cruise ship image

• A photo Photos   10k
• A stack of folders Collections   26k
• A group of people Users   1

Cruise ship

Browse premium images on iStock | 20% off at iStock

Make something awesome

• Artist of the month
• Understanding royalty-free
• Free video clip of the month
• iStock Blog
• Free photo of the week
• Free illustration of the month
• Understanding vectors
• Search Trends
• AI Generator
• Abstract videos
• Adventure stock footage
• Aerial videos
• Animal stock videos
• Animation stock videos
• Architecture videos
• Beauty stock videos
• Business stock videos
• Career stock videos
• Celebration stock videos
• Drink stock videos
• Education stock videos
• Family stock videos
• Fashion stock videos
• Finance stock videos
• Fitness stock videos
• Food stock videos
• Green screen videos
• Healthcare stock videos
• Holiday videos
• Lifestyle videos
• Nature videos
• People videos
• Science stock videos
• Seasonal stock videos
• Slow-motion videos
• Sports stock videos
• Technology stock videos
• Time-lapse videos
• Transportation stock videos
• Video backgrounds
• Wellness stock videos
• Animal photos
• Architecture photos
• Background photos
• Business photos
• Calendar photos
• Career images
• Celebration photos
• Destinations photos
• Drink Photos
• Education photos
• Family stock photos
• Fashion stock photos
• Fitness photos
• Food stock photos
• Holiday season images
• Lifestyle photos
• Medical photos
• Nature photos
• Retro and vintage photos
• Science photos
• Sport photos
• Technology photos
• Transportation photos
• Animal illustrations
• Background illustrations
• Banner illustrations
• Career illustrations
• Cartoon illustrations
• Education illustrations
• Family illustrations
• Fashion illustrations
• Fitness illustrations
• Flag illustrations
• Food illustrations
• Frames and border illustrations
• Healthcare illustrations
• Holiday illustrations
• Icon illustrations
• Illustrations of emotions
• Infographics illustrations
• Landscape illustrations
• Lifestyle illustrations
• Product mockups illustrations
• Retro and vintage illustrations
• Silhouettes illustrations
• Special occasion illustrations
• Sport illustrations
• Tattoo illustrations
• Technology illustrations
• Template illustrations
• Textures and patterns illustrations
• Transportation illustrations
• User interface elements
• Arrow vectors
• Background vectors
• Business vectors
• Cloud vectors
• Finance vectors
• Flower vectors
• Geometric vectors
• Hands vectors
• Heart vectors
• House vectors
• Icon vectors
• Infographic vectors
• Logo vectors
• Map vectors
• Medical vectors
• Pattern vectors
• Star vectors
• Symbol vectors
• Texture vectors
• Travel vectors
• Resources Search Trends Top Image Searches Top Video Searches Reverse Image Search Reverse Video Search Online Photo Editor Plugins and apps Blog FAQ
• Curated sets
• Signature collection
• Essentials collection
• Solar Eclipse
• Spring Background
• Top Image Searches
• Top Video Searches
• Reverse Image Search
• Reverse Video Search
• Online Photo Editor
• Plugins and apps
• All content
• Illustrations

Cruise Ships Pictures, Images and Stock Photos

Choose your ideal cruise ship stock photos from istock’s huge collection. our stock imagery of cruise ships features high-quality photos of ship exteriors interiors and the views from the decks of cruise ships . you can also find close-up stock images of cruise ship passengers restaurants swimming pools and open sea scenes. istock’s cruise ship images are easy to download and use making them an ideal addition to a brochure or calendar ., cruise ship deck, cruise vacation, cruise ship caribbean, cruise ship icon, cruise ships at sea, cruise ships docked, multiple cruise ships, ocean cruise ship, cruise ships usa, empty cruise ships, venice cruise ships, people on cruise ships, cruise ships norway, cruise ships florida, three cruise ships, miami cruise ships, carnival cruise ships, big cruise ships, giant cruise ships, cruise ships port, bahamas cruise ships, cruise ships in port, cruise ships at sunrise.

Our designed 3D rendered Cruise ship with blue Sky, Turquoise sea and white sand, green palm trees.

luxury white cruise ship shot at angle at water level on a clear day.

Smiling woman enjoying a day on a cruise ship and looking at view.

"Eastern Caribbean Sea - February 8, 2010: A luxury cruise ship anchors in the water as passengers are taken by ferry to the local tropical island for a day of sun and fun."

back view of young couple hugging at sunset on cruise ship

Couple relaxing and drinking wine on deck chairs in an over water bungalow. They are holding the wine glasses

The white liner sailing on blue water

Cozumel, Mexico - April 24, 2019: Cruise passengers arrive to the cruise ship to check in and board the MSC Seaside Cruise Ship which sails from Cozumel to Miami.

Cruise ship sails across a beautiful calm ocean. Deck chairs are laid out ready for relaxtation.

The collage about beautiful beaches in Saint Lucia, Caribbean Islands

Cruise Ship, Cruise Liners On Hardanger fjorden, Norway

Cruise Ship in Santorini, Greece

[size=12]Our designed 3D rendered cruise ship isolated on white.[/size] [url=/file_closeup.php?id=23610927][img]/file_thumbview_approve.php?size=2&id=23610927[/img][/url] [url=http://www.istockphoto.com/search/lightbox/12227559#c3f986f][img]http://goo.gl/7SYkE[/img][/url] [url=http://www.istockphoto.com/my_lightbox_contents.php?lightboxID=1742710][img]http://goo.gl/97EDw[/img][/url]

Sea ship graphic icon. Cruise liner in the circle sign isolated on white background. Vector illustration

Fashionable woman sitting by the pool on the empty deck of a cruise liner. Closeup, outdoor, view from above. Vacation and travel concept

Cruise Ship Vacation. Sea Travel Concept with Deckchairs on the Vessel Deck.

