed for the Ultimate Weekend experience and all cruises stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, the cruise line’s private island. 

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Neighborhoods

Royal Caribbean divides its ships into themed neighborhoods with specific activities. The Oasis class ships, including Utopia of the Seas, introduced the concept of neighborhoods to the fleet.   

Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas both have 8 neighborhoods, 3 neighborhoods are common while others are different.

Common Neighborhoods between Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas  

• Central Park  
• Royal Promenade  
• Suite Neighborhood 

Icon of the Seas Neighborhoods

Icon of the Seas 5 neighborhoods that are not found on Utopia of the Seas: 

• AquaDome    
• Chill Island  
• Surfside  
• Thrill Island  
• The Hideaway   

Utopia of the Seas Neighborhoods

Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas 5 neighborhoods that are not found on Icon of the Seas: 

• Boardwalk   
• Vitality Spa and Fitness   
• Pool and Sports Zone  
• Entertainment Place  
• Youth Zone 

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Pools & Hot Tub Facilities

Both Utopia of the Seas and Icon of the Seas ships have pools and hot tubs so passengers can relax by the pool with a cold drink on a cruise. Guests can also soothe sore muscles in a hot tub after a day of activities.  

Icon of the Seas vs Utopia of the Seas Pools

Icon of the Seas has 7 pools, while Utopia of the Seas has 5 pools. Here is Icon vs Utopia of the Seas Pools comparison: 

Pools	Icon of the Seas	Utopia of the Seas
Total Pools	7	5
General Access Pools	5	3
Adults Only Pools	1	1
Exclusive Pools	1	1

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Hot Tubs

Icon of the Seas has a total of 9 hot tubs, while Utopia of the Seas has a total of 7 hot tubs. 

Hot Tubs	Icon of the Seas	Utopia of the Seas
Total Hot Tubs	9	7
General Access Hot Tubs	7	2
Adults Only Hot Tubs	1	3
Exclusive Hot Tubs	1	2

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Cabins & Suites

Both Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas offer many types of cabins. Guests can choose from basic cabins to luxurious suites like the ultimate family townhouse which cost $80,000 per week.

Cabins	Icon of the Seas	Utopia of the Seas
Total Cabins	2,805	2,834
Suites	179	176
Balcony rooms	1,815	1,918
Ocean-view rooms	276	168
Interior rooms	535	572

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Dining Options

The dining options on Utopia of the Seas and Icon of the Seas ships make the cruise experience enjoyable. Both ships offer a variety of dining choices.  

Icon of the Seas notable dining choices include Celebration Table, Empire Supper Club, and Izumi Hibachi & Sushi. Utopia of the Seas offers dining options like Johnny Rockets, Solarium Bistro, and The Mason Jar.

Further information about Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas restaurants is included in the table.   

Dining Options	Icon of the Seas	Utopia of the Seas
Coastal Kitchen	✓	✓
Chops Grille	✓	✓
Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar	✓	✓
Hooked Seafood	✓	✓
Main Dining Room	✓	✓
Park Cafe	✓	✓
Starbucks	✓	✓
Sugar Beach	✓	✓
Izumi in the Park	✓	✓
Playmakers	✓	✓
150 Central Park	✗	✓
Aqua Dome Market	✓	✗
Basecamp	✓	✗
Cafe Promenade	✗	✓
Celebration Table	✓	✗
Chef’s Table	✗	✓
Doghouse	✗	✓
El Loco Fresh	✓	✓
Empire Supper Club	✓	✗
Izumi Hibachi & Sushi	✓	✗
Johnny Rockets	✗	✓
Izumi	✗	✓
Pearl Cafe	✓	✗
Pier 7	✓	✗
Royal Railway – Utopia Station	✗	✓
Solarium Bistro	✗	✓
Sorrento’s Pizza	✓	✓
Sprinkles	✗	✓
Surfside Bites	✓	✗
Surfside Eatery	✓	✗
The Grove	✓	✗
The Mason Jar	✗	✓
The Spare Tire	✗	✓
Windjammer	✓	✓

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Bars and Lounges

Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas both have many bars and lounges, including familiar ones like English pubs, Lime & Coconut, and Casino bar near Casino Royale.  

