I sailed on the world's 2 largest cruise ships. The older one was just as good — and $1,000 cheaper.

Brittany ChangApr 3, 2024, 16:04 IST

Royal Caribbean' operates the two world's largest cruise ships, Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas. Here's how the two compare.Pieter De Boer

Royal Caribbean operates many of the cruise industry's biggest ships.
Icon of the Seas launched in January, dethroning its predecessor, Wonder of the Seas, as the world's largest.

Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's new mega-cruise ship darling, was deemed a success before it was even built.

In January, the highly anticipated vessel — complete with more than 40 bars and restaurants, a six-slide waterpark, and a waterfall — set sail, dethroning its less than two-year-old precursor, the Wonder of the Seas, as the world's largest cruise ship.

Before its debut, Michael Bayley, the president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, had already repeatedly called Icon its "best-selling product" yet. The company experienced its largest booking day ever when reservations opened for Icon of the Seas more than a year before its launch, it said

Despite all of this fanfare, you might be surprised by how similar it is to its predecessor.

I've sailed on both ships. Let's see how Icon and Wonder compare in six categories: size, neighborhoods, amenities, dining, cabins, and costs.

Both ships stunt the size of their competitors.

Icon of the Seas (right) can accommodate 516 more guests than Wonder of the Seas (left). Sharon Yattaw

Both vessels feel more like amusement parks than traditional cruise ships.

Wonder of the Seas' children's water playground and waterslides (left) and Icon of the Seas' waterpark (right).Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Like other Royal Caribbean ships, Wonder and Icon have eight 'neighborhoods' that serve separate purposes.

Wonder of the Seas (left) and Icon of the Seas (right) share a quiet Central Park neighborhood filled with live plants, high-end stores, and restaurants.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Many of the ships' amenities overlap, but in differing quantities.

Wonder of the Seas (left) has four pools and eight hot tubs. Icon of the Seas (right) has seven and nine, respectively.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Wonder’s Boardwalk neighborhood was my go-to.

The Boardwalk neighborhood on Wonder of the Seas (left) and the Surfside neighborhood on Icon of the Seas (right).Brittany Chang/Business Insider

On to entertainment: Both mega-ships have ice skating performances and exciting multi-disciplinary shows at the AquaTheater.

Wonder of the Seas (left) and Icon of the Seas (right) have AquaTheaters that host multi-disciplinary shows with divers, dancers, and acrobats. The new ship's theater also has nine-foot-tall robotic arms.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The layout of Icon's amenities were better than its cousin.

The mini-golf courses on Wonder of the Seas' (left) and Icon of the Seas (right).Brittany Chang/Business Insider

This is where Icon of the Seas excelled: All its exciting open-air activities were adjacent.

Icon of the Seas' waterpark, sports court, mini-golf course, and adult-only pool club are all located nearby.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

'Free' options like the buffet and build-your-own tacos and burritos bar are available on both ships.

Wonder of the Seas (left) and Icon of the Seas (right) both have Sorrento's, a complimentary grab-and-go pizza shop.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

As expected, Icon of the Seas has more dining options than its predecessor, although there are some overlaps.

Wonder of the Seas' (left) and Icon of the Seas' (right) Captain's Platter at the Hooked Seafood restaurant comes with a lobster tail, a fish fillet, and shrimp.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Nor will you find the new ship’s plush $200-a-person Empire Supper Club on any other cruise liner.

Icon of the Seas' Empire Supper Club (left) and grab-and-go sushi stand (right) are a first for Royal Caribbean.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

But if you love Johnny Rockets, you’ll be disappointed by Icon of the Seas.

Wonder of the Seas' robot bartender-staffed bar (left) and Icon of the Seas' swim-up bar (right) aren't available on the other ship.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Surprisingly, Wonder of the Seas has 65 more cabins than its new cousin.

Wonder of the Seas (left, as seen in a rendering) and Icon of the Seas (right) both have palatial multi-floor family suites that can sleep up to 10 and eight people, respectively.Royal Caribbean International, Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Royal Caribbean assigned me an ocean-view balcony stateroom on both ships.

My balcony stateroom on Wonder of the Seas (left) and Icon of the Seas (right).Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Wonder and Icon are both operating seven-night roundtrip itineraries from Florida to the Caribbean.

Wonder of the Seas (left) and Icon of the Seas (right) docked at at Perfect Day at CocoCay.Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Icon of the Seas’ name speaks for itself.

The almost two-year-old Wonder of the Seas (left) and three-month-old Icon of the Seas (right). Brittany Chang/Business Insider

I spent a night in one of the empty apartments in Malaysia's $100 billion ghost town, and I can see why very few people want to live there

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

I sailed on the world's 2 largest cruise ships. The older one was just as good &mdash; and $1,000 cheaper.