Sunset on a cruise ship with tables and chairs. Carefully shot scene making sure that no copyrighted ship design is depicted.Sunset on a cruise ship with tables and chairs. Carefully shot scene making sure that no copyrighted ship design is depicted.

Cruise ship moored off Mayreau Island, one of the Grenadines. The island in the background is Union Island, another island of the archipelago.

Luxury cruise ship sailing from the port at sunrise across the ocean.

Vertical picture of a large modern cruise ship.

A cruise ship passes an idyllic tropical island in the South Pacific with hammock and palm trees in semi-silhouette

Budapest city skyline and Danube river photo, Hungary travel photo

Cruise ship framed during the navigation; 3D render.

Retro style white cruise ship on the ocean

Fjord View on a Cruise Ship on the promenade deck in the Fjords of Norway

cute couple walking on cruise ship deck at sunset

Nassau, Bahamas- December 28,2021: The drone aerial view of Paradise Island and Nassau port, Bahamas.

Dining Room Buffet aboard the abstract luxury cruise ship. breakfast with sea view

A cruise ship appears on the horizon of a tropical turquoise lagoon - with a hammock in semi silhouette, shaded by palm trees

Unrecognizable woman with hat on a cruise ship looking at the view.

Rear view of young woman looking at sea. Female is standing at railing in cruise ship against sky. She is wearing white dress and sun hat.

Vector illustration. It is created in the CorelDraw program. It is edited in the Adobe Illustrator program. It is kept in illustrator eps version 8.

Vintage retro cruise ship. Vector EPS illustration design

Round tables with chairs on deck of liner

Nassau, Bahamas- December 26,2021: The drone aerial view of Paradise Island and Nassau port, Bahamas.

Alaska cruise shiip boat near glacier ice and mountain in pacific ocean

Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos islands - May 29, 2015: Cruise ship moored at Grand Turk island, the Caribbeans

Walking along the deck of a cruise ship at sea

Mature couple drinking wine out on the deck. They are happy and smiling sitting in deck chairs. The sea is in the background.

Cruise ship vacation travel Caribbean destination. View of island from boat balcony deck with railing and red lifebuoy. Tropical vacation getaway on sea.

Cruise towards Geiranger fjord on a beautiful day with views of the Norweigan mountains from the open promenade deck of the ship, Norway. Sunset over the mountains with beautiful light in the landscape.

Editable Stroke - Ship and Boat - Line Icons

© 2024 iStockphoto LP. The iStock design is a trademark of iStockphoto LP. Browse millions of high-quality stock photos, illustrations, and videos.

• AI Generator

cruise ship deck

Cruise vacation, cruise ship caribbean, cruise ship icon, cruise ships at sea, cruise ships docked, multiple cruise ships, cruise ships usa, ocean cruise ship, empty cruise ships, people on cruise ships, venice cruise ships, cruise ships florida, cruise ships norway, big cruise ships, carnival cruise ships, miami cruise ships, three cruise ships, bahamas cruise ships, cruise ships port, giant cruise ships, cruise ships at sunrise, cruise ships in port, 64,718 cruise ships stock photos and high-res pictures, browse 64,718 authentic cruise ships stock photos, high-res images, and pictures, or explore additional cruise ship deck or cruise stock images to find the right photo at the right size and resolution for your project..

• AI Generator

cruise ship deck

Cruise vacation, river cruise, alaska cruise, cruise ship vector, cruise ship aerial, cruise ship crew, cruise ship people, cruise ship sunset, cruise ship pool, cruise ship interior, cruise ship covid, cruise ship wake, cruise ship party, cruise ship dock, cruise ship port, luxury cruise ship, cruise ship at sea, cruise ship captain, cruise ship staff, cruise ship cabin, couple cruise ship, cruise ship ocean, couple on cruise ship, cruise ship dining, cruise ship side, cruise ship family, cruise ship front, 77,809 cruise ship stock photos and high-res pictures, browse 77,809 authentic cruise ship stock photos, high-res images, and pictures, or explore additional cruise ship deck or cruise vacation stock images to find the right photo at the right size and resolution for your project..

• Images home
• Editorial home
• Editorial video
• Premium collections
• Entertainment
• Premium images
• AI generated images
• Curated collections
• Animals/Wildlife
• Backgrounds/Textures
• Beauty/Fashion
• Buildings/Landmarks
• Business/Finance
• Celebrities
• Food and Drink
• Healthcare/Medical
• Illustrations/Clip-Art
• Miscellaneous
• Parks/Outdoor
• Signs/Symbols
• Sports/Recreation
• Transportation
• All categories
• Shutterstock Select
• Shutterstock Elements
• Health Care

Browse Content

• Sound effects

PremiumBeat

• PixelSquid 3D objects
• Templates Home
• Instagram all
• Highlight covers
• Facebook all
• Carousel ads
• Cover photos
• Event covers
• Youtube all
• Channel Art
• Etsy big banner
• Etsy mini banner
• Etsy shop icon
• Pinterest all
• Pinterest pins
• Twitter All
• Twitter Banner
• Infographics
• Zoom backgrounds
• Announcements
• Certificates
• Gift Certificates
• Real Estate Flyer
• Travel Brochures
• Anniversary
• Baby Shower
• Mother's Day
• Thanksgiving
• All Invitations
• Party invitations
• Wedding invitations
• Book Covers
• About Creative Flow
• Start a design

AI image generator

• Photo editor
• Background remover
• Collage maker
• Resize image
• Color palettes

Color palette generator

• Image converter
• Creative AI
• Design tips
• Custom plans
• Request quote
• Shutterstock Studios
• Data licensing

0 Credits Available

You currently have 0 credits

See all plans

Image plans

With access to 400M+ photos, vectors, illustrations, and more. Includes AI generated images!