Icon of the Seas offers a variety of bars and lounges with a wide selection of drinks, such as pool bars, swim & Tonic bar, Casino Bar, and lounges like Lou’s Jazz n Blues for drinks and live music.  

Utopia of the Seas also has several common bars found on newer Royal Caribbean ships, along with unique ones like the Solarium bar, Rising Tide Bar, and Pesky Parrot. You can view the Royal Caribbean Drink Menus here. 

Here is the table of bars and lounges on Icon of the Seas vs Utopia of the Seas:  

Bars & Lounges	Icon of the Seas	Utopia of the Seas
Cantina Fresca	✓	✓
Casino Bar	✓	✓
Trellis Bar	✓	✓
Boleros	✓	✓
Schooner Bar	✓	✓
English Pub	✓	✓
Giovanni’s Wine Bar	✓	✓
1400 Lobby Bar	✓	✗
Basecamp Bar	✓	✗
Bubbles	✓	✗
Deserted Milkshake Bar	✓	✗
Dueling Pianos	✓	✗
Lou’s Jazz ‘N Blues	✓	✗
Music Hall	✓	✓
Pesky Parrot	✗	✓
Playmakers	✓	✓
Rising Tide Bar	✗	✓
Rye & Bean	✓	✗
Solarium Bar	✗	✓
Spotlight Karaoke	✓	✓
Suite Lounge*	✗	✓
Swim & Tonic	✓	✗
The Overlook	✓	✗
The Vue Bar	✗	✓
Windjammer Bar	✓	✗
Wipeout Bar	✗	✓
The Attic	✓	✓
The Grove Bar*	✓	✗
The Hideaway Bar	✓	✗
The Lemon Post	✓	✗
The Lime & Coconut	✓	✓
The Lime & Coconut: Frozen	✓	✗
The Mason Jar	✗	✓

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas Activities and Entertainment

Both ships offer a variety of activities to keep you entertained all day and night during your cruise. FlowRider is a popular attraction on both ships.

Other activities on Icon of the Seas include basketball courts, arcades, casinos, fitness centers, ice skating, mini golf, and live theater performances in the Aqua Theater.

Utopia of the seas also offers activities such as spa facilities, zip lines, water slides, and laser tag. 

Icon of the Seas has only 80% of the activities are included in your fare. On the Utopia of the Seas, 85% of activities are included in the fare. 

Further information about Utopia vs Icon of the Seas activities:

Activities & Entertainment	Icon of the Seas	Utopia of the Seas
Climbing Wall	✓	✓
Comedy Club	✓	✓
Adult Only Relaxation Area	✓	✓
Aqua theater	✓	✓
Arcade	✓	✓
FlowRider	✓	✓
Ice Skating	✓	✓
Carousel	✓	✓
Casino	✓	✓
Escape Room	✓	✓
Fitness Center	✓	✓
Shows – Broadway play	✓	✓
Shows – musical review	✓	✓
Spa	✓	✓
Splash Park	✓	✓
Kid’s Play Area	✗	✓
Laser Tag	✓	✓
Mini golf	✓	✓
Pool-side Movies	✗	✓
Waterpark	✓	✗
Zip Line	✗	✓
Ropes course	✓	✗
Thrill Slide	✗	✓
Water slides	✗	✓

Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas: The Best One

Deciding between booking a cruise on Icon of the Seas or Utopia of the Seas is a personal choice based on your preferences. Icon of the Seas is family-focused, with more family rooms and kid-friendly dining options. Utopia of the Seas, on the other hand, offer action-packed breaks for families and adults.  

FAQs – Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas 2024