Royal Caribbean
Icon of the Seas
- Cruises
- 14
- From
- $820
Ship comparison
Icon of the Seas vs MSC World America
MSC Cruises
MSC World America
- Cruises
- 13
- From
- $468
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Icon of the Seas is a mega Royal Caribbean ship carrying 5,610 passengers, in service since 2024. MSC World America is a mega MSC Cruises ship carrying 5,240 passengers, in service since 2025.
Choose Icon of the Seas if you want better-rated entertainment, a better-rated spa and gym or a more active cruise: it outscores MSC World America for entertainment (10.0 vs 8.0), spa & fitness (7.0 vs 6.0) and active (7.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose MSC World America if you want a lower starting fare: its cruises start from $468 (vs $820).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Icon of the Seas | MSC World America | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Royal Caribbean | MSC Cruises |
| Ship size | Mega | Mega |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2024 | 2025 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 250,800 | 215,863 |
| Passengers | 5,610 | 5,240 |
| Crew | 2,350 | 2,138 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.4 (better) | 2.5 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 44.7 (better) | 41.2 |
| Decks | 20 | 20 |
| Length | 1,192 ft | 1,093 ft |
| Beam | 213 ft | 154 ft |
| Speed | 25 mph | 26 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 14 | 13 |
| Upcoming sailings | 76 | 206 |
| Cruise lengths | 6 to 9 nights | 6 to 15 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $820 | $468 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Icon of the Seas leads on 6 of the ten, MSC World America on 0, with 4 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Royal Caribbean
Icon of the Seas
The massive Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's newest megaship, made its maiden voyage in January 2024 as the world's largest cruise ship, clocking in with a gross tonnage of 250,800. It carries a whopping 5,610 passengers at double capacity, though the ship can squeeze in up to 7,600.
Sailing now
14 cruises on sale, from $820.
MSC Cruises
MSC World America
MSC World America became a notable addition to the MSC Cruises fleet in April 2025 with voyages from Miami to the Caribbean. This ship is the Swiss-based cruise line's second World Class ship, marking a milestone as the first in the class dedicated specifically to the U.S. market.
Sailing now
13 cruises on sale, from $468.
Questions
Icon of the Seas or MSC World America?
Which is bigger, Icon of the Seas or MSC World America?
Icon of the Seas is bigger at 250,800 gross tons, against 215,863 gross tons for MSC World America. Icon of the Seas carries 5,610 passengers and MSC World America carries 5,240.
Which ship is newer, Icon of the Seas or MSC World America?
MSC World America is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2025 against 2024 for Icon of the Seas.
Which has more space per passenger?
Icon of the Seas, with 44.7 gross tons per passenger against 41.2 on MSC World America. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Icon of the Seas, with one crew member for every 2.4 passengers against one for every 2.5 on MSC World America.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 9.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
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