Video plans

A library of 28 million high quality video clips. Choose between packs and subscription.

Music plans

Download tracks one at a time, or get a subscription with unlimited downloads.

Editorial plans

Instant access to over 50 million images and videos for news, sports, and entertainment.

Includes templates, design tools, AI-powered recommendations, and much more.

Search by image

Cruise Ship Images royalty-free images

24,384 cruise ship images stock photos, vectors, and illustrations are available royalty-free for download..

Our company

Press/Media

Investor relations

Shutterstock Blog

Popular searches

Stock Photos and Videos

Stock photos

Stock videos

Stock vectors

Editorial images

Featured photo collections

Sell your content

Affiliate/Reseller

International reseller

Live assignments

Rights and clearance

Website Terms of Use

Terms of Service

Privacy policy

Modern Slavery Statement

Cookie Preferences

Shutterstock.AI

AI style types

Shutterstock mobile app

Android app

© 2003-2024 Shutterstock, Inc.

cruise ship pictures - travel photography - interiors -  drone photography

Oceanliner Pictures (by Oliver Asmussen) is the largest cruise ship photo archive for photos of cruise ships, interiors, drone photography and travel photography !   The archive currently has more than 1,7 mio. highest quality photos.

A ll Oceanliner Pictures customers are from the international cruise industry. Photos are used in cruise catalogs, cruise magazines, billboards, posters, on websites, in newspapers and other media. Oceanliner Pictures offers professional photos of cruise ships , hundreds of galleries with interior views and cruise photography ! Oceanliner Pictures  mainly shows photos of cruise ships but also impressive moments of cruising,  shipyard visits and new since 2019: Official drone photos of cruise ships . The photographer and site owner has all EU licenses A1, A2, A3 for drones. Oceanliner Pictures galleries are constantly expanded, reformed and supplemented by new photos. Since 2011 member of the DFJ (German Photo Journalists Association) .

Here you can see unique pictures - more than you ever imagine!

ocean liner, ocean liners, pictures of cruise ships, ocean liner pictures, oceanliner photos, pictures of ocean liners, cruise ship interior, cruise ships pictures, cruise ship interior photos, picture of cruise ship, photos of cruise ships, oceanliners, cruise ship pictures, interior photos of cruise ships, Antarctic cruise, Amazon cruise, South East Asia cruise, Indian Ocean cruise, Northern Europe cruise, Mediterranean cruise, Red  Sea cruise, Transatlantic cruise, Alaska cruise, Caribbean cruise, Norway cruise, Western Europe cruise, River cruises, South America cruise, Greenland cruise, Canada cruise, Peru, Ecuador, Panama Canal, San Andres, Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize, Great Lakes, Sankt-Lorenz-River, Welland Canal, Indian Summer

Photo Gallery

Royal princess photo gallery.

First Look! See Photos of the New Spaces on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas

The long-anticipated Icon of the Seas has arrived to Miami -- and Cruise Critic was one of the first to get onboard !

Although a day was nowhere near enough time to cover every inch of Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, we did our best. The ship is the first of the Icon Class, and there are two more coming, including Star of the Seas , which is debuts in summer 2025. Because Icon of the Seas is a new class, there are lots of venues, spaces and attractions that are brand-new to Royal Caribbean -- and cruising overall.

Here are photos of the new spaces that you'll find on Icon of the Seas.

The Pearl Adds Light, Interest and a New Venue

As soon as you walk into Icon of the Seas, you realize that the Royal Promenade -- Royal Caribbean's signature atrium -- has changed significantly on this class.

First, the Pearl. The glass art installation, which has more than 3,000 panels that move kinetically with light and can change colors, is a jaw dropper. You notice it immediately when you arrive, and it's designed to be a focal point for the equivalent of Icon of the Seas' town square. (Remember, at more than 10,000 capacity counting passengers and crew, the ship is as large as a small city!)

But The Pearl is more than just a dramatic artwork. Besides anchoring the Royal Promenade, it opens the space and brings in light from the three-story bank of windows behind it.

While many love the Royal Promenade on other ships, it has often been criticized from those who dislike its mall-like feel and the fact that it lacks windows. The Pearl solves that problem on Icon of the Seas.

Behind the Pearl goes beyond what its simple name suggests. There's seating near the windows, while a glass sculpture of a giant whale floats above. It's a natural place to come for a morning coffee, meet up with your cruise companions or bring your computer/phone if you need to work. (All Royal Caribbean ships have Starlink for fast internet .)

The Pearl Cafe is a new complimentary venue open 24 hours. When Royal Caribbean surveyed guests on what changes they'd like to see on ships, people had two requests, food-wise, said Linken D'Souza, Royal Caribbean's vice president of food and beverage: They wanted more places for grab-and-go food and more places that were free.

You'll pay for specialty coffee at the Pearl Cafe, but all the bites, which rotate during each mealtime, are free -- and they are tasty!

The pastries are fresh and enticing, and the mushroom biryani sandwich I had at lunch was delicious. I anticipate this being a popular choice. It's a more relaxing and coffee-shop style alternative to the Windjammer buffet.

The Royal Promenade is Airier and Wider

If you fell into the camp that felt that the Royal Promenade seemed like a crowded mall, you'll be happy with the Icon of the Seas version. It's much airier and wider, for a few reasons.

One, the line decided to remove the rooms that overlook the Royal Promenade, said Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's chief product innovation officer. "By removing staterooms, we've actually gotten to a point where, in certain places, it feels very expansive," he told us.

And second, all of the venues in the Royal Promenade are open to the outside, as opposed to being closed off. It gives the immense corridor a more homey feeling and also creates buzz.

