Royal Caribbean Group has signed an order for a fourth unit of its massive Icon-class cruise ships with Meyer Turku in Finland.
The latest contract also includes options for two additional vessels.
When the first Icon Class ship, the 249,000-gt Icon of the Seas, launched out of Miami in January 2024, it was deemed to be the largest cruise ship afloat.
The giant vessel reportedly cost more than $1bn, which made it one of the most expensive ever built.
The second Icon-class ship, the Star of the Seas, will be delivered by Meyer Turku, while the third, which has yet to be assigned a name, is scheduled to enter service in 2026.
Royal Caribbean Group president and chief executive Jason Liberty expressed strong confidence in the company’s ability to recoup its significant investment in building the vessels.
“Since its debut, Icon [of the Seas] has changed the game in vacation experiences and exceeded our expectations in both guest satisfaction and financial performance,” Liberty said.
“Icon of the Seas is unlike anything the world has seen before, and we’re just getting started,” added Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, the brand that is operating them.
If all options are declared, Royal Caribbean will be pumping well over $6bn into Finland’s economy. With this order, Meyer Turku will have built 21 ships for Royal Caribbean over 28 years.
This prompted Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo to describe this latest order as great news for Finland.
“Royal Caribbean Group’s long-term partnership will continue to have a positive impact on our employment and economy. Their commitment and investment in Finland speaks volumes about the strength of our maritime cluster and our world-class shipyards,” Orpo said.
Royal Caribbean took delivery of four cruise ship newbuildings this year, and with the fourth Icon-class ship confirmed, has another seven on order at Meyer Turku and French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
The company said it anticipates its newbuilding pipeline will continue to grow.
TradeWinds reported in July that there were widespread expectations in the cruise industry that it is already looking to its next class of ships.
