An employee on the world’s largest cruise ship Icon of the Seas, has offered a glimpse of what passengers can expect when they board at the end of the month, with everything from Japanese cuisine to mini golf on the menu.
Erica DePascale, who uses the handle @ericafromamerica on her social media channels, boarded the 1,198 foot-long, 250,800-tonne ship in Cádiz, Spain, on December 22 and she arrived in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on January 2.
While on the 20-deck ship, Erica reveals that she and her co-workers have been ‘stress testing’ all of the facilities on board, to make sure they work before guests set sail on January 27 from Miami, Florida, for a seven-night dash around the Caribbean.
In one of her TikToks, Erica shows how she dined at the ship’s Japanese restaurant Izumi (one of over 20 eateries on the ship) on Christmas Day and she described the food as ‘amazing as usual’ with a big bowl of ramen bringing her ‘back to life.’
Erica DePascale boarded the 1,198 foot-long, 250,800-tonne ship in Cádiz, Spain , on December 22 and she arrived in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on January 2
In one of her TikToks, Erica shows how she dined at the ship’s Japanese restaurant Izumi (one of over 20 eateries on the ship) on Christmas Day and she described the food as ‘amazing’
The 20-deck ship will set sail with passengers on January 27 from Miami, Florida, for a seven-night dash around the Caribbean
Later they had a crew show and a session of bingo in one of the ship’s theatre spaces, which she said was great fun.
Some of the other facilities Erica got to check out included laser tag, which she described as ‘such a cool experience,’ while she tested her mini golfing skills at the Lost Dunes course on the ship’s upper deck.
The ship’s roof decks are also home to one of the largest water parks at sea, and Erica’s footage gives a sneak peak of some of the standout attractions, with colorful looping slides and a 40,000 gallon swimming pool yet to be filled.
In one clip, staff members including the ship’s Santa Claus can be seen giving FlowRider, a 40-foot-long surf simulator, a whirl.
In her latest TikTok, Erica can be seen getting ready for the ship’s first New Year’s Eve extravaganza reserved for crew only and she reveals that for the occasion, Royal Caribbean let her check into one of the ship’s most exclusive suites for the night.
The Ultimate Family Townhouse can sleep eight and has its own sundeck, indoor slide, a karaoke room and various balconies.
Seven nights will set families back an eyewatering $85,000 but Erica is yet to post her verdict on the three-level suite.
When the cruise pro first got to the ship in Spain, it was in a dry dock and not in the water and she got to go on a tour underneath the giant structure.
Some of the other facilities Erica got to check out included laser tag and the ‘overlook pods’
The cruise worker and influencer tested her mini golfing skills at the Lost Dunes course on the ship’s upper deck
She said of the walk around: ‘I’ve done it before on Mariner of the Sea but to be able to go underneath the world’s largest cruise ship.
‘It was like walking through a cave that was pitch black.
‘I mean we literally were walking underneath the ship, with our heads touching the bottom of the ship.
‘It was a once in a lifetime experience. I almost teared up inside.’
Ahead of setting sail, Erica said she saw the ship transform with ‘lots of construction happening, lots of artwork being installed, [and] a lot of testing being done.’
‘It’s just so awesome to see how the ship transforms every single day,’ she told her fans.
In total, the ship features eight different ‘neighborhoods,’ with these including Central Park decked out with four living walls, and The Hideaway with the first suspended infinity pool at sea.
Chill Island also promises to be a crowd pleaser among cruisegoers, with a swim up bar called Swim & Tonic.
The ship’s roof decks are also home to one of the largest water parks at sea, and Erica’s footage gives a sneak peak of some of the standout attractions
In total, the ship features eight different ‘neighborhoods,’ with these including Central Park decked out with four living walls
The cruise ship cost cruise-line company Royal Caribbean $2 billion to build and it took years to put together
Icon of the Sea’s inaugural sailing will include a stop at ‘Perfect Day at CocoCay’, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.
Prices for this year’s schedule of a seven-night cruise across the Caribbean start at around $1,800.
However, so far almost all ‘staterooms’ have been reserved and paid for, with those still up for grabs costing between $4,793 and $7,121.
The cruise ship cost cruise-line company Royal Caribbean $2 billion to build and it took years to put together.
It can carry up to 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew and promises to be one of the most eco-friendly vessels ever built.
It is powered by liquified natural gas which runs six engines, generating 67,500 kW (90,520 hp) of power.
Royal Caribbean chief executive Michael Bayley said: ‘Looking at the energy and time that has gone into this ship, it’s mind-blowing.’
Erica was among 500 workers to set sail on Icon of the Sea’s first major journey, with 500 more joining along the way and more set to join before holidaymakers get to see it for themselves.
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