We wondered if having so many open venues would make the spaces too noisy, with sounds from one bar bleeding into the next. Schneider said that the ship would solve those issues by staggering programming -- making sure that competing bands aren't playing at Bolero's and the Schooner Bar, for example, which are right across from each other.

New venues on the Royal Promenade include Dueling Pianos, a piano bar that's bound to be a lot of fun. This space is more enclosed, which gives it more of a destination nightclub feel.

The Point & Feather is the newest pub for the Royal Caribbean fleet. As with most venues, it's open to the Royal Promenade in a way that's new for the line.

Royal lovers might notice that the Royal Promenade on Icon doesn't have the signature classic car that you see on other ships. What it does have: a statue of a dog lifting its leg that's bound to make kids laugh.

BTW, Icon of the Seas is the first Royal Caribbean ship to have its own real dog onboard. As Cruise Critic reported , Rover -- a female Golden retriever -- is a full-time crew member who lives onboard to bring joy and a sense of home to the crew (an idea that came from Royal Caribbean President Michael Bayley himself).

She was specially trained for the job of being an onboard ambassador by a company that trains dogs for movies and other productions. She celebrated her six-month birthday in mid-January and has a handler, Chief of Staff Alison Hubble, who has a longer contract so she can be with Rover longer.

I got to meet Rover during our tour, and as a dog owner myself, I'm impressed with how well behaved she was for a puppy. She ran right up to me and seemed to enjoy all the massive hugs she was getting from fans. She's going to be a selfie star!

Surfside is Made for Little Kids and Their Parents

With Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean didn't set out to build the biggest ship in the world, Schneider said. Instead, the line wanted to create "the ultimate family vacation" with enough features for Millennial families and their kids to compete with land resorts.

To that end, a huge back portion of the ship has been turned into Surfside, a neighborhood specifically built for younger kids and their parents.

Decked out in candy colors and flanked on one end by a giant pink flamingo standing near a colorful striped doughnut, the space is large enough, with enough features, that a family with young children could stay here all day.

The Carousel is a staple of the Boardwalk on Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class ships, and there's one in Surfside. Instead of standard horsies, the standing figures are beach themed, to reinforce that Southern California vibe.

The Splashaway Bay waterpark anchors the fun area toward the back of the ship. It has all of the features that families might know from other Royal Caribbean kids pool areas: mini slides, fountains to run through and a dump bucket.

It's a smart idea to put Splashaway Bay at the back of the ship and in its own neighborhood away from the main pools, as this means families with the littlest kids won't have to worry about toddlers being elbowed aside by older children.

Another smart idea in Surfside: Loungers right next to Splashaway Bay ,where parents can hang out while their kids play.

For the extreme little ones, there's also a Baby Bay area. The Surfside Family Suites -- including the fabulous Ultimate Family Townhouse -- surround the neighborhood, too. If you book here, you can have a very self-contained experience on a megaship.

There wasn't any water in the Water's Edge pool during our tour. But this pool at the back of the ship, where parents can hang out while their kids play, will have some of the best ocean views onboard. This pool will have loungers within the water, for that resort feel, and there are sundecks on either side.

Of course, if there's an in-water pool lounger, chances are good that there's a bar nearby. The Lemon Post is a new Royal Caribbean venue that has been called "the mommy and me bar," where parents and kids can get matching cocktails and mocktails. If that doesn't scream Millennial parenting, I don't know what does.

The menu for the Lemon Post is super cute, with one side listing the cocktails and the other having the mocktails. While the drinks don't actually match (boo!), the mocktails sound super refreshing and even more delicious than those with alcohol, TBH, although on a very hot day, the Slice of Life would probably be giving us life.

Remember that one of Icon of the Seas' tenets is that every neighborhood has a complimentary eatery, a specialty restaurant and a bar. In Surfside, the Surfside Eatery fulfills the free option, in a clever way -- it's a buffet almost entirely made of kids' foods!

I love this concept, and think that families will love the opportunity to bypass the Windjammer in favor of a more family-focused space with all the chicken tenders you care to eat.

Another smart move: Pier 7 is Royal Caribbean's first specialty restaurant just for families. The concept is Southern California beach food -- think fish tacos, shrimp tostados and burgers, as well as breakfast all day. The venue has a la carte prices for adults, ranging from $6 to $19, and will be free for children under 12.

Originally Pier 7 was just going to be a breakfast and lunch venue, but D'Souza was so pleased with how the menu items turned out, it's going to be open for dinner too.

The AquaDome Has It All: Food Hall, AquaTheater and Very Cool Space Called The Overlook

The Pearl isn't the only sphere on Icon of the Seas. The AquaDome, at the front of the ship on Deck 15, is also an enclosed circular area that just happens to be the ship's largest glass and steel structure. The space does double duty, serving as a Solarium of sorts -- although not adults only, as on other Royal Caribbean ships -- for relaxing during the day and as a nightlife area with shows in the AquaTheater.

(BTW, we're noticing a trend within 2024's new ships: Domes are having a moment in the cruise world. While Icon has The Pearl and the AquaDome, Sun Princess -- the newest ship from Princess Cruises debuting in February 2024 -- also has a focus on circular spaces. As seen at the Fincantieri shipyard in December, Sun Princess has an enclosed area called The Dome at the top of the ship, as well as a Sphere to bring extra light into its Piazza.)

On our tour, we weren't able to see the mesmerizing 55-foot waterfall that will dominate the AquaTheater space. We have heard that the aqua shows the cast will put on will be spectacular. Having the AquaTheater enclosed in the AquaDome also means that winds and other weather factors that affected shows in the AquaTheaters on the Oasis-class ships won't be an issue.

