A personal account of life aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas has sparked heated discussion on social media about the environmental cost of enormous cruise vessels.
Writer Gary Shteyngart documented his weeklong trip on the ship’s maiden sailing in a piece that grabbed the subreddit r/Anticonsumption’s attention.
Photo Credit: Reddit
The Reddit post linked to Shteyngart’s article in the Atlantic about his time on the vessel that was built for 7,600 people. In his account, he described the ship as looking like “Istanbul had it been designed by idiots” with “vibrant, oversignifying colors stacked upon other such colors.”
He noted that the Icon features seven pools, 15 bars, and entire areas the company calls “neighborhoods.” They have shopping zones, water parks, and exclusive sections for premium guests.
His stay ran almost $19,000 for a suite with no ocean view. His windows faced an indoor shopping mall rather than the sea.
The floating resort is five times the size of the Titanic and part of an expanding cruise industry. Ships of this scale burn large quantities of fuel daily and create a ton of waste while sailing.
The Icon uses liquefied natural gas, which Royal Caribbean markets as environmentally friendly, though environmental advocates dispute these claims. The company also touts technology that converts waste into energy for powering the ship’s waterslides and other amenities.
Mega-cruise ships disrupt ocean habitats, release pollutants into the water, and create pollution through their fuel consumption.
For travelers considering ocean vacations, learning about the ecological footprint of mega-ships can help inform choices. Smaller vessels, land-based coastal trips, or rail travel often provide similar experiences with far less environmental impact.
Reddit users didn’t hold back their opinions.
“This isn’t an icon this is just straight up murdering the ocean,” one commenter wrote.
Another added, “It’s an engineering marvel but it’s also super f****** gross.”
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