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Disney Magic vs Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas
The Disney Magic was built in 1998. It was renovated in 2013. Disney Magic's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Deco styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Goofy painting the name on the stern. It's 26 years older than the Icon of the Seas, which was built in 2024. Icon of the Seas is the first in a whole new class of ships by Royal Caribbean that's designed to provide the "ultimate family vacation." It is currently the largest cruise ship in the world.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Magic is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 984 feet long and 106 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 11-story building. Compared to the Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas, the Magic is 67% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Disney Magic holds 69% fewer passengers than the Icon of the Seas based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Magic has more space per person compared to the Icon of the Seas. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
The Icon of the Seas uses a neighborhood layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.
| Disney Magic | Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Magic | Icon |
| Gross Tonnage | 84,000 | 250,800 |
| Length | 984 | 1,198 |
| Beam/Width | 106 | 216 |
| Passenger Decks | 11 | 18 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 1,750 | 5,610 |
| Crew | 950 | 2,350 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 1.8 | 2.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 48 | 45 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Magic has ten different dining options like Animator's Palate, Pinocchio's Pizzeria, and Palo. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other two options have an additional fee.
The Icon of the Seas has thirteen more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Pier 7, Chops Grille, and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar. fifteen of these restaurants are complementary and the other fourteen have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Icon of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 130% more dining options than the Magic.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Magic might be a better choice then the Icon of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Disney Magic | Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 23 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 8 | 15 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 2 | 14 |
| % of Included Options | 80% | 39% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Icon of the Seas below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Disney Magic has a total of 3 pools and 4 hot tubs.
Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas has more pools than the Magic and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Icon of the Seas. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Magic.| Disney Magic | Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 7 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 5 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 4 | 9 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 7 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 1 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Magic, 83% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Icon of the Seas, only 80% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Disney Magic | Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Aquatheater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Carousel | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✗ | ✓ |
| Character experiences | ✓ | ✗ |
| Climbing Wall | ✗ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Escape Room | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ice Skating | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Laser Tag | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Movie Theater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ropes course | ✗ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Waterpark | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Disney is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Royal Caribbean, on the other hand, is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Disney Magic | Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $18.50 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | Included | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.50 | $8.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | No drink package available | $77 - $118 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $12 - $36 per device per day | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
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