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
icon of the seas vs utopia of the seas
icon vs utopia of the seas
utopia vs icon of the seas

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.  

utopia of the seas vs icon of the seas
icon of the seas vs utopia of the seas
icon vs utopia of the seas
utopia vs icon of the seas

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:

StatsIcon of the SeasUtopia of the Seas
Gross tonnage (GT)250,800236,473
Length1,198 ft1,188 ft
Width213 ft211 ft
Total decks2018
Passenger decks1816
Maximum guest capacity7,6006,988
Guest capacity at double occupancy5,6105,668
Crew capacity2,3502,290

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 vs icon of the seas
icon of the seas vs utopia of the seas
icon vs utopia of the seas
utopia vs icon of the seas

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
icon of the seas vs utopia of the seas
icon vs utopia of the seas
utopia vs icon of the seas

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.

utopia of the seas vs icon of the seas
icon of the seas vs utopia of the seas
icon vs utopia of the seas
utopia vs icon of the seas

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.  

utopia of the seas vs icon of the seas
icon of the seas vs utopia of the seas
icon vs utopia of the seas
utopia vs icon of the seas

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 
Adults Only Pools 
Exclusive Pools 

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 
 Adults Only Hot Tubs 
 Exclusive Hot Tubs 

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.

utopia of the seas vs icon of the seas
icon of the seas vs utopia of the seas
icon vs utopia of the seas
utopia vs icon of the seas

Utopia of the Seas has more guest rooms than Icon of the Seas, but Icon of the Seas can accommodate more people because it has more family rooms and suites. Icon of the Seas can host around 600 more guests. 

CabinsIcon of the Seas Utopia of the Seas 
Total Cabins2,8052,834
Suites179176
Balcony rooms1,8151,918
Ocean-view rooms 276168
Interior rooms535572

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.

utopia of the seas vs icon of the seas
icon of the seas vs utopia of the seas
icon vs utopia of the seas
utopia vs icon of the seas

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

Dining OptionsIcon of the SeasUtopia 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. 

utopia of the seas vs icon of the seas
icon of the seas vs utopia of the seas
icon vs utopia of the seas
utopia vs icon of the seas

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.  

How Big is Utopia of the Seas? 

The Utopia of the Seas ship is second biggest cruise ship in the world. It is 1,188 ft long and 211 ft wide with gross tonnage (GT) of 236,473. It is able to hold 6,988 passengers (maximum capacity) and have 18 total decks 

What Class is Utopia of the Seas? 

Utopia of the Seas is the sixth ship in the Oasis Class. 

Where will Utopia of the Seas Sail From? 

The Utopia of the Seas sail from Port Canaveral (Orlando). 

How Big is Icon of the Seas? 

Icon of the seas is bigger measuring 1,198 ft long, 213 ft wide, and with gross tonnage of 250,800. It can hold 7,600 passengers (maximum capacity) and has 20 total decks. 

How Much Does it Cost to Go on the Icon of the Seas for 7-Night Cruise?

Icon of the Seas Costs $3,588 per person for inside cabin, not including taxes, fees, and port charges for 7-night cruise to Caribbean from Miami on 8 june 2024.

How Big is Icon of the Seas Compared to Titanic?

Icon of the Seas is much larger than the Titanic. It’s about 5 times bigger in volume, 35% longer and more than twice as wide than Titanic. Icon of the Seas can carry nearly 3 times more passengers than Titanic. This modern cruise ship dwarfs the famous ocean liner from over a century ago in both size and capacity.

How Big is Utopia of the Seas Compared to Titanic?

Utopia of the Seas is much larger than the Titanic. It’s about 5 times bigger in volume, 32.5% longer and more than twice as wide than Titanic. Utopia of the Seas can carry 2.5 times more passengers than Titanic.

Fahad Aslam

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