Royal Caribbean next new cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, reached a construction milestone this week then the vessel’s keel was laid at the Meyer Turku shipyard. Icon of the Seas will be the first of three Icon class cruise ships from the cruise line and will debut in 2023.
The laying of the keel is a maritime tradition and marks the official start of construction on a new ship. The 3,000 ton steel block was placed on two coins, another maritime tradition.
“Five years ago, we began dreaming of Icon of the Seas, and now the next phase of this iconic adventure is beginning,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “As this game-changing ship takes shape, the excitement from families and travelers alike, travel advisors and our partners continues to build. Later this year, we’ll reveal the lineup of firsts and favorites that will set a new standard for vacations come fall 2023.”
Icon of the Seas will debut next year with the latest innovations and signature features Royal Caribbean’s teams have imagined and reimagined in bold, new ways, including a shift toward cleaner energy.
Icon of the Seas will be the first of three Royal Caribbean cruise ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) – the cleanest fossil fuel available to cruise ships today. Combining LNG with a lineup of Royal Caribbean’s proven applications, such as shore power connection and waste heat recovery systems that repurpose excess energy to help power the ship’s operations, Icon of the Seas will be the next important step in the cruise line’s journey toward a clean-energy future.
