Royal Caribbean Group (RCL) has signed an agreement with Finnish shipbuilder, Meyer Turku for a fourth ‘Icon’ class cruise ship to be delivered in 2027.
Also included in the agreement were options to build a fifth and sixth vessel.
“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,” said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO.
“Since its debut, ’Icon’ has changed the game in vacation experiences and exceeded our expectations in both guest satisfaction and financial performance,” he said.
“This is great news for Finland. Royal Caribbean Group’s long-term partnership will continue to have a positive impact on our employment and economy,” added Petteri Orpo, Prime Minister of Finland.
“Their commitment and investment in Finland speaks volumes about the strength of our maritime cluster and our world class shipyards.”
The first ship in the ‘Icon’ class made her debut in January, 2024 and was designed as a first-of-its-kind vacation by introducing a lineup of experiences that combined the best of every vacation – from the beach retreat to the resort escape and the theme park adventure, RCL claimed.
‘Star of the Seas’, the next ship in the series, will continue to deliver revolutionary experiences, as it joins ’Icon’, when making taking her bow in 2025 and the yet-to-be-named third ‘Icon’ class, launching in 2026.
“This order is an important milestone for the future of shipbuilding in the maritime network in Finland,” said Tim Meyer, Meyer Turku CEO.
“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.
“This is yet another recognition of the professionalism of our personnel and of our leadership in the maritime industry’s innovation and green transition. The options underline the strong outlook of our orderbook, ” he said.
With this order, Meyer Turku will have built 21 ships for Royal Caribbean Group over the past 28 years.
Royal Caribbean Group’s newbuilding portfolio continues to grow, with seven new ships on order, plus two options. This year, the company welcomed four new ships, including RCI’s ’Icon of the Seas’ and ’Utopia of the Seas’, Silversea’s ’Silver Ray’ and TUI Cruises’ ’Mein Schiff 7’.
This order also comes on the heels of the company’s announcement for a seventh ‘Oasis’ class ship, set to debut for Royal Caribbean International in 2028.
“’Icon of the Seas’ is unlike anything the world has seen before, and we’re just getting started,” added Michael Bayley, RCI President and CEO.
“We are leading the vacation industry in developing new experiences for our guests to create lifelong memories, and we continue dreaming and evolving to deliver more ways to chill and thrill.”
The new order is contingent upon the customary conditions, including financing.
