Royal Caribbean's Icon Class fleet is about to get even bigger.
Royal Caribbean has officially begun physical construction of its fifth Icon Class ship, marking the milestone with a traditional keel-laying ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.
The new ship is scheduled to make its debut in 2028.
While Royal Caribbean hasn't revealed the ship's name or many details about what will be aboard, the company says more information about the new ship will be announced in the coming months.
So for now, we know the ship is being built and that's about it. But the start of construction is an important milestone.
What Exactly Is a Keel-Laying? If you've ever wondered how a cruise ship actually goes from an idea on a computer screen to the enormous ship you eventually see sitting in port, the keel-laying ceremony is one of those milestones.
The keel essentially forms the backbone of the ship. It runs along the bottom and center of the hull and provides the foundation on which the rest of the ship will be constructed. For the fifth Icon Class ship, the first major section of steel was placed inside the Meyer Turku shipyard's dry dock.
Over the next couple of years, that initial building block will be joined by thousands of additional pieces as the ship takes shape. Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku also followed a long-standing shipbuilding tradition during the ceremony.
Freshly minted coins were placed beneath the first steel block before it was lowered into position. The tradition is meant to bring good fortune to the ship and its future journeys.
Royal Caribbean hasn't released the ship's name, itinerary or full list of features yet. What we do know is that it will be the fifth ship in the Icon Class and is scheduled to enter service in 2028 and the Icon Class is already a pretty big deal for Royal Caribbean.
The class debuted with Icon of the Seas, followed by Star of the Seas, with additional Icon Class ships planned for the coming years.
Royal Caribbean says the fifth ship will continue the concept behind the class, combining large-scale attractions, entertainment, dining, family activities and areas designed for relaxation.
Exactly what that means on this particular ship remains to be seen. Royal Caribbean Has Three More Icon Class Ships Coming The fifth ship won't be the end of the Icon Class expansion.
Royal Caribbean says the sixth Icon Class ship is scheduled for 2029, followed by a seventh ship in 2030. That means the cruise line is planning to add three more Icon Class ships to its fleet over the next several years.
Considering how different the Icon Class is from some of Royal Caribbean's older ships, that's a significant expansion of the company's newest ship design.
What Could Be Different About the New Ship? This is where things get interesting but also where we're going to have to wait. Royal Caribbean has not announced the specific attractions, restaurants, neighborhoods or entertainment venues coming to the fifth ship.
The cruise line says the new ship will build on the Icon Class concept while continuing to offer a combination of thrills, relaxation, family experiences and entertainment. But that doesn't necessarily mean it will simply be a copy of the existing Icon Class ships. Royal Caribbean has a history of taking successful concepts and modifying them on subsequent ships.
So the big question will be whether the fifth Icon Class ship introduces something completely new or takes some of the most popular features from the existing ships and makes them even bigger or better.
We should find out more in the coming months.
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