Key Aspects:
- The keel was laid for the fourth Icon-class ship at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland on Monday, September 8.
- While the ship has not yet been named, she is scheduled to debut sometime in 2027.
- Few details are known about the new ship but she will undoubtedly have a personality all her own.
Monday, September 8, 2025 is a momentous day for Royal Caribbean and the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland as it’s full speed ahead for the fourth and as-yet-unnamed Icon-class ship.
With a traditional keel laying ceremony, assembly of the immense ship has now begun and it won’t be long before the vessel begins to take shape.
“The first block of Icon 4 was lowered into the dry dock today!,” Meyer Turku announced. “As part of the ceremony, coins were placed under the first steel block to bring good fortune and protection to the vessel.”
The ceremony was attended not only by shipyard executives, but also by cruise line leadership and the team that will now be working for each step of the ship’s construction, as everyone eagerly celebrates the milestone.
Also in attendance at the ceremony was the third Icon class ship, Legend of the Seas, seen in an adjacent dock as the first block for her sister ship was laid.
The ceremonial coins will later be mounted aboard the completed ship as part of rich maritime traditions. Before that moment, however, a lot of work needs to be done to bring the ship together, which means a busy time at the shipyard.
“Icon 4 is a very significant ship for both the shipyard and the entire partner network. With this ship, Meyer Turku is further strengthening its position as one of the world’s leading cruise ship builders,” said Casimir Lindholm, CEO of Meyer Turku.
“Each luxury cruise ship of this size creates 13,000 person-years of employment, and we are constantly looking for new shipbuilders to join our team at various stages from design to implementation.”
It is not uncommon for newer ships in the same class to have various tweaks as designs are improved over their predecessors. This might be a new seating layout in a popular restaurant, expanded casino space, or behind-the-scenes improvements for ship operations.
In the case of this new ship, it is possible the Thrill Island waterpark might have some adjustments following the broken waterslide aboard Icon of the Seas.
The entire waterslide might be redesigned or removed, or it may be constructed with different materials to minimize any risk of a similar incident.
Naming the Fourth Icon Class Ship
Icon 4 is planned to enter service in 2027, but no homeport or itinerary options have yet been revealed. Even the ship’s name has not been confirmed.
While it’s traditional for a new ship class to be named after its first-ever ship, hence Icon class after Icon of the Seas, further names do seek to live up to the expectations and excitement of the class.
Star of the Seas, which just joined the Royal Caribbean fleet in August 2025, is certainly a star of the class and is already immensely popular with guests.
The third Icon class ship, slated to debut in 2026, has been revealed as Legend of the Seas. The name not only continues the “iconic” character of names within the class, but also pays homage to a former Royal Caribbean vessel that retired in 2017.
Though Legend of the Seas is the first time Royal Caribbean has reused a ship name, it is possible that may be the start of a new ship-naming trend for the line.
In that case, what should the fourth Icon ship be named? Sovereign, Monarch, Splendour, Empress, and Majesty are all former Royal Caribbean ships with names that might suit the new vessel.
My personal vote would go to Sovereign of the Seas for the new ship to reign supreme. The original Sovereign of the Seas was the world’s largest cruise ship when she debuted in 1988, beginning the legacy that the new ship will undoubtedly continue nearly 40 years later.
