Icon of the Seas Blocks Are In The House!

[Old Fart Cruisers]

2 hours ago, Lloyd555 said:

I went to check the Turku webcam, and see this...

The sphere being hoisted in the air.

 

 

One down - four to go!

[Old Fart Cruisers]

Another block being moved now.

 

[Old Fart Cruisers]

My original hope for the mysterious pearl being an underwater viewing lounge are not looking as likely anymore now that it has been set in place on deck five in the center of the Royal Promenade.  I’ve seen people posting in the other place that it’s starting to look more like just a glorified stairway to get from the mezzanine level down to the Royal Promenade.  However, since the Icon was billed as something that is going to be such an amazing game changer, a fancy staircase doesn’t seem to be flashy enough.

 

Looking at that huge ‘frame’ on the starboard side of the ship, I’m wondering if there might still be a glimmer of hope that it could be an underwater viewing lounge? Just imagine a scenario where the sphere is docked for passengers boarding in the center of the Royal Promenade, then lifted by a giant gantry crane and moved out the ‘window’ before being lowered into position for underwater viewing?

 

I know I may have an overactive imagination, but if this isn’t in the plans, RCI is free to use my idea on the next ship☺️

[fsjosh]

5 hours ago, Old Fart Cruisers said:

My original hope for the mysterious pearl being an underwater viewing lounge are not looking as likely anymore now that it has been set in place on deck five in the center of the Royal Promenade.  I’ve seen people posting in the other place that it’s starting to look more like just a glorified stairway to get from the mezzanine level down to the Royal Promenade.  However, since the Icon was billed as something that is going to be such an amazing game changer, a fancy staircase doesn’t seem to be flashy enough.

 

Looking at that huge ‘frame’ on the starboard side of the ship, I’m wondering if there might still be a glimmer of hope that it could be an underwater viewing lounge? Just imagine a scenario where the sphere is docked for passengers boarding in the center of the Royal Promenade, then lifted by a giant gantry crane and moved out the ‘window’ before being lowered into position for underwater viewing?

 

I know I may have an overactive imagination, but if this isn’t in the plans, RCI is free to use my idea on the next ship☺️

 

I really like the idea of an underwater platform, but where they put the pearl, they already have it boxed in. Glorified staircase it is. I do think it'll be the first thing you see when you walk onto the ship though, so it'll be a spectacular staircase. 

[Chiliburn]

5 hours ago, Old Fart Cruisers said:

My original hope for the mysterious pearl being an underwater viewing lounge are not looking as likely anymore now that it has been set in place on deck five in the center of the Royal Promenade.  I’ve seen people posting in the other place that it’s starting to look more like just a glorified stairway to get from the mezzanine level down to the Royal Promenade.  However, since the Icon was billed as something that is going to be such an amazing game changer, a fancy staircase doesn’t seem to be flashy enough.

 

Looking at that huge ‘frame’ on the starboard side of the ship, I’m wondering if there might still be a glimmer of hope that it could be an underwater viewing lounge? Just imagine a scenario where the sphere is docked for passengers boarding in the center of the Royal Promenade, then lifted by a giant gantry crane and moved out the ‘window’ before being lowered into position for underwater viewing?

 

I know I may have an overactive imagination, but if this isn’t in the plans, RCI is free to use my idea on the next ship☺️

I don’t think a underwater viewing room would be practical,there wouldn’t be much to see. It would be dark and lots of bubbles.
‘The maintenance especially as a ship got older would be a nightmare.

But they could have cameras and display it in the sphere.

[Old Fart Cruisers]

11 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

I don’t think a underwater viewing room would be practical,there wouldn’t be much to see. It would be dark and lots of bubbles.
‘The maintenance especially as a ship got older would be a nightmare.

But they could have cameras and display it in the sphere.

 

It's still a Royal Caribbean ship, so I don't know is a video display is enough.  They seem to like the idea of 'Go Big or Go Home'😁

[miraflores]

On 5/18/2022 at 9:37 AM, Old Fart Cruisers said:

My original hope for the mysterious pearl being an underwater viewing lounge are not looking as likely anymore now that it has been set in place on deck five in the center of the Royal Promenade.  I’ve seen people posting in the other place that it’s starting to look more like just a glorified stairway to get from the mezzanine level down to the Royal Promenade.  However, since the Icon was billed as something that is going to be such an amazing game changer, a fancy staircase doesn’t seem to be flashy enough.