The Overlook -- a space that we instantly fell in love with -- is directly behind the AquaTheater. You are drawn to the expansive views from the glass here.

There's also a bar and quirky seating.

The elevated Overlook Pods are very cool, and we predict there will be a rush to get these circular banquettes. (We're somewhat amazed that they are first come, first serve -- and do not have a fee).

The Rye & Bean is a new bar on one side of The Overlook. It serves specialty coffee drinks, both alcoholic and non -- this is the place for espresso martinis.

The AquaDome Market is the complimentary dining area in the neighborhood, and it's a doozy, essentially serving as Royal Caribbean's first food hall.

We didn't sample the food here because we didn't have room for second breakfast, but we heard good reviews of the crepes from Creme de la Crepe. Personally, we're all about the various Mac and Cheese combos, and would make a no-elevator vow just to try them.

Hooked Seafood returns to Icon of the Seas as the AquaDome's specialty restaurant.

All in all, the AquaDome is supposed to have a tranquil vibe on a ship that's very kid-friendly. That being said, Schneider told us that the belly flop contests may take place in the AquaTheater so we're not sure how quiet it will end up being. Time will tell.

Chill Island: A Series of Pools and Hot Tubs, Up Against the Ship's Edges

Because Central Park cuts a divide in the middle of the ship, there's no real Lido Deck in the traditional cruise ship sense. Instead, like Oasis-class ships, the sun and fun pool areas are split, although both sides are considered to be part of the same neighborhood: Chill Island.

On one side of Chill Island is the Royal Bay Pool, the largest pool at sea. We believe them, but the pool doesn't look as large in person, especially because there was no water in it when we toured.

Schneider told us that most pools and hot tubs on Icon of the Seas, with the exception of the Royal Bay Pool, are meant to be up against the glass, facing outward.

Remember that Icon of the Seas is, first and foremost, a ship for families. So it's not surprising that even in Chill Island, the colors and vibe are upbeat and kid friendly, rather than adult sophisticated.

In fact, Icon of the Seas is so kid-friendly that the line decided to open up Cloud 17, a pool and sundeck near Lime & the Coconut, to families. (The Hideaway in Thrill Island is the new place for adults to hang out without kids.)

The new Swim & Tonic bar, where all alcoholic drinks are made with tonic, will stay adults only, by its very nature.

It's the first swim-up bar on Royal Caribbean, or any ocean-going ship that we can think of...

....(although AmaWaterways has swim-up bars on some of its river ships, believe it or not.)

We predict that Swim & Tonic will be popular.

The complimentary restaurant option within Chill Island is Royal Caribbean staple El Loco Fresh.

Known for burritos, quesadillas and tacos, along with a great salsa bar, El Loco Fresh also features a margarita bar, Cantina Fresca.

It's hard to know until the ship has paying passengers whether Chill Island is large enough to handle the crowds. Maybe it was the gray and rainy weather, but we had a hard time imaging how the space would be used and if it would be adequate during our tour. We look forward to Cruise Critic editors trying it out in a few weeks.

Thrill Island: Waterslides and Crown's Edge will Provide Screams; The Hideaway is an Adults-Only Pool (But Don't Expect Quiet)

What's a family friendly resort without waterslides?

On Icon of the Seas, you're spoiled for choice within Thrill Island, which takes up the entire back of the ship's top decks. The Category 6 Waterpark -- named not only for its six slides, but as a play on hurricanes -- is the largest at sea -- and it looks like it.

When you walk through Thrill Island for the first time, it's hard to tell which slide is which; it's a maze of tubes and rushing water.

We'll nominate the orange Frightening Bolt to produce the most screams. The tallest drop slide at sea has a 46-foot drop.

We're equally skeptical of the yellow Pressure Drop, the first open free-fall waterslide at sea. We went on a similar free fall slide at Royal Caribbean's private Island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and we're still traumatized. No thank you (but your kids will love it).

The Category 6 waterpark has several raft slides, including a few that families can go on together. The pink Hurricane Hunter is the first family raft slide at sea, with four people being able to go together. Expect to get drenched; you go through two water curtains on this one.

If dry thrills are more your thing, you're going to want to sign up for Crown's Edge, an aerial obstacle course featuring a zipline that suspends you 154 feet above the ocean. The Crown's Edge carries an extra fee of $89,99 and kids have to weigh at least 44 pounds (the entrance sign notes that anyone susceptible to panic attacks should stay far far away).

Far tamer, but still super cool, the Lost Dunes mini golf course is as elaborate as one you'd find on land. While it doesn't have some of the bells and whistles that we saw on rival ships Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, Lost Dunes has an advantage, in that it's free.

The dining area in Thrill Island is called Basecamp, and it has a mix of complimentary and a la carte items. Hot dogs and pretzels with cheese sauce are free, but you'll have to pay for the more elaborate snacks like shrimp bao buns. There's a bar at Basecamp too, for adults who want a place to hang while their kids explore the waterpark.

Desserted is an extra fee venue within Thrill Island where you can get elaborate milkshakes with tons of toppings. Adults can add shots of vanilla vodka or Bailey's to the mix.

fRight under Thrill Island, The Hideaway is Icon of the Seas' adults-only pool and sundeck. While it's for adults, don't expect this area to be quiet; as you can see, it's directly under the Category 6 waterpark, and a few decks above Surfside.

Still, The Hideaway has a nice chunk of real estate. For adults who hate sharing a hot tub with teenagers, the Hideaway whirlpools will be a nice oasis.

There's also plenty of sun loungers. Again, a perfect spot for parents to relax while their kids get their kicks at Category 6.

The Hideaway has a full bar too.

Central Park: New Venues, Old Favorites, Date Night Central

Central Park has been a beloved feature of Oasis-class ships, so it's no wonder that it's part of the Icon Class, too. There are a few cool changes that solidify the leafy neighborhood as a quieter area on an otherwise frenetic ship, suitable for date night.

