Is it Autism Friendly?
Cruise - Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean
Score: 8 out of 8 Read on to find out why
Our Approach
Our autism friendly reviews are not about rating enjoyment, luxury, or whether a visit was “fun.” Instead, they assess whether an environment is genuinely accessible and supportive for autistic people and families. Each review is grounded in a consistent set of criteria, including visible signs of welcome and safety, clear pre-planning information, disability or companion pricing, alternatives to waiting, intuitive and signposted wayfinding, clearly explained and well-signed processes, sensory accommodations, access to quiet or sensory spaces, and staff attitudes toward disability and difference. The aim is to provide practical, predictable information that supports informed decision-making, so autistic travellers can better understand what to expect and decide what will work for their individual needs.
Disclaimer: Autism is experienced differently by each individual, and access needs can vary widely. These reviews reflect observed features and available supports rather than a guarantee of suitability for every person. What works well for one autistic person or family may not work for another, so we encourage readers to use this information as a planning tool alongside their own knowledge of individual needs and preferences.
Correct as of: 18 January 2026
Introduction
Ship: Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean
Sailings: 7 night Western Caribbean and Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Jan 2025
Admittedly, I was nervous about going on Icon of the Seas with my family because at the time Icon was the world’s largest cruise ship and has only now been surpassed by her sister ship ‘Star of the Seas’. That said, Icon also looked really, really fun with a huge variety of activities, dining and entertainment.
My hope was that with her being such a large ship, that the equally large crowds would be absorbed into the space and we would have a good time. Plus even if it came with difficulties, well at least we were in the Caribbean, there would be rum and I am a pirate.
As with all of our autism-friendly reviews, the goal is not perfection, but to understand how thoughtfully the environment meets and has considered a range of needs of Autistic people.
Let’s break it down…
Signs of Safety and Welcome - Score 1 out of 1
When Autistic travellers or their parents/carers are deciding if an environment is going to be welcoming or not, we typically look for signs of safety such as an Accessibility tab on a website (with information about accessibility for people with hidden disabilities), or evidence they are signed up to the Sunflowers Hidden Disability program. These signs show that on organisation has considered and sought to accommodate our needs.
Whilst Royal is not signed up to the Sunflowers Hidden Disability program, they have extensive accessibility information on their website about a variety of disabilities, including an entire section for Autistic travellers which can be found here. Royal is also a partner of Autism on the Seas who provide select specialty cruises throughout the year with trained staff and respite sessions.
Pre-Planning Information - Score 2 out of 2
As is the case with a lot of Autistic people, I feel most confident and comfortable trying new experiences when I have extensive information about that new thing. This was especially true prior to boarding Icon as it’s huge and I was excited but nervous.
Royal’s website provides just that. There is a page for each ship in the fleet that has a quick video about what is on each ship and information about Dining, Activities , Rooms and Deck Plans. It has pictures of all of the room classes and leisure activities. Under the accessibility tab there is even a visual schedule template that you can download and customise.
As you get closer to your cruise, if you download the Royal app, you can book in times for different shows, have a look at the menu for the dining room for each night of your cruise and also see what activities are scheduled that you might like to participate in.
The only suggestions for improvement under this section would be to include virtual room walkthrough tours like the ones that current exist on Royal’s sister line, Celebrity Cruises.
Wayfinding - Score 1 out of 1
Clear wayfinding in an environment can help Autistic people and their parents/carers reduce anxiety, and promote independence in a new environment by providing predictability and structure. Icon of the Seas is an enormous ship and the floors with cabins can be a bit of a rabbit’s warren. That said, whenever you step out of an elevator there is clear signage saying what floor you are on, what side as well as what end of the boat you are on. There are also directionals pointing to what staterooms are in what direction. In each bank of elevators there is a large sign showing what floor you need to go to for what amenity. In the elevators there are electronic screens that clearly tell you what floor your are arriving at.
Waiting - Score 1 out of 1
Waiting is something that can be really tricky for Autistic people, and this was not something that we experienced at all really during this cruise.
As we pulled up to the Port of Miami, I was shocked by how big Icon looked in person. There were several other ships in port on this day and they were dwarfed by her, so as we got out of the Uber I steeled myself for what boarding would like, particularly as we are not US citizens. Well I needn’t have been because this was the smoothest process I have experienced in my life!
We hopped out of the Uber and gave our bags to the porter, and headed to the entrance. Everything after that was a blur because 10 minutes later we were walking into the main area on the Promenade called ‘The Pearl’.
This theme of ‘not waiting’ continued throughout the week. We had an allocated dining time and we got to shows early so we wouldn’t get caught in any queues. Icon, is the first of Royal’s fleet to feature ‘destination elevators’ (where you select your floor before getting in the elevator) and anecdotally it felt like much less elevator waiting time than in any of Royal’s smaller ships.
Getting on and off the ships in various ports was smooth and non eventful.
Knowing what to do - Score 1 out of 1
In this section of the review we examine how clear processes are, and how well they are communicated. This may be through signage, staff, instruction or labelling of spaces.
