Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas are the two largest cruise ships in the world and the newest cruise ships from Royal Caribbean.

Both cruise ships feature the latest and greatest Royal Caribbean offerings, such as water parks, ice skating spectaculars, escape rooms, finish elevators and more. Royal Caribbean classics such as the Royal Promenade, FlowRider and Windjammer can also be found on board these ships.

Although Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas have a lot in common, there are some key differences between these two megaships that prospective cruise passengers should be aware of.

Let’s see how Icon of the Seas compares to Utopia of the Seas.

Overview of cruise ships

Icon of the Seas is the first ship of the Icon class, while Utopia of the Seas is the sixth ship of the Oasis class.

Cruisers who have sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships will find that Utopia of the Seas is very similar in terms of layout, design and offerings. In contrast, Icon of the Seas is a completely new and different cruise ship, as she is the first in her class.

Both cruise ships made their first visit in 2024. Icon of the Seas’ maiden voyage took place on January 27, 2024 from Miami, Florida. This 7-day cruise visited Perfect Day on CocoCay, St. Thomas and St. Kitts. Utopia of the Seas’ maiden voyage took place on July 19, 2024 from Port Canaveral, Florida. During the 3-day voyage, guests visited Perfect Day on CocoCay and Nassau.

As the largest cruise ship in the world, Icon of the Seas can accommodate 5,610 guests and 2,350 crew at double occupancy. In fact, Icon of the Seas can carry 7,600 passengers at maximum capacity! Utopia of the Seas can accommodate 5,668 guests and 2,290 crew at double occupancy.

As for other specifications, Icon of the Seas is heavier, longer and taller than Utopia of the Seas. On the other hand, Utopia of the Seas is wider than Icon of the Seas.

Here are more statistics on each cruise ship:

Read more: The ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean ship classes

Neighborhoods

Both Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas are divided into eight different areas. These cruise ships are so large that they need to be divided into areas to help passengers navigate.

Utopia of the Seas shares the same neighborhoods as Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s third newest cruise ship and the third largest ship in the world. All other Oasis-class ships (Oasis, Allure, Harmony and Symphony) have seven neighborhoods because there is no suite neighborhood.

Icon of the Seas features new neighborhoods not found on other Royal Caribbean ships, including Surfside, AquaDome, Chill Island, Thrill Island and The Hideaway.

Here are the neighborhoods on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas:

Restaurants and bars

All Royal Caribbean ships feature the Main Dining Room and the Windjammer Buffet, but Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas offer many more options to choose from, including never-before-seen dining locations. With over 20 dining locations on both cruise ships, you won’t go hungry during your vacation!

Restaurants unique to Icon of the Seas include:

• AquaDome Market
• Base camp
• Pearl Cafe
• Surfside Restaurant
• Surfside Bites
• Empire Supper Club
• Banquet table
• Pier7
• The Grove (for suite guests)

Venues unique to Utopia of the Seas include:

• Royal Railway – Utopia Station
• The spare wheel

Utopia of the Seas features a new two-story Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar with a terrace overlooking The Boardwalk neighborhood. Additionally, Utopia is the first Oasis-class ship to feature Izumi in the Park (Icon of the Seas was the first ship on a Royal Caribbean ship to feature Izumi in the Park).

Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar on Icon of the Seas is the first restaurant on the Royal Promenade.

Cruise guests will find a variety of complimentary dining and specialty restaurants on both ships. It is possible to cruise on Icon and Utopia and not spend a penny extra on food, as the choices are seemingly endless. But visiting one of the onboard specialty restaurants is sure to be a treat with higher quality food and ambience.

Here is a full list of restaurants and casual dining options available on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas:

Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas share several bars, including the Schooner Bar, Playmakers Sports Bar, and Boleros. However, Icon of the Seas has more unique bars, while Utopia of the Seas has almost all of the bars that the other Oasis-class ships have.

Bars unique to Icon of the Seas include:

• 1400 Lobby Bar
• Blow
• Piano duels
• Hidden Bar
• Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues
• Rye & Beans
• Swimming & Tonic
• The Lemon Post
• The outlook

Pesky Parrot is a bar unique to Utopia of the Seas. Similar to The Bamboo Room on Mariner of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas, Pesky Parrot is a tiki bar serving fruity cocktails in a tropical setting. This bar replaced the Bionic Bar.

Here is a list of all the bars on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas:

Read more: Icon of the Seas compared to other Royal Caribbean cruise ships

Entertainment and activities

Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas offer their guests breathtaking entertainment options in the Royal Theater, AquaTheater and Studio B.

Utopia of the Seas has an outdoor AquaTheater, while Icon of the Seas has an indoor AquaTheater (the first on a Royal Caribbean ship). Here, Utopia of the Seas has a show called Aqua80Tooa sequel to Oasis of the Seas’ Aqua80 Show. On Icon of the Seas there is a show called Aqua action! There will be another show on Icon called Pirates vs. Mermaidsbut the premiere has not yet taken place in mid-2024.

