Next Icon-Class Ship Floats Out With Major Construction Milestone

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The highly anticipated second Icon-class ship, Star of the Seas, is officially floating on her own hull following a celebratory construction milestone. This is a major event as a cruise ship comes to life, and signals the next phase of her development as she comes closer to her August 2025 debut.

The ship is being built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in southern Finland, the same shipyard that built the first-in-class, world-record-breaking Icon of the Seas. Construction officially began 19 months ago with the ship’s steel-cutting in February 2023.

The entire float out for Star of the Seas took more than 35 hours as 92 million gallons of water was pumped into the construction dry dock. The doors were then opened and four tugboats moved the ginormous vessel – Star of the Seas will be roughly 250,800 gross tons when complete – approximately 1,000 feet to the outfitting pier.

Such a momentous occasion was attended by shipyard and cruise line executives, and featured a ceremonial cannon blast in honor of the workers who have assembled the tremendous ship’s hull.

Now, the vessel moves on to her interior work, the lengthy process that will truly bring the ship to life.

“Float out really marks the beginning of the next phase, where the fun really begins,” said Jennifer Goswami, Director of Product Development for Royal Caribbean. “This is when you’ll see the interior coming to life.”

The ship’s dining and entertainment venues, dรฉcor, artwork, and special features such as the AquaDome’s fountains, the waterpark, and much more will all be part of that next phase now that the hull is officially complete.

Star of the Seas Float Out
Star of the Seas Float Out

“We’re moving from an assembly stage, really heavy construction, to now the outfitting,” said Gianluca Corneli, Newbuild Hotel Director for Royal Caribbean. “We’re going to give the soul to Star of the Seas. It’s really an exciting time and it’s now the sprint to the finish line.”

Sailing on Star of the Seas

That finish line is almost a year away, but bookings have opened for the ship’s first sailings from Port Canaveral, Florida – though her very first sailing has already been cancelled due to an anticipated delivery delay.

“While weโ€™re working hard on completing our newest Icon Class ship, Star of the Seas, and after a review of the work that remains to be done, weโ€™re unfortunately forced to delay the shipโ€™s delivery date,” the cruise line said when that unfortunate announcement was made.

The new inaugural sailing is the ship’s August 31, 2025 departure.

Star of the Seas Float Out
Star of the Seas Float Out

Star of the Seas will offer 7-night Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean itineraries featuring top destinations cruisers love, including San Juan, St. Maarten, Cozumel, Costa Maya, and more.

Each cruise – both Eastern and Western – will also feature a visit to Royal Caribbean’s award-winning private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Like her sister ship, Icon of the Seas, the new vessel will have eight distinct “neighborhoods” each with its own vibe, from the family-friendly Surfside to the adrenaline-inducing Thrill Island. More than 40 restaurants and bars, 7 pools, 10 whirlpools, and more are all part of the amazing ship.

Read Also: Icon of the Seas Size Comparison – Facts and Stats

Yet she will be unique in her own way, offering exclusive options like a brand new “Back to the Future” production show.

One feature that Star of the Seas will share with her sister ship is a furry crew member that will bring smiles to crew members and guests alike. Onboard Icon of the Seas, Rover has been a big hit, and Sailor is the designated “Chief Dog Officer” for Star of the Seas.

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Melissa Mayntz
Melissa Mayntz
Melissa has been offering her expertise on cruises since 2017 and reporting on cruise news since 2021. her work has been featured in newspapers, blogs, and websites on a wide range of subjects, but cruises remain her favorite topic to cover. She has been on more than 40 voyages to the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, and more, and always has at least one more sailing booked on the horizon.

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