See Where the Thousands of Workers Aboard the New World's Largest Cruise Ship Will Spend Their Free Time When Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas sets sail in 2024, it will be the largest cruise ship in the world. The crew quarters, however, are still pretty cozy. Here's a look below deck.
Key Takeaways
- Royal Caribbean's upcoming Icon of the Seas mega ship will have updated crew-only spaces.
- The Windjammer buffet will have a live cooking station while the game room will have virtual reality games.
- Workers' staterooms are notoriously small but at least these rooms will have a new layout and privacy curtains.
This article originally appeared on Business Insider.
The most attractive spaces — whether it be water slides or sushi restaurants — aboard cruise ships are typically reserved for guests, not crew.
While workers-only spaces on Royal Caribbean's upcoming Icon of the Seas cruise ship still won't have the same amenities guests have, the future floating city's four-deck crew "neighborhood" will at least receive an upgrade. Soon, workers on the world's biggest cruise vessel will have access to activities like an outdoor bar, virtual reality games, and a multifunctional room that can become a karaoke space.
Let's take a closer look at where the 2,350 crew members on the Icon of the Seas will get to spend their leisure time.
1. Meals at the Windjammer buffet
Crew aboard Royal Caribbean's upcoming Icon of the Seas will have an updated buffet, lounge, and game room. Royal Caribbean International
If you cruise with Royal Caribbean regularly you may recognize Windjammer, the go-to onboard buffet. It's not just for guests: The crew also have their own Windjammer. And aboard the Icon, it'll come with portholes for views of the water and a new live cooking station for personalized fresh meals (which guests already have).
2. Multifunctional room
Royal Caribbean International
Think of this new space as a chameleon that can transform for different events, whether it be for karaoke, entertainment, or crew training.
3. Clubhouse
Royal Caribbean International
While guests have multiple bars and lounges, the crew has the "clubhouse." Here, workers can meet for coffee and drinks, watch television, or play games like pool. Like any guest lounge, the clubhouse will also have views of the ocean. But there's a twist: Presumably in lieu of real windows, the clubhouse will have television screens that will display a live view of the outdoors, a feature that's becoming increasingly prevalent in interior staterooms.
4. Crew pub
Royal Caribbean International
Like the clubhouse, this indoor-outdoor bar will be a go-to place to unwind after a shift. Here, crew members can watch television, take in the fresh air, and lounge around with other workers.
5. Game room
Royal Caribbean International
Guests aboard new ships like Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Prima have access to virtual reality video game arcades. Crew aboard Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas will soon have the same. The Icon of the Sea's upcoming game room for crew will have seven separated spaces with gaming consoles and virtual reality stations.
6. Accommodations
Royal Caribbean International
Historically, crew quarters haven't been as glamorous as the staterooms and suites we've seen aboard newer ships. Instead, their cabins are often significantly smaller, windowless, and even shared with another person.
The new crew accommodations aboard the Icon of the Seas won't be as large as the ship's $ 75,000-a-week Ultimate Family Townhouse. But at least it'll have a layout so unique, the cruise line has patented it.
The L-shaped room — designed with the help of crew members — will have privacy curtains, storage hidden inside the staircase to the top bunk, and televisions. However, these rooms will likely still be shared, according to renderings depicting two beds.
For general daily care, the crew's neighborhood will also have a gym, hair salon, and marketplace with international goods.