 

Looking at that huge ‘frame’ on the starboard side of the ship, I’m wondering if there might still be a glimmer of hope that it could be an underwater viewing lounge? Just imagine a scenario where the sphere is docked for passengers boarding in the center of the Royal Promenade, then lifted by a giant gantry crane and moved out the ‘window’ before being lowered into position for underwater viewing?

 

I know I may have an overactive imagination, but if this isn’t in the plans, RCI is free to use my idea on the next ship☺️

I've heard, even years ago, that the Icon was going to have an AquaTheatre-style venue...but it was going to be in the middle of the ship, instead of at the back.  The AquaTheatres at the backs of ships often have to close because of weather, and putting it in the middle will make better use of the space.  

 

I'm wondering if it could end up looking like this shopping mall in Fukuoka, Japan.

Edited May 19, 2022 by miraflores

[Lloyd555]

 

[Fairsky84]

The sphere definitely looks like a stairway. Given its location in the middle of the ship, maybe it's the entrance to a venue along the Royal Promenade. I could imagine it's a large digital projection dome you pass through to enter a nightclub? Restaurant? Bar? Hopefully we learn more soon. 

[dalee21860]

1 hour ago, Lloyd555 said:

 

What a tease lol

[Old Fart Cruisers]

1 hour ago, Fairsky84 said:

The sphere definitely looks like a stairway. Given its location in the middle of the ship, maybe it's the entrance to a venue along the Royal Promenade. I could imagine it's a large digital projection dome you pass through to enter a nightclub? Restaurant? Bar? Hopefully we learn more soon. 

 

If it's only a stairway, why would it need all the theater seating risers that we saw earlier, with just a small area for stairs on the sides?

 

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, Fairsky84 said:

The sphere definitely looks like a stairway.

That would be a very expensive stairway/display. Whenever RCI mentions how much it costs them (45K manhours in this case), you can assume it's some venue/feature which will be heavily promoted in their marketing materials (you can see it now - "The first...........at sea").

[Fairsky84]

I bet it's something like this...https://www.coaster101.com/2019/06/22/inside-360-degree-universal-sphere-dome-theater/

 

This sphere theater in Philadelphia opened in 2019 and it's 39 feet in diameter. I don't know if that's the interior or exterior size, but it's pretty close to the 50 foot diameter of the Icon's sphere. 

[Carlos A.]

1 hour ago, Fairsky84 said:

I bet it's something like this...https://www.coaster101.com/2019/06/22/inside-360-degree-universal-sphere-dome-theater/

 

This sphere theater in Philadelphia opened in 2019 and it's 39 feet in diameter. I don't know if that's the interior or exterior size, but it's pretty close to the 50 foot diameter of the Icon's sphere. 

It looks pretty close to this. You might be right.

[Fairsky84]

Here's a video: 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by Fairsky84

[Fairsky84]

Looks like the final version of the "Universal Sphere" does not have screens on the exterior, and the seating inside looks a lot like what we've seen inside the Icon's sphere. 

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by Fairsky84

[Lloyd555]

A rising platform in the Icon sphere similar to the Universal Sphere...? 😄

 

[Tall-Cruiser]

2 hours ago, Lloyd555 said:

A rising platform in the Icon sphere similar to the Universal Sphere...? 😄

Good catch and observation 👍

[Panda Monium]

📷Hebert 

 

[skiiergirl]

Anyone have any inkling of when bookings will open? 

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, skiiergirl said:

Anyone have any inkling of when bookings will open? 

Sometime before the end of the year.

[fsjosh]

6 hours ago, skiiergirl said:

Anyone have any inkling of when bookings will open? 

 

The current opening schedule suggests September. 

[skiiergirl]

On 5/25/2022 at 9:46 PM, fsjosh said:

 

The current opening schedule suggests September. 

Thanks!

On 5/25/2022 at 5:53 PM, Biker19 said:

Sometime before the end of the year.

Thanks! 

[Tough as Leather]

I hope that we get to see the stern section with the Icon name again, perhaps completed and ready to install. There was a night time photo a while ago from one of the rear entrances. Anything like that again?

 

[Lloyd555]

43 minutes ago, Tough as Leather said:

I hope that we get to see the stern section with the Icon name again, perhaps completed and ready to install. There was a night time photo a while ago from one of the rear entrances. Anything like that again?

 

 

Try another gate other than this one 😄 Can't see much through it. 😜