At the beginning of this month, the keel-laying ceremony of Royal Caribbean’s first LNG-powered ship ‘Oasis’ class cruise ship took place at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.
This event celebrated the official start of the ship’s physical construction. She is due to be delivered in the spring of 2024.
“The keel laying for ’Utopia of the Seas’ represents the first milestone of an incredible ship and the next step toward a bolder, thrilling future for Royal Caribbean and vacations,” said Michael Bayley, RCI’s President and CEO.
“’Utopia’s’ debut in 2024, on the heels of ’Icon of the Seas’ setting sail in fall 2023, will build on a new, exciting chapter that is set to redefine family vacations and getaways for all ages in ways we’ll soon reveal.”
At the ceremony, newly minted coins were placed on the ship’s first 948-tonne steel block.
“Today, we are celebrating with Royal Caribbean International an important tradition and milestone for ’Utopia of the Seas’,” said Laurent Castaing, General Manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
“The construction of ’Utopia’ is an exciting opportunity for the Chantiers de l’Atlantique teams that are aiming to make this cruise ship one of the most environmentally friendly ships in the world equipped with new generation dual-fuel engines.”
As the second RCI ship to be powered by LNG, ’Utopia’ will also advance Royal Caribbean’s commitment to the environment, the company said.
The cruise line’s established environmentally friendly initiatives include shore power connection to waste heat recovery systems.
