The Most Decorated Fútbol Player in History
Officially Names the First-of-its-Kind Vacation in Miami
MIAMI, Jan. 25,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Less than a week shy of Royal
Caribbean International's 55th anniversary, the world's largest
cruise line and world-renowned sports icon Lionel Messi – The Icon of Icon –
officially debuted the all-new Icon of the
Seas at a standout naming celebration in Miami. The first-of-its-kind combination of
the best of every vacation was the star of the show, as the most
decorated fútbol player in history bestowed safekeeping onto
the world's best family vacation, the dedicated crew and the
millions of families who will make memories on board for years to
come.
"Family is everything to me, and it was exciting to take part in
welcoming what is the world's best family vacation to Miami," said Lionel
Messi, Royal Caribbean's Icon of Icon. "Everything
I've seen on Icon of the Seas is next level. There are
experiences for the whole family to make memories that they'll
remember forever."
The milestone moment seven years in the making, hosted
by four-time Emmy award-winning
host Mario Lopez,
was held in the AquaDome neighborhood – an engineering and
experiential feat in itself that represents the record-setting
lineup of experiences in store on Icon. Ringing in the new
era of vacations was Royal Caribbean executives, crew, employees,
fans and partners, including Meyer
Turku shipyard and Inter Miami CF.
"Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50
years of dreaming, innovating and living our mission – to deliver
the world's best vacation experiences responsibly. She is the
ultimate multigenerational family vacation, forever changing the
status quo in family travel and fulfilling vacation dreams for all
ages on board," said Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO
Jason Liberty. "With Lionel Messi
presiding over the ship's naming, we are thrilled and honored to
have someone iconic for delivering memories for millions of fútbol
fans around the world and who values making iconic memories with
his family even more."
Messi, the only eight-time Ballon d'Or award-winner and TIME's
2023 Athlete of the Year, inaugurated the highly anticipated
vacation with a bottle breaking fit for an icon that has set
records in its own right. When first revealed in October 2022, Icon spurred
the single largest booking day and
the highest volume booking week in the cruise
line's then 53-year history. The Icon of Icon was also
joined on stage by President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group Jason
Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International Michael
Bayley and Icon's captain, Henrik
Loy.
"We did it! After seven years of pursuing the bold vision to
create a one-of-a-kind vacation for every type of family and
adventurer, Icon of the Seas has become a reality," said
Michael Bayley, president and CEO,
Royal Caribbean International. "Officially naming Icon marks
more than the introduction of a new ship; it is the start of a new
era of vacations, and we're excited to see tens of millions of
families and friends make their mark with memories they create
together and on their own adventures without compromise."
In store on Icon is an all-encompassing lineup
of experiences that combines the best of every vacation – from
the beach retreat to the resort escape and the theme park
adventure. Across eight neighborhoods that are destinations in
and of themselves are firsts and next-level favorites for everyone
day and night, including adrenaline-pumping thrills
like six record-breaking waterslides at
Category 6 and the Crown's Edge experience
at 154 feet above the ocean, and unrivaled ways to
chill with seven pools – one for every day of the
week – like the first suspended infinity pool at sea.
The game-changing experiences also include a
stay-all-day neighborhood designed for families with young
kids, more than 40 restaurants, bars and
lounges; deck-defying entertainment across air, ice, water and theater;
and more.
On Saturday, Jan. 27,
vacationers will get away on the new vacation for the first
time and island hop in the tropics. Each 7-night Eastern or
Western Caribbean
adventure from Miami features idyllic destinations
in the Caribbean and an unmatched
day of thrill and chill at Royal Caribbean's award-winning private
island, Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas. Plus, dialing up
the perfect on Perfect Day in January 2024 is the private island's first
adults-only escape, Hideaway Beach, an all-day
experience complete with a private beach and pools, new dedicated
spots for drinks and bites, exclusive cabanas, live music and
more.
For more details about Icon, vacationers can
visit Royal
Caribbean's website. Travelers can
also go behind the scenes to see how the first-of-its-kind vacation
was created by watching the "Making an Icon" web
series here.
About Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean
International, owned by Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), has been
delivering innovation at sea for more than 50 years. Each
successive class of ships is an architectural marvel that features
the latest technology and guest experiences for today's adventurous
traveler. The cruise line continues to revolutionize vacations with
itineraries to 240 destinations in 61 countries on six continents,
including Royal Caribbean's private island destination in The
Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay,
the first in the Perfect Day Island Collection. Royal Caribbean has also been voted "Best Cruise
Line Overall" for 20 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly
Readers Choice Awards.
Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on X and
visiting RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information
or to make reservations, vacationers can call their travel advisor;
visit RoyalCaribbean.com; or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN.
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SOURCE Royal Caribbean International