Icon OTS Inaugural details?

[Cruisesfun65]

With the inaugural sailing on Jan 27th almost sold out, I was pulled by everyone's excitement and now I have a really expensive stateroom on hold. 🙂

My question is - what will be so special on that inaugural sailing? Any special events,  celebrities, give-aways?

[flamingos]

My TA points out that they have not said that the January 27 sailing will indeed be the 'maiden voyage'.  

[crewsweeper]

Supposedly just the first time paying passengers sailed on ship.  You might find some geegaw with inaugural sailing on it.  But be prepared to endure some missteps in service.

[Biker19]

29 minutes ago, Cruisesfun65 said:

what will be so special on that inaugural sailing?

You get the privilege of paying way more than you should. 

[jalves]

Pretty much bragging rights.  That and perhaps the opportunity to buy some special logo merchandise.  

[Jimbo]

Just means 10 years from now you will still be kicking yourself you over paid for a sailing on this ship that Was Not the first sailing after all.

[Tin can]

There was quite a 'lively' thread a couple of days ago about whether this will actually be the inaugral voyage.

 

If you take the term as its strict definition of the first sailing with paying passengers I have my doubts personally. Irrespective of this I think the first sailing out of Miami will be celebrated and will be occasion.

[flamingos]

The CREW gets some stuff - we saw a guy on Voyager that had a 'Wonder of the Seas Inaugural Crew' hoodie.  🙂

 

From the Wonder's cruise, it did look like there was a decent amount of swag, and definitely better food in Windjammer.

[little britain]

P&O have just cancelled the first cruise on their new ship Arvia, which was due to leave Dec 9th, so pretty close to sailing date… anything could happen between now and January 2024. 

 

 

[Another_Critic]

I've been on two maiden voyages ... Radiance (3 night pre-inaugural) and Quantum (8 night non-stop TA).

 

The special experience on Radiance was very long delays with MDR dinner (IIRC, 75% of the staff was new).

 

The special experience on Quantum was the ship was still incomplete.  Bathrooms/Northstar elevator used as storage closets.  "Finish" workers all over the ship, running cables, etc.  Bionic bar put on a great show with all the mishaps. 

 

Still had a great time on both.

 

Edited October 25, 2022 by Another_Critic

[time4u2go]

27 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Just means 10 years from now you will still be kicking yourself you over paid for a sailing on this ship that Was Not the first sailing after all.

Yep.  I always get a kick out of how there is more than one "inaugural" sailing, when "inaugural" basically means "first".

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

Yep.  I always get a kick out of how there is more than one "inaugural" sailing, when "inaugural" basically means "first".

I’m the cruise world it seems inaugural =/ maiden/first. 

[Jimbo]

29 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

I’m the cruise world it seems inaugural =/ maiden/first. 

What about Royal's world? TBD at  a later date.

 

Ship builder is saying right "Heck it's 15 months from now I'm not going to promise you any date. You think I have a crystal ball?"

Edited October 25, 2022 by Jimbo

[Biker19]

18 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

What about Royal's world? TBD at  a later date.

RCI marketing sets the inaugural regardless of when the ship first sails - the maiden is likely to be separate. 

[Florida Fan]

My first "inaugural" was on Freedom of the Seas and have done about 5 or 6.  The first one was great...lots of great gifts and on the date advertised.  Since then, the dates have been moved around, more short sailings sold before the "inaugural", fewer gifts, and more malfunctioning.  In spite of all that, we're booked on the Jan. '27 sailing and hope again to be on the first revenue. With all the chaos, we love to say 20 or 30 years later, we were the first. It's up to you.

[PhillyFan33579]

21 minutes ago, Florida Fan said:

My first "inaugural" was on Freedom of the Seas and have done about 5 or 6.  The first one was great...lots of great gifts and on the date advertised.  Since then, the dates have been moved around, more short sailings sold before the "inaugural", fewer gifts, and more malfunctioning.  In spite of all that, we're booked on the Jan. '27 sailing and hope again to be on the first revenue. With all the chaos, we love to say 20 or 30 years later, we were the first. It's up to you.

I can see your point of view, but I will be happy to say I went on the second cruise on Icon and saved almost 50% of what it cost to be on the first cruise. This assumes nothing changes with the current announced dates. 

[taglovestocruise]

You have the joy of seeing thousands of cameras going off.  Hundreds of youtubers, cruise bloggers, tictok fanatics, plus everything being over run by top tier C&A members.  PITA cruise with 2000 crew members who have never worked together as a team.  

[Another_Critic]

13 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

PITA cruise with [substitute # for Radiance] crew members who have never worked together as a team.  

This was Radiance on the maiden voyage.

[topanga49er]

On WOS inaugural, there was a LOBSTER BUFFET in the Windjammer on day 1.  Also , pax got new "swag" each day of sailing.  Plus you get the most experienced crew at sea.  Is it worth the extra $$?  Your call...