I tried the $350 in-pool daybed rental on Icon of the Seas. It was pricey, but you get a prime spot

One of Icon of the Seas’ new neighborhoods is The Hideaway on deck 15. Located in the very back of the ship, The Hideaway is the adults-only area onboard, much like the Solarium on other Royal Caribbean ships.

Access to this area is complimentary, but guests have the opportunity to rent one of the three daybeds in the Hideaway Pool.

Royal Caribbean describes the daybed as follows: “Premium, full-sized daybeds channel beach club party vibes at the first suspended infinity pool at sea. Settle into plush comfort with energizing beats from the nearby DJ booth as your soundtrack. Whether you’re lounging with friends or jamming to the beat, these in-pool daybeds are your haven of comfort onboard. Your exclusive retreat awaits.”

I was curious to see what renting one of these daybeds would be like, so back in September 2023, I spent $350 to have all-day access to this daybed during the Icon of the Seas inaugural sailing.

What to know before reserving a daybed

The first thing you need to know before renting a daybed at The Hideaway is that it’s cheaper to reserve it before you step foot on Icon of the Seas. As I just mentioned, it was $350 when I purchased it pre-cruise. On the ship, it costs $400. This price is per daybed for one full day.

The price also varies whether you select a port day or a sea day. Picking the day bed on a sea day (like I did) is more expensive than a port day. Onboard, the difference is $100.

The daybed can hold a maximum of four guests. You can have less than that, but it makes sense to have the most people you can to save money per person.

The included amenities are meant for four people. Each daybed comes with:

• A chilled bottle of champagne to share
• Four towels
• Four water bottles

The Hideaway only allows guests that are 18 and older. If you have someone between the ages of 18 and 20 on the daybed, they will receive four complimentary mocktails to substitute the champagne the daybed comes with.

My morning experience

According to the app, I was to arrive at the Hideaway Bar at 9 a.m. I got there at about 9:10 a.m., and I was the first daybed to check in for the day. Since I was first, I was able to pick which of the three beds I wanted for the day. I selected the middle one so I could get the best views of the ocean.

The other daybeds also offered great views, and really any of them would be a solid option.

After checking in, the attendant said I needed to wait until 10 a.m. to get the daybeds set up. I am not sure why the app said I had to get there at 9 a.m. when it appeared that I could’ve come at 10 a.m. I was told I had the daybed from that point until the pool closed, which was 9 p.m.

At 10 a.m., I was able to sit down on the daybed. On each daybed was a basket with four towels, four water bottles, a Hideaway Bar drink menu, and a bottle of champagne with two cups.

At this time, there weren’t many people in the pool. The music wasn’t too loud either, so it was a more relaxing experience. All of the music tended to be remixes of pop songs, which I really liked because it created a lively atmosphere. There wasn’t a DJ until later in the day.

It was about 11 a.m. when the other two daybed groups showed up. Also, between 11 a.m. and noon, it got much busier. As more and more people crammed into the pool, I thought to myself how lucky I was to have my own large daybed with quick access to the pool. In some ways, I felt like a queen on a throne!

Many people hovered around the daybeds and put their things on the ledge because there weren’t many places to put down their drinks, SeaPass cards, etc.

Sometime around noon, I was hungry for a snack. I went to the closest restaurant, Basecamp, and got a hotdog and tater tots. I assumed I could eat this while sitting on the daybed, but about one minute after I brought the food to the daybed, a lifeguard told me no food was allowed in the pool. I was disappointed by this, but I left and ate my food while standing near the pool.

Matt from Royal Caribbean Blog joined me for about an hour on the daybed. He commented that it felt like “a million degrees” while sitting on the daybed with no shade. I did agree with his comment because I was also getting quite hot by this point.

When Matt joined me, I confirmed that there was more than enough space for two people on the daybed. With four people, I think it would be just about perfect for everyone to sit comfortably.

In an attempt to cool down, I ordered one of the Hideaway Bar drinks, the Castaway Spritz. This drink had Aperol, coconut milk, pineapple juice, mango, vanilla syrup, and prosecco. I definitely enjoyed it and it did quench my thirst.

I thought the pool water was warm and felt very nice. Taking a dip in the pool did help cool me down, but I longed for some shade.

At about 2 p.m., I was so hot that I wanted to go back to my cabin to relax in the air conditioning. I knew I wanted to come back to enjoy the daybed later in the day, so I kept the towels and water bottles on the daybed.

My night experience

After having some time out of the sun, I decided to come back to the daybed and watch the sunset from the back of the ship. This was a great time to come to the pool, and the sunset was so beautiful!

I noticed the music from the DJ was much more upbeat at this time of night. It was also louder and resembled the vibe of Oasis Lagoon at Perfect Day at CocoCay. I enjoy this kind of music, so I thought it was fun.

I assumed it wouldn’t be that busy around 5 p.m. because I thought people would be at dinner, but there were still a lot of people swimming and sunbathing!

When I came back to my daybed, I noticed a lot of people put their belongings on the daybed. As soon as I came back and sat down, pretty much everyone moved their things. I did notice this trend throughout the day. When I was there, no one put their things on the daybed, except maybe the ledge. When I wasn’t there, lots of people would put their stuff on the daybed, which is to be expected.

It was about this time that one of the groups on the other daybed left for the day. The other daybed was still being utilized.

Overall thoughts

To truly get your money’s worth, you could theoretically stay on the daybed from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. I utilized the daybed for about six hours, so I didn’t fully maximize my time at The Hideaway, but I felt like I had plenty of time to experience what it was like.

I think renting one of these daybeds would be perfect for a group of family or friends. Since I was alone for the majority of the day, it was a different experience. I still enjoyed myself, but I think I would’ve had more fun if I had other people there with me. (When I booked the daybed in September, I knew I had someone who was going to join me, but they weren’t able to sail on Icon due to unforeseen circumstances.)

The Hideaway is the adults-only neighborhood onboard, replacing the Solarium. I like the Solarium because it’s usually shaded. With The Hideaway, there are not many places to sit in the shade, especially on the daybeds. I probably would’ve stayed longer on the daybed if I had some shade. The sun would come and go behind the clouds, and I was very happy when it would be under some clouds!

The Hideaway is also a different vibe from the Solarium. Usually, the Solarium is tranquil and calm. This is not the case at The Hideaway where music is bumping all day long. If you want to feel like you’re at a beach party, then you should definitely visit The Hideaway. To take your experience to the next level, renting a daybed could be something you consider. If you want peace and quiet, The Hideaway is not the place for you.

Was the daybed worth $350? That would depend on your personal preferences. For me, I am not sure if it was worth it. I think if food and drinks (other than the included champagne) were also a part of that price, it would be more worthwhile.

I would recommend getting a group of four people to go in on the daybed to make it the most cost-effective!

It could also be worth it for you and your party if you want to solidify a spot all day at The Hideaway. Many of the chairs at The Hideaway were taken by others and they would stay there for a long time.

It’s more of a challenge to find an empty place to sit in The Hideaway, so if you want to have the best seat in the house, you should rent one of the daybeds.