This is an area where Royal shines as processes were clear and well communicated e.g. things like not just having signs to say to wash your hands before entering the buffet, but also people at the entrance (the Washy Washys) guiding people (in a fun way) to wash their hands. Recreational rules are clearly explained and displayed in areas such as the pools and Flowrider (as per picture).
In addition, each day there was a visit to a port, or disembarkation, there were always written instructions in English left in our room, on the bed the day before. We certainly were never left wondering what the ok this to do was in any space.
Sensory - Score 1 out of 1
Rather than looking at the sensory environment, which often has limitations in how much can be changed, this section will investigate what considerations exist to make the environment easier to exist in.
Let’s be honest, Icon is a huge and busy ship, and for some this may be a deal-breaker in and of itself. That said, during boarding and when moving around the ship, I didn’t feel the crowds and noise as much as I have on similarly-sized and even smaller ships.
I think this is due to a few pieces of clever design. On many ships most pools and hot-tubs are clustered together. On this ship, they are spread out on multiple decks, with some pools and hot-tubs out in the middle of decks, with others tucked away a bit more so the crowds disperse more. There is also a pool deck specially designed for younger, louder children on a lower deck and more of a loud, party vibe at the infinity pool at the back of the ship. So you have choice and control about what vibe you want to experience. In addition, there are an adequate amount of activities to cater for the amount of people on the ship.
Unlike on the Quantum class of ships, the smoking spot is placed well away from any main recreation areas which is such a win for anyone with a smell sensitivity. For sensory seekers there are also multiple play spaces where sensory seekers can get their wriggles out.
One area that Royal does really well in regard to sensory are the warning messages before sounding any alarms. They also start off softer and increase in volume which gives passengers time to cover their ears and isn’t startling.
A feature that would be really helpful for Autistic travellers would be access to loan weighted blankets, so we don’t have to use the bulk of our luggage allowance on a weighted blanket. Lastly, having a collection of sensory tools that can be borrowed would also be a welcome addition.
Staff - Score 1 out of 1
In this section of the review we look at how the staff interact with the members of our travel-party, particularly my son, Bear who has higher support needs and is more ‘obviously autistic’. During the cruise, Bear interacted with recreation staff, dining staff and those from guest services. All staff we encountered treated him with respect, patience and kindness.
Bear’s favourite thing to do is thrill-seeking activities. One thing I am always nervous about is how the people he needs to interact with will treat him because he needs a little time and patience. In this photo, the crew member staffing the ‘Frightening Bolt’ drop slide, was patient and modelled the posture Bear needed to do to go on the drop slide. Crew like this make a huge difference to our experience.
Would I visit again?
Yes, absolutely! This will be a class of ship I will be re-visiting again any opportunity I get. We found it autism-friendly and apart from everything mentioned in this AF review, we also loved the entertainment, food, First Dog Officer Rover, staterooms and…just everything!
That said, when making a choice for yourself and your family about going on any Icon class ship, really consider whether the size and capacity of this class of ship will be overwhelming.
Suggestions For Self-Support
If you are sound sensitive, make sure to pack a pair of ear-defenders, headphones or Loops as even with Icon’s excellent design elements, it is still huge and busy.
We found that if the main pool was busy, if we walked around we could usually find pools and spas that were less busy. Also, few people used the main pool in the evening.
Ensure to book shows on the Royal Caribbean app as soon as possible because they are popular. We also found turning up as early as possible helpful in finding a seat and settling in before crowds got there.
If you have an Autistic child who has a developmental delay that means it would be beneficial for them to be in a younger Kids’ Club, Royal offers this flexibility. Just go and speak with the staff about what their individual needs are when you register them.
If you need a weighted blanket to sleep, make sure to bring these with you.
We also take a really light blackout curtain and some magnets (the ceiling of cruise cabins are magnetic) with us. We hang it at night because cruise dad wakes up earlier than us and can come and go without letting light from the hall stream in.
Bonus info: this one isn’t an autism support tip, but if you are using the sofa bed on Icon, it is FIRM. We always take a mattress topper (as seen in this pic) or you can ask your cabin attendant for some extra doonas. We seriously have a bag just for the weighted blanket, mattress topper and blackout curtains - luckily we pack light for other things. I just don’t mess around with my sleep quality.
Accessibility for people with hidden disabilities, including autism, is still relatively new for many organisations, and in many cases these needs simply haven’t been fully considered yet. That doesn’t always reflect a lack of care, but rather a lack of awareness, experience, or guidance. By asking questions, sharing feedback, and advocating for clearer information and more inclusive practices, travellers can play an important role in shaping change. Every conversation, request, and piece of feedback helps signal that accessibility matters, and that autistic people and families belong in these spaces too. So if there is somewhere close that you would love to visit but you don’t feel they are quite there yet, take a minute to gently advocate for change. The more families like ours that ask for and expect inclusion, the more likely it will happen.
There are organisations globally you can assist organisations in improve their ‘autism friendliness’ in Australia, the USA and the UK. If you want to point these organisations in the direction of support in doing this work, these include:
Australia / New Zealand: Aspect’s Autism Friendly
USA: IBCCES Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) program and Autism Friendly Club
UK: National Autistic Society