Royal Caribbean begins construction of third Icon-class ship

The first building block was placed in the dry dock where the ship will take shape. The milestone was celebrated with a keel-laying ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.

The as yet unnamed ship is slated to enter service in 2026, with more details set to be released in the coming months. It will be joined by a fourth Icon-class – Royal Caribbean’s first new category since 2014 – ship in 2027.

A spokesperson for the line said: “Building on the new era of vacations that made headlines with the introduction of Icon of the Seas, the next bold adventure in the line-up will follow the summer 2025 debut of Star of the Seas in Port Canaveral, Florida.

“The vacation that is still to be revealed will deliver more of the unmatched combination of experiences that defines the game-changing Icon-class roster, which will continue with a fourth ship in 2027 and options for a fifth and sixth in the future.”

The spokesperson added: “There are ways for every type of family and vacationer to make memories together and on their own adventures, without compromise, from diving into adrenaline-pumping thrills and unrivalled ways to chill, like six of the fastest and tallest waterslides at sea and seven pools, to enjoying more than 40 ways to dine, drink and be entertained.”

The line’s first Icon ship, the 250,800-ton Icon of the Seas, made her inaugural splash in January 2025. The £1.6 billion ship took seven years to build and counts footballing icon Lionel Messi as its godfather.

Earlier this month, Star of the Seas – Royal Caribbean’s second Icon-class ship –floated out of the dock for the first time and into the outfitting pier, where work inside and outside of the ship will continue.