Royal Caribbean Now Owns the World’s Largest Cruise Ship

Royal Caribbean International welcomed the Icon of the Seas during a handover at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. The cruise line reports that the massive ship is the first of three on order. The Icon of the Seas took seven years of design and nearly two and a half years of work to come to fruition.

Marking the milestone at the celebration were more than 1,200 crew members and workers. Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer joined as well.

“Today, we are celebrating more than a new ship; it’s also the celebration of the culmination of more than 50 years of innovation and dreaming at Royal Caribbean to create the ultimate vacation experience,” said Liberty. “Delivering Icon of the Seas represents all that can be accomplished with strong partnerships and a commitment to delivering memorable vacations responsibly, and we thank Meyer Turku and an incredible village of skilled partners for joining us on this journey. The memories millions of families and vacationers will make on Icon will be our greatest accomplishment yet.”

The massive ship features the AquaDome, the largest glass and steel structure ever lifted atop a cruise ship. It also features seven pools and six waterslides. Icon’s lineup additionally offers “more than 40 ways to dine and drink, cutting-edge entertainment across the cruise line’s four signature stages,” and more. The ship provides 28 different ways to stay, including a three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse, so there are plenty of options for every type of vacationer.

The Icon also features six neighborhoods: Thrill Island, Chill Island, Surfside, AquaDome, The Hideaway, Royal Promenade, Central Park, and Suite Neighborhood.

Icon is Royal Caribbean’s first ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), a transitional fuel that is 24% more energy efficient than the standards required for cruise ships designed today. This new sustainable ship will mark the next step in Royal Caribbean Group’s quest to introduce a net-zero cruise ship by the year 2035.

The ship is expected to depart midweek from Finland. It will first sail to Cadiz, Spain, where it will undergo its finishing touches. Icon will arrive in Florida, ready for passengers, in January 2024. CNN reports that “its inaugural voyage is set to depart from Miami, Florida on January 27, 2024 and will tour the Caribbean for seven days.”