For one, there's actually a way to see the ocean from Central Park, although it's not necessarily obvious. A glass atrium that shows The Pearl is part of Central Park now, which does bring in some light at ground level -- a first.

In terms of Central Park venues, Lou's Jazz 'n Blues is a new bar that is self-explanatory in its mission.

The interior looks to have just enough funky touches, like that tin ceiling, to make the venue look fun, as opposed to stuffy.

Izumi's Teppanayki and Sushi Bar has been relocated to Central Park -- and on Icon, it has a takeout window! The extra-fee venue Izumi on the Park will have rolls and other Japanese street food snacks to go. We love this concept.

(Royal Caribbean steakhouse standards Chops Grille is across the park from Izumi, right behind the Trellis wine bar.)

Another to-go concept: Bubbles champagne bar (the blue-green storefront in the picture above). More of a streetside window than a bar, Bubbles is where you buy bottles or glasses of Champagne, sparkling wine and prosecco to go.

I'm interested to see how this concept does, considering that Champagne bars on cruise ships are often empty. Maybe to go is exactly what people want? D'Souza told us that he'll be reinventing Royal Caribbean's wine program next year, with more and better selections. Cheers to that!)

Speaking of high end, Central Park is also home to Icon of the Seas' big ticket restaurant: the Empire Supper Club. Meant to evoke a classic New York steakhouse, the Empire Supper Club includes a show with your eight-course meal, which will last three hours and cost $200 per person. The courses are paired with cocktails devised by "the modern mixologist" Tony Abou-Ganim.

Before you freak out at the price tag, relax: D'Souza knows the experience isn't for everyone; in fact, the venue only seats 38 and there will be only one seating a night. In a survey, the line determined that most people who sail Royal Caribbean want to be in and out in less than an hour. To that end, the main dining room and other venues are working to get people through their meals in an average of 70 minutes.

As foodies, we hope we snag a seating to see what the fuss is about.

The complimentary venue for Central Park is the Park Cafe, a Royal Caribbean staple.

The restaurant has outdoor seating, and a nice grab-and-go counter.

And of course, Park Cafe is also home to the Royal Kummelweck, the line's signature roast beef sandwich. It's insanely popular; we've seen lines for the Kummelweck stretch out the door at lunchtime.

Suite Neighborhood Has Large Grove Sundeck, Coastal Kitchen Has View of AquaTheater

Royal Caribbean has been moving toward doing more for its suite guests and making the space more of a ship-within-a-ship concept.

Wonder of the Seas -- the last biggest ship in the world -- debuted a suite-only sundeck. On Icon, The Grove has been expanded to two decks.

There's no water in the pool above yet, but it's a nice size for a suites-only enclave. There's also a hot tub on the other side.

The Grove has a large al fresco Mediterranean restaurant where suite guests can eat their meals poolside. Because The Grove is open to suite guests, you can certainly expect to find families in the space.

Coastal Kitchen has been the suites-only restaurant on several ships. On Icon of the Seas, it's two decks -- and the already excellent menu has been elevated. Suite guests will be able to order lobster, in some form, every day of their cruise, D'Souza said.

Icon of the Seas' Coastal Kitchen also has some of the best seats in the house for AquaDome people and show watching. If you look at the photo above, you can see the primo tables that overlook the AquaDome. People at those tables won't even have to leave the dinner table to watch the aqua shows.

Now that's a perk we love.

The Ultimate Family Townhouse Is Full of Fun Features

As the most expensive suite offered by Royal Caribbean, the Ultimate Family Townhouse has everything to keep parents and kids entertained.

It includes an in-suite slide, a movie room and a spacious dining area with an interactive table that has games for the whole family.

The high-ceilinged living room comes complete with colorful couches, loungers and a TV.

Related: Icon of the Seas vs. Titanic: 7 Ways These Ships Are Not the Same

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

• AI Generator

harmony of the seas

Cruise ships, 3,409 royal caribbean cruise ship stock photos & high-res pictures, browse 3,409  authentic royal caribbean cruise ship  stock photos, high-res images, and pictures, or explore additional harmony of the seas  or  cruise ships  stock images to find the right photo at the right size and resolution for your project..

Port of Seattle expects record outcomes for local economy as cruise season begins

by Karina Vargas, KOMO News Reporter

SEATTLE — The 2024 cruise season has kicked off Saturday with the first cruise ship, the Norwegian Bliss, arriving on Pier 66. The Port of Seattle said they are hopeful this will bring a boost to the economy and tourism to Seattle.

Not only are people excited for the start of the cruise season, but some business managers along the waterfront said this is crucial for their business to strive.

The Port of Seattle expects this season to bring record-breaking numbers with a nearly $900 million dollar boost to the economy and provide more than 5,500 hundred jobs.

RELATED | Cruise season starts in Seattle this weekend after record-setting year

"The jobs, people that will be put back to work. people coming to our downtown, that is the heart of why we invest in the cruise season," said Stephanie Jones Tebbins with the Port of Seattle.

The Port of Seattle is also working to become the greenest port in North America and to phase out seaport-related emissions by 2050.

Restaurants along the waterfront like ''Anthony’s Pier 66" are getting ready to welcome more customers through their doors thanks to cruises that stop here.

“It increases our sales by twofold we’re allowed to open all of our restaurants this time of year because of the cruise ships so we definitely look forward to it," said Willie Mitchell, who manages the restaurant.

The Port of Seattle said they expect more than 800,000 passengers and 275 ship calls this cruise season. Some of those passengers tell KOMO News they came early to explore what Seattle has to offer.

RELATED | Will Seattle see more cruise ships 'plugged in' for the 2024 season?

