Royal Caribbean is known for being a cruise line that appeals to families with kids of all ages – especially tweens, teens, and even young adults – because of the massive amount of activity choices on board. From epic water slides to riding a real carousel on the ship’s boardwalk to world-class stunt shows to hanging out in the onboard youth clubs, younger passengers don’t lack cool things to do on board.
Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest ship, Icon of the Seas, is still under construction but is scheduled to set sail in 2024 as what the cruise line is touting as “the world’s best family vacation.” Everyone wants to get that first peek inside the ship, and those who play Fortnite, one of the world’s most-played video games, will be among the first to experience Icon of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean Meets Fortnite
Royal Caribbean International recently announced its partnership with one of the world’s most-played video games – Fortnite.
Royal Caribbean: Hide ‘N’ Sea was built using Fortnite Creative. This newest addition to the metaverse is the first, one-of-a-kind adventure players can experience on Icon of the Seas before its debut in January 2024. The challenge is to hide or seek in Thrill Island and The Hideaway, two revolutionary neighborhoods only on Icon of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean terms their ship’s themed spaces as neighborhoods, and the soon-to-launch ship promises to be bigger, better, and have more of everything.
Fortnite Fans Get Early Virtual Access With Fortnite Hide ‘n' Sea
That’s right. Fortnite fans can experience the ship before Icon’s first sailing. Here’s how that works:
- Players in other Fortnite games will come across in-game portals that will drop them into the waiting area of “Royal Caribbean: Hide ’N’ Sea” before starting the match.
- Users can enter the island code 2569-9622-8657 on the island code page in the “Discover” screen to teleport directly into the lobby.
- Players can also head over to Fortnite “Party Games,” found under the “Browse” section in the “Discover” screen.
- Once the match starts, hiders will have 30 seconds to transform into a multitude of props – a sun lounger, towel pile, and mini golf flag, to name a few – before the seekers go off to find all members of the hiding team across Thrill Island and The Hideaway before the stopwatch reaches zero.
Gamers will hide, seek and collect coins in the largest waterpark at sea, Category 6; test their mettle on Crown’s Edge, an experience that’s part skywalk, part ropes course 154 feet above the ocean; parade through Lost Dunes mini golf course; and absorb the vibe and views at The Hideaway Pool, the first suspended infinity pool at sea, all while sailing the Caribbean.
Will Hide ‘n' Sea Draw More Gamers on Board?
The experience is virtual, but will it draw more gamers onboard the real Icon of the Sea? According to travel experts and planners, Icon bookings are already breaking records. Jennifer Greene, an 11-year veteran travel agent with MEI/MouseFan Travel, reported a record-breaking number of reservations when Royal Caribbean opened bookings in October 2022.
Whether Royal Caribbean’s new initiative will turn Fortnite fans into new customers remains to be seen, it sends a strong message about how Royal Caribbean prioritizes the needs and interests of tweens, teens, and young adults. Most registered 3 billion Fortnite Players are between 18 and 24 (according to Verto Analytics.) Twenty-six percent of preteens in the United States play Fortnite (according to SuperData Research.)
That’s a lot of cruise ship passengers.
The one-of-a-kind activation in Fortnite Creative is available worldwide on desktop, console, smartphone, and tablet devices. This is an independently created Fortnite Creative experience not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Epic Games, Inc.
More About Icon of The Seas
Icon of the Seas will measure 1,198 feet long, have 18 decks and seven pools, and hold 7,600 people, making this the world’s largest cruise ship. The current title belongs to Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas.
Interior staterooms for a seven-night cruise start at $1,099 per person, which includes most meals, activities, and entertainment.
Icon of the Seas will also be Royal Caribbean’s most sustainable cruise ship. Icon is the line’s first ship with fuel cell technology, and it’s powered by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), the cleanest burning marine fuel.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Jill is an expert travel writer focusing on family and adventure travel as well as practical tips to help travelers get the most value out of their vacation experiences. In addition to Wealth of Geeks, Jill has written for Business Insider, MSN, Tripsavvy, Matador Network, Canadian Traveller, and Travel Awaits. She lives in San Antonio with her husband and sons but she's usually somewhere else.