Construction starts on Royal Caribbean’s third Icon-class cruise ship

The production of the third Icon-class ship for Royal Caribbean Group has started at Finnish Meyer Turku Shipyard.

As informed, a steel-cutting ceremony for the ship was held on January 12. The steel-cutting ceremony for Icon III marked the beginning of more than two years of construction and outfitting work.

Royal Caribbean has signed a shipbuilding contract with Meyer Turku for the construction of three new cruise ships. The second new ship in the Icon Class is being constructed in Finland with yard number NB 1401. It will be delivered in 2025.

This new series of ships will comprise three vessels with a tonnage of 250,800 GT and enough room for up to 5,610 passengers. This means the cruise ships in the Icon class will be a similar size to those previously delivered to the shipping company.

However, they will feature completely new propulsion technology – their eco-friendly LNG drive system will ensure a significant reduction in emissions.

“With Icon III, we are further strengthening our role as the builder of the world’s most advanced cruise ships. Meyer Turku’s and Royal Caribbean Group’s long-term goals are becoming concrete, and with that we are able to set new standards to strengthen our leadership in the green transition of the maritime industry,” said Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku.

The lead ship, Icon of the Seas, was delivered in December 2023, and the keel for the second ship in this class, Star of the Seas, was also laid in December. The third ship is scheduled for delivery in 2026.