“I imagine people coming here will boost the economy because we came in a day early just to see Seattle before we boarded the ship," said Sharon Black, who was getting ready for the cruise.

The Port of Seattle also hopes to bring more passengers this year. Last year, the Port of Seattle reported they saw 1.7 million passengers, about 400,000 more than in 2022.

Industry leaders said cruise season is the driving force behind Seattle’s economic recovery at $4 million per sailing and $920 million per season.

• Film and TV

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories , we're happy to send you some reminders

Click ' OK ' then ' Allow ' to enable notifications

Search and rescue launched after man, 20, 'jumped off' cruise ship in front of family

Royal caribbean's liberty of the seas was sailing between cuba and the bahamas' grand inagua island when the incident occurred..

Poppy Bilderbeck

A 20-year-old man is reported as having 'jumped off' a Royal Caribbean cruise triggering a search and rescue mission.

On Thursday (April 4) at around 4:00am, a young man went overboard on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas as it sailed between Cuba and the Bahamas' Grand Inagua Island .

A search and rescue mission was immediately launched by the cruise line and passengers have since spoken out about the ongoing incident.

A fellow passenger onboard the cruise called Bryan Sims told The Post that he was hanging out with the unnamed man and his brother in the hot tub 'until 3:30am'.

According to Sims, it was 'standing room only' and the passenger - who was allegedly ' pretty drunk' - was 'sat right beside [him] the whole time'.

He continues: "As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us. His dad was fussing at him for being drunk, I guess.

"When we got to them, he said to his dad, 'I’ll fix this right now.' And he jumped out the window in front of us all."

Another passenger Deborah Morrison said the crew were 'alerted immediately' by the 'yelling' which erupted.

And a passenger took to Cruise Critic Community page online to write : "Currently on Liberty, heading back from Puerto Plata. Woke up last night between 2-3 and thought I heard an 'Alpha, Alpha, Alpha'. Learned this morning that it was an 'Oscar, Oscar, Oscar'.

"Other passengers said that the lifeboats had been out around the ship all morning. Later the Captain announced that the Coast Guard was taking over the search.

"At noon the Captain announced that we would be making up time and will probably only be an hour and a half late getting back to Ft. Lauderdale , we should be docking around 7:30 AM.

"My thoughts go out to all affected by this sad situation."

Morrison added the unnamed man's family appeared 'horrified' and were 'beside themselves'.

Sims similarly describes the experience as 'just surreal'.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told the Post: "The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the US Coast Guard, who has taken over the search."

And when other guests onboard the ship woke up, many offered to help, with passenger Amy Phelps Fouse saying: "The early morning was definitely somber as so many people came out of their cabins to stare at the sea, hoping to be able to aid in finding the person."

She added: "Royal Caribbean has been excellent at communicating updates throughout the day. They have asked that people act with compassion in light of the tragic situation."

The Royal Caribbean spokesperson added: "Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share."

The search and rescue mission is reported as taking place in the sea around Cuba.

The US Coast Guard confirmed to The Post that the mission is ongoing as the man has yet to be discovered.

UNILAD has contacted Royal Caribbean and the Coast Guard for comment.

Topics:  Mental Health , Royal Caribbean , Travel , World News , Health

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.

• Passenger recalled what happened moments before man, 20, 'jumped off' cruise ship in front of family
• Rescue mission for missing cruise ship passenger who fell overboard suspended
• Eight passengers left stranded on African island after cruise ship refused to let them reboard
• Heartbreaking final message 23-year-old cruise ship passenger sent to wife before falling overboard

Choose your content:

Jack Black ‘was in Jumanji’ before he was in Jumanji

Jack black's first acting job has surprised his fans.

Cannibal claims he had an 'agreement' with his victim to eat him after death

Apple TV+ viewers hail new Colin Farrell detective series with huge twist as 'superb'

Man with 28 children and two wives opens up about how his gigantic family works and how his 'love language' is met

Advertisement

How the Key Bridge Collapsed in Baltimore: Maps and Photos

By Weiyi Cai ,  Agnes Chang ,  Lauren Leatherby ,  Lazaro Gamio ,  Leanne Abraham and Scott Reinhard

On Tuesday, a major bridge in Baltimore collapsed into the water seconds after it was struck by a cargo ship, sending vehicles on the bridge into the river below. The ship lost power and issued a mayday call shortly before it hit the bridge.

The ship, a 948-foot-long cargo vessel called Dali, was about a half hour into its journey toward Colombo, Sri Lanka, when it hit a main pillar of the bridge. All crew members are safe, according to the ship’s owners.

Follow our live coverage .

A mayday call from the ship gave officials enough time to stop traffic at both ends of the bridge. The waters where the bridge collapsed are about 50 feet deep. By Tuesday morning, six construction workers who had been fixing potholes on the bridge remained missing as divers and other emergency workers on boats and helicopters continued to search for them. Two others had been rescued, and one was in the hospital.

Francis Scott

Patapsco River

The ship left the Port

of Baltimore around

1 a.m. on Tuesday.

Where impact occurred

Direction of the ship

The ship hit the

bridge at 1:28 a.m.

The ship hit the bridge at 1:28 a.m.

Where impact

Source: Spire Global

The New York Times; satellite image by Google Earth

The lights of the ship flickered on and off as it lost power in the minutes before the ship changed bearing and hit the bridge.

Ship approached from

the Port of Baltimore

Road repair crews

Ship changed heading

as it neared pillar

Ship hit pillar

Southern and central spans

of bridge began to collapse within

seconds of impact

Northern span began to

collapse seconds later

Within 30 seconds of impact,

the central part of bridge had

entirely collapsed.

Source: StreamTime Live via YouTube

Timestamps are from StreamTime Live video.

