Meyer and the inked newbuilding agreement Turku might see the Miami-based cruise liner build up to three more of these kinds of vessels. Meyer The Royal Caribbean Group has placed an order for a fourth of its massive Icon-class cruise ships with Turku, Finland.

The latest agreement includes two more vessel options. When the 249,000-GT Icon of the Seas, the first vessel of the Icon Class, sailed from Miami in January 2024, it was regarded as the largest cruise ship globally. At a cost of more than $1 billion, the massive ship was reportedly one of the most expensive ever built.

Meyer Turku is set to deliver the second Icon-class ship, the Star of the Seas, and the third, which does not yet have a name, is expected to go into service in 2026.
Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, expressed great confidence in the company’s capacity to recover its substantial investment in the vessel’s construction.

Liberty stated, “Since its launch, Icon [of the Seas] has revolutionized the vacation experience and surpassed our expectations in both guest satisfaction and financial performance.”

The company running them, Royal Caribbean International, president and CEO Michael Bayley, continued, “Icon of the Seas is unlike anything the world has seen before, and we’re just getting started.”

Should all options be exercised, Royal Caribbean is expected to contribute more than $6 billion to Finland’s economy. Meyer Turku will have completed 28 years and 21 ships for Royal Caribbean with this order.

Petteri Orpo, the prime minister of Finland