Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s new game-changing ship, is setting new jaw-dropping standards and records in the world of vacations. Built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, Icon features more than 40 different entertainment, leisure, and retail spaces, including three primary entertainment venues. The Royal Theater presents full-scale productions, including the first rendition of The Wizard of Oz at sea; Absolute Zero is a premium ice-skating arena; and the AquaTheater brings adrenaline and thrills center stage with aqua shows put on by the first cast of aerialists, high divers, robots, synchronized swimmers and more.
Two of Icon’s main entertainment venues – Royal Theater and Absolute Zero – have Robe moving lights at the heart of their installed lighting rigs, while approximately 250 other Robe and Anolis LED fixtures are being used throughout the ship in 10 separate areas. The various Robe fixtures include iFORTE, FORTE FS and iFORTE FS, ESPRITE, PAINTE, Tetra2, and iSpiider moving lights, plus multiple RoboSpot remote follow spot systems throughout the different venues.
The entertainment lighting for Icon’s many different areas was specified by Christopher Vlassopulos who oversees all entertainment technology across Royal Caribbean’s ships, working closely with UK-based lighting consultant and maritime specialist Ben Couling from Tristwell Designs and Nick Mugnani from Skylight Services, together with integrators and installers Control AV based in Finland and also operating in Miami. Royal Caribbean is committed to delivering the highest standard of entertainment and understands the role and importance of good production values and quality equipment. The project was coordinated by Robe’s global maritime manager, Tony Perez, working closely with the vacation brand, Tristwell, Skylight, and Control AV in both Finland and Miami. The kit was delivered to Finland via Robe’s Finnish distributor, Lighthouse Entertainment, which played a key role in providing the best support to all involved.
Royal Theater
Seating more than 1,200 guests, the proscenium arch theater venue spans decks 4 and 5 at the forward end of Icon, and it currently stages two productions, The Wizard of Oz and SHOWBAND. Live.Music.Now. The music is played live by a 16-piece orchestra, split into two groups and positioned on both sides of the stage. Twenty-four ESPRITE PCs and 28 x ESPRITE Profiles were chosen as key fixtures, most flown in the overhead rig, with some deployed along the high sides of the stage. Two FORTE FS FollowSpots with motion cameras are running on two RoboSpot controllers positioned on the lighting bridges, with the FORTE FS luminaires on the most downstage catwalk.
There are also 32 x PAINTES in the space, chosen for their small size and powerful output positioned front of house. The perfect match of colors between all these Robe LED lights was a big bonus for Production and Lighting Designers Rui Rita and Matt Taylor who shaped the looks, drama, and narrative of this colorful and lively show, and even with many other fixtures involved, the Robe elements stand out from the rest and are at the heart of the storytelling.
Music Hall is a two-story bar, night club and lounge that features a lineup of excellent tribute bands covering numerous genres from jazz to rock. Twenty-four TetraX units are used as one of the main effects due to their continuous pan rotation, stunning flower effects, and powerful output. Four LEDBeam 150s in the same venue are strategically positioned to hit the mirror ball.
Absolute Zero is an ice arena located at the aft end of deck 5 and is the largest at sea. It’s the first to feature an oval shape that provides excellent sightlines wherever guests are seated. Absolute Zero has four FORTE FS FollowSpots running in pairs on two RoboSpot systems, which are each positioned at 90 degrees to one another around the rink, used for specials and highlighting soloists as they whizz around.
The Royal Promenade is the heart of Icon and a connector between the Royal Theater and Absolute Zero at opposite ends of deck 5. It has over 15 restaurants, bars, and lounges, including many flavors, atmospheres and favorite brands for numerous tastes. Nine white ESPRITES and two RoboSpot systems with four white Motion cameras are rigged on both sides – port and starboard. The RoboSpot system was chosen for its unique flexibility with the BaseStations concealed in a remote room off site from the main Royal Promenade neighborhood. The ESPRITES are used to pick up various entertainment functions staged around the Royal Promenade’s variety of spaces and were chosen due to their intensity and multipurpose features.
Several sets of Anolis Ambiane AP RGBW fixtures complete with 67-degree lenses are installed in The Attic, Schooner Bar, and Point & Feather. The Ambiane AP was picked for its 90+ CRI to accentuate the architectural design. When dynamic colors are needed, the Ambiane AP bursts into vibrance with its unique patented RGBW color mixing system. AquaTheater hosts a high energy water-based extravaganza including 17m- and 10m-high diving platforms, synchronized swimming, robotic arms, and fountain shows. The two dive towers are lit with 12 white iSpiiders rigged underneath the towers and on the inner sides of the stage in between them to great effect.
Up lighting the towers are 12 x white Anolis Calumma L MC fixtures picked for their durability and quality of light. Six white iFORTES, two RoboSpots and four IP65 motion cameras are in action for the high diving, slacklining, fountain shows and various other deck-defying entertainment in the AquaTheater. The flexibility of the RoboSpots paired with the IP65 iFORTE units make the perfect match and a great long-term investment. The RoboSpot systems were specified because they can control up to 12 Robe moving lights per BaseStation, ideal for full coverage of the high diving in conjunction with the 40,000 Lumen iFORTE units.
Throughout Icon’s Thrill Island and Chill Island – where guests can choose between four pools, nine whirlpools, six record-breaking water slides, and the FlowRider surf simulator among other experiences – are over 60 Anolis Calumma M MC RGBW fixtures, mainly used as accent lights for the structures and water features. The Calummas were supplied with Robe’s special Harsh Environment coating to withstand the salt, humidity, sea spray and UV conditions.
Tony enjoyed collaborating with Royal Caribbean’s creative team immensely. “Icon of the Seas was a once-in-a-lifetime endeavor, and the involvement of Robe and Anolis on this iconic vacation speaks volumes about the reputation of both brands,” stated Tony. “Inventive lighting solutions including Robe’s TRANSFERABLE ENGINE (TE) technology, the remote RoboSpot systems and fully weatherized IP65 rated products all made this job easier, and close communication with the factory in the Czech Republic ensured the delivery of top-notch lighting products for the entertainment industry. This achievement was a massive team effort from Robe’s side, with key contributors like Lorienn Cochenour, Peter Moore, the late Craig Burross, Tony Morin and Tal Janowitz from Robe North America, and international sales director, Ingo Dombrowski” he concluded.
Further information from Robe lighting: www.robe.cz
Photos: by Edwin Silva