The New York Times

The Francis Scott Key Bridge was opened in 1977 and carried more than 12.4 million vehicles last year. The bridge was one of the three major ways to cross the Patapsco River and formed part of Baltimore’s beltway.

The Port of Baltimore is a major trade hub that handled a record amount of foreign cargo last year. It is an especially important destination — the nation’s largest by volume last year — for deliveries of cars and light trucks.

Ship impact

To Chesapeake Bay

Sources: Maryland Port Administration, OpenStreetMap, MarineTraffic

Note: Ship positions are as of 2:46 p.m. Eastern time.

Overall, Baltimore was the 17th biggest port in the United States in 2021, ranked by total tons, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The bridge collapse brought marine traffic there to a standstill, with seven cargo or tanker ships stranded in the harbor as of Tuesday afternoon.

Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency for Maryland and said that his office was in close communication with Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. transportation secretary. The White House issued a statement saying that President Biden had been briefed on the collapse.

Erin Schaff/The New York Times

• Share full article

What happens when your cruise ship leaves you behind?

E ntertainment managers on cruise ships love to have their little joke. “Don’t worry if you are late back to the port,” they tell passengers on their first day on board. “You’ll get great pictures of us waving as we sail away.”

This became a reality for one Norwegian Cruise Line voyage last month when eight passengers, who missed their boarding time by an hour after a private tour, were left behind on the African islands of São Tomé and Príncipe.

Missing a cruise departure is no laughing matter. Your belongings are left on board and catching up with the ship can be expensive. 

Cruise ship itineraries are planned at least two years before their sail date. They specify the time the ship arrives and leaves port. Passengers going ashore are asked to be back on board half an hour before the departure to make sure they don’t miss the boat. 

It doesn’t always go to plan. Cruise lines rarely discuss things that go  wrong , but the latest story is not unique  – there are instances every month where passengers miss their ship. They might have forgotten to note of the all-aboard time, got stuck in traffic or caught out by a cancelled train. 

Why the ship won’t wait

Cruise line bosses refute absolutely the suspicion that captains always depart at the appointed time, even if it means leaving people behind, to encourage passengers to buy cruise-organised excursions that carry no risk of this.

Instead, they say, it is down to avoiding penalty fees. Dockers and pilots (a local captain who joins the bridge when ships enter and exit ports) are paid to be ready at the appointed hour to guide the ship out. If there is a delay, it costs money.

That sounds reasonable until you hear the cruise director, in the same breath as joking about the missing the ship, say the captain will wait if the line’s tours are not back for the all-aboard time.

No wonder cynics – usually the British, according to one cruise line executive – believe they are being scared into buying the ship’s own tours. These are pretty expensive compared with going it alone. A walking tour in Rome with Princess Cruises, for instance, will set you back $130/£103 per person while the train costs about £14 one-way.

While the British are the least trusting, they are also the most cautious and usually back on time, the exec said.

David Selby, the former boss of Thomson Cruises (now Marella Cruises), said captains would make a decision on whether to wait depending on the number of people missing, the distance to the next port and the weather.

If the ship had to go faster to get to the next port, it would use more fuel and thus be expensive. If the following day was at sea, they might decide to wait a while.

“We try to do right by everyone but we have to protect the itinerary and deliver the holiday our guests booked,” Selby said.

Your ship has sailed

One had to feel sorry for the American on a train coming back to Carnival Vista in Livorno after a day in Florence with his family. They all got out in Livorno where he realised he had forgotten his baseball cap and got back on the train, only for the doors to shut. 

The family returned to the ship, he had to get a room for the night and rejoin them in Civitavecchia , the port for Rome, which was the next stop. It was probably the world’s most expensive baseball cap.

Missing your ship in Europe is a hassle but it is fairly easy to get to the next port and with luck it’ll be in the EU. Miss your ship in South America, Asia, Australia or the Caribbean and things start to look really bad.

Chances are you’ll have to get to another country to rejoin the ship, which means jumping through endless bureaucratic hoops because your passport is on board. It’ll be very expensive and to cap it all it’ll likely mean missing a couple of days of the cruise.

The ships’ port agents are responsible for helping sort out onward travel but at the passengers’ own expense. Just occasionally, though, people take matters into their own hands.

In 2016, 65-year-old Susan Brown missed her ship in Funchal and jumped into the Atlantic to swim after it. Luckily she was rescued by a local fisherman.

Far more classily, a woman who missed her Fred Olsen ship in Gibraltar was taken by pilot boat to rejoin the vessel and clambered aboard clutching her bag of just-purchased La Senza underwear much to the amusement of other passengers.

Missing the ship might not be a joke for those who miss the boat, but at least it gives the passengers on board a good laugh.

This story was first published in March 2023 and has been revised and updated.

Find more expert advice with our guide to 22 key cruise holiday questions answered – from seasickness to saving money.

Sign up to the Front Page newsletter for free: Your essential guide to the day's agenda from The Telegraph - direct to your inbox seven days a week.

Coast Guard searching for man who went overboard from Royal Caribbean cruise off the Bahamas

Officials said the man went overboard from the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship 57 miles off Great Inagua.

By NBC6 • Published April 4, 2024 • Updated on April 4, 2024 at 5:26 pm

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a 20-year-old man who went overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise Thursday morning off the Bahamas.

"The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the U.S. Coast Guard, who has taken over the search," a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said in a statement. "Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest's family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share."

#Breaking @USCG crews are searching for a 20-year-old man who went overboard from the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship 57 miles from Great Inagua this morning. USCG Cutter Seneca and Air Station Miami HC-144 crews are conducting the search. #USCG #SAR pic.twitter.com/zZPpKOdyCn — USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) April 4, 2024

Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.

This article tagged under: