Royal Caribbean Group announced a significant expansion of its Royal Caribbean International cruise line fleet by 2027. Securing a contract with Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku for the construction of a fourth Icon Class ship, the agreement also includes options for fifth and sixth vessels.
Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, said, “Building on the incredible momentum and market response to the launch of Icon of the Seas and the excitement for its sister ship, Star of the Seas, coming in 2025, we’re thrilled to join with Meyer Turku once again to expand our roster of Icon Class ships and continue our future growth plans.”
He continued, “Since its debut, Icon has changed the game in vacation experiences and exceeded our expectations in both guest satisfaction and financial performance.”
The initial Icon Class ship, Icon of the Seas, launched January 27, 2024, and became the world’s largest passenger vessel weighing 250,800 gross tons and accommodating up to 5,610 passengers at double capacity, as well as 2,350 crew members.
Homeported in Miami, the ship offers voyages across the Caribbean, including destinations like Roatan, Honduras; Cozumel, Mexico; and Puerto Rico. It also calls regularly at Royal Caribbean’s private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
The next ship, Star of the Seas, which will also weigh 250,800 gross tons and carry the same passenger load, is currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard.
Scheduled to launch in 2025, it will be slightly bigger than her sister, taking over the position as the world’s largest. It will homeport out of Port Canaveral, Florida, when it embarks on its first voyage on August 31, 2025.
A third unnamed ship is also in the works to debut in 2026, with four Icon Class vessels sailing by 2027. The fourth ship is also unnamed at this time.
Read Also: Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas – A Giant Comparison
Each ship is being sustainably constructed with energy-efficient technologies, including a combination of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fuel cell technology to provide cleaner-burning fuel, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve air quality.
“With Icon of the Seas, our team, consisting of the shipyard and partners, have built an extraordinary ship in respect of naval architecture, energy efficiency, and customer experience,” said Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku.
The ship and its sisters will also feature a state-of-the-art waste management system to reduce waste production, an advanced water treatment system to purify and reuse wastewater, and an advanced air conditioning system to recycle energy and reduce overall consumption.
Aggressive Expansion and Growth
Icon of the Seas, the first of the Icon Class, spans 20 decks and is notable for its array of amenities and attractions. The AquaDome, for instance, is the largest water park at sea and includes the impressive Crown’s Edge and its thrilling slides and water experiences.
The ship also introduced the Surfside neighborhood, a family-focused area featuring the Splashaway Bay water park.
With the addition of the fourth Icon Class ship, this will be the 21st ship Meyer Turku has built for the Royal Caribbean Group. Finland’s Prime Minister, Peter Orpo, weighed in on the partnership, saying it “will continue to have a positive impact on our employment and economy. Their commitment and investment in Finland speaks volumes about the strength of our maritime cluster and our world class shipyards.”
Royal Caribbean Group, which also owns Silversea Cruises and TUI Cruises, has been expanding in 2024, debuting the 236,473-gross-ton Utopia of the Seas under Royal Caribbean International on July 20, 2024.
The ship, accommodating 5,668 passengers, is operating 3- and 4-night cruises to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral.
Additionally, Silversea’s 728-passenger Silver Ray and TUI Cruises’ 2,894-guest Mein Schiff 7 were also introduced in May 14 and June 21, 2024, respectively.
The result of its growth has led to record bookings for Royal Caribbean Group, which reported $4.1 billion in revenue in Q2 of 2024. The company anticipates a 68 percent year-over-year increase as excitement builds for its upcoming offerings.
