Royal Caribbean Group (RCL) has signed an agreement with Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku to order a fourth Icon Class ship for delivery to Royal Caribbean International in 2027.
The agreement also includes options to build a fifth and sixth Icon Class ship. With this order, Meyer Turku will have built 21 ships for Royal Caribbean Group over 28 years.
The first ship in the Icon Class launched in January 2024, with Star of the Seas and the yet-to-be-named third Icon Class ship launching in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
RCG welcomed four new industry-leading ships this year, including Royal Caribbean International’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.
Jason Liberty, president and CEO, RCG, commented: “Since its debut, Icon has changed the game in vacation experiences and exceeded our expectations in both guest satisfaction and financial performance.”
“This order is an important milestone for the future of shipbuilding in the maritime network in Finland,” added Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku. “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 order book.”
“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,” said 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.”
