Icon of the Seas Resumes Service After Unscheduled Repairs

On Saturday, October 5, 2024, Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas returned to service following a brief pause for repairs in the Bahamas. After completing the necessary maintenance, the ship welcomed passengers in PortMiami for a seven-night Caribbean cruise.

The ship is now sailing on an Eastern Caribbean itinerary, with planned stops at three destinations: Basseterre in St. Kitts, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, before heading back to Miami.

Icon of the Seas had encountered technical issues in late September while on a similar seven-night Eastern Caribbean voyage. In a statement sent to guests during that cruise, Royal Caribbean explained that the LNG-powered ship required maintenance, which led to a reduced operating speed.

As a result, Royal Caribbean canceled subsequent sailings, including a scheduled departure on September 28, 2024, to allow for unplanned repairs. The ship was then moved to the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, where it remained for almost a week.

On Friday, Royal Caribbean informed guests of the completed repairs, stating: “The ship is ready, our crew missed our guests, and we are looking forward to resuming our normal itineraries.”

Icon of the Seas, the first in Royal Caribbean’s new Icon class of ships, was constructed at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland and began service earlier this year. Weighing 250,800 tons, the ship is designed to offer a series of seven-night cruises to the Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean has three more Icon-class ships on order, including the Star of the Seas, which is set to debut in Port Canaveral in August 2025. Additionally, a fourth Oasis-class ship is also part of the company’s future fleet plans.