A milestone in the development of the next generation of Royal Caribbean ships has been achieved as the building of the fifth ship of the new Icon Class has begun.

The company organized a keel-laying ceremony for the vessel, which took place at the Meyer Turku shipyard located in Turku, Finland, where the construction of the vessel is going to take place. As for now, the vessel has no name, but it is set to be launched in 2028.

Fifth Icon-Class Ship Takes Shape

The keel-laying ceremony marks the beginning of the actual ship construction process. At the ceremony, the first major steel block was put into place at the dry dock, marking the beginning of construction of the vessel.

Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku also continued a tradition in shipbuilding when they put new coins underneath the steel block before hoisting it up. This is done in order to bring good luck to the ship and all its voyages.

The new ship is likely to incorporate some aspects that have become a trademark of the Icon Class ship, such as the feel of a beach resort, the facilities of a resort and the attractions of theme parks. It has been revealed by Royal Caribbean that more details of the ship will be released in the next few months.

Construction Continues in Finland

The Meyer Turku shipyard is contributing significantly to the development of the new Icon Class vessels for the Royal Caribbean fleet. The shipyard has previously taken part in the construction of the earlier vessels of the series, thus providing the companies with the opportunity to learn from previous experience.

Casimir Lindholm, CEO of Meyer Turku, stressed the importance of a long-term cooperation of the shipyard with the Royal Caribbean. Lindholm said that the production of several ships of the same class helps improve the process and use the acquired experience when building the next ships.

The fifth Icon-class vessel will be under construction for about two years before being launched in 2028.

More Icon-Class Ships on the Way

The fifth ship is not the last ship that will be built in the Icon Class. Royal Caribbean is making preparations for other Icon Class ships to be built.

The sixth ship in the Icon Class will be built in 2029 while the seventh ship will be constructed in 2030. The construction plans have been made under a framework agreement between Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku that gives Royal Caribbean access to shipbuilding capacity up to 2036.

The recent laying of the fifth ship’s keel also follows closely the achievement of another ship in the same class – the fourth ship called Hero of the Seas.

As the construction continues, Royal Caribbean is expected to unveil more details about the fifth Icon-class ship, including its official name, and on-board experience.

What the New Ship Could Mean for the Cruise Industry

Expansion of the Icon Class continues to showcase the extent to which Royal Caribbean is investing in new ships and cruise experiences. Each new ship offers the opportunity to learn from the experience of the previous ships and add more elements for the benefit of the passengers.

As there are several Icon-class ships scheduled to be built in the upcoming years, the program will also help contribute to the pipeline of new cruise capacity. This expansion is further reflected in cruise lines developing new seasonal routes and growing their operations in regions such as Brazil. The construction schedule in Finland is proof of how crucial this class of ships will continue to be to Royal Caribbean’s fleet development strategy.

Conclusion

The laying of the keel of the fifth Icon-class ship by Royal Caribbean sets in motion another important step in the process of making this ship ready for launch. The ship, built at Meyer Turku, Finland, will become part of an increasing range of ships that feature a combination of resort-style relaxation, beach-themed fun, and entertainment.

Although the ship’s name and exact features have not been announced yet, they may come up as the construction of the ship continues. In addition, the upcoming construction of six and seven Icon-class ships shows that the cooperation between Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku will become crucial for the company’s fleet expansion in the coming years.