Both ships have an ice skating rink on board with different names – Icon’s is called Absolute Zero, Utopia’s Studio B. In addition to open ice skating, there are shows that guests can attend during the cruise. On Icon of the Seas there are two shows called Starburst: Elemental Beauty And Once upon a time: A king’s royal ballThe latter is a show for families with children. On Utopia of the Seas the ice skating show is called Youtopia!

Finally, there are various shows in the Royal Theater most nights of the cruise. Icon of the Seas has some special productions, including The Wizard of Oz, The Effectors: The History of Their OriginAnd Showband. Utopia of the Seas has a production show called Everything included!

Both cruise ships also offer adult comedy shows at The Attic. Be sure to reserve these shows as soon as they start, as the venues are small and have limited seating.

Other activities you can find on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas include:

Cabins and suites

Although the Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world, it actually has fewer cabins than the Utopia of the Seas. The Utopia of the Seas has a total of 2,834 cabins, while the Icon of the Seas has 2,805.

Here’s a breakdown:

Icon of the Seas is the first ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet to feature infinity balconies, which are essentially verandas. Don’t worry, Icon of the Seas also has traditional ocean view balconies.

Because Icon of the Seas is a family cruise ship, there are many new cabin options, such as the Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony and the Surfside Family View Balcony, which can accommodate three to four people.

Utopia of the Seas features two Solarium Suites located at the front of the ship above the bridge wings. These suites are only available on Utopia.

Both ships offer Royal Suite Class cabins. These include Sea, Sky and Star Class suites with different amenities. For those who have booked a suite, a Suite Neighborhood is available. This neighborhood includes a Suite Sun Deck, a Coastal Kitchen and a Suite Lounge.

In addition, Sky and Star class guests can enjoy “The Grove,” a Mediterranean restaurant only available on Icon of the Seas.

Itineraries and prices

Perhaps the biggest difference between Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas is the itinerary offerings.

Icon of the Seas is marketed as the “Icon of Vacations.” This cruise ship is heavily geared toward families due to the tremendous amount of activities and entertainment onboard. Cruise guests can choose from several 7-night options departing from Miami, Florida and visiting the Western and Eastern Caribbean.

Cruises to the Western Caribbean go to Mexico (Cozumel and Costa Maya) and Roatan, Honduras. Cruises to the Eastern Caribbean go to St. Maarten, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Puerto Rico, Labadee and the Dominican Republic.

Every sailing on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas includes a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

On the other hand, Utopia of the Seas is billed as “The World’s Greatest Weekend.” As the first Oasis-class cruise ship, Utopia offers only 3- and 4-night cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida. These cruises visit Perfect Day on CocoCay and Nassau or Cozumel. Some cruises only visit CocoCay.

Utopia of the Seas is designed for first-time cruisers who want to experience a short-term cruise on a ship with the best Royal Caribbean amenities. However, if you’re a seasoned cruise passenger and want to spend more time aboard Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, you can book a back-to-back cruise that adds up to a week-long voyage.

Both of these new ships are considered destinations in and of themselves. Icon of the Seas offers more exotic itinerary options compared to Utopia of the Seas, as Utopia’s sailings are shorter than Icon’s.

Now let’s compare the prices of these two cruise ships. I will compare the prices of both ships for three departures in July 2025. I looked at the cheapest price for an inside cabin, an ocean view cabin and a balcony cabin. I calculated the average price per person per day based on the cabin category.

Based on the data I gathered from Royal Caribbean’s website, it’s easy to see that the Icon of the Seas is, on average, more expensive than the Utopia of the Seas. This makes sense for a few reasons.

Icon of the Seas is the first of its kind. It is the largest cruise ship in the world and demand is high because people want to experience this massive, record-breaking ship for themselves. In contrast, Utopia of the Seas is almost identical to her Oasis-class sister ships. There is not much new to see on this ship.

Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, even said that the Icon of the Seas is the most successful new ship that Royal Caribbean has ever launched. The hype surrounding the Icon is real!

According to the data, a 3-night cruise on Utopia of the Seas is more expensive per night per guest than a 4-night cruise. However, a 3-night cruise can still be cheaper overall than a 4-night cruise because the itinerary is shorter.

I also found that seven nights in a balcony stateroom on Icon of the Seas costs, on average, $500 more per person than seven nights in a balcony stateroom on Utopia of the Seas (on a back-to-back cruise).

If you want to travel on a newer Royal Caribbean ship at a cheaper price, the Utopia of the Seas or even the Wonder of the Seas are the right choices. You will definitely have a fantastic vacation on any of these Oasis-class ships. But if you want to travel on the most “iconic” Royal Caribbean cruise ship, you will have to pay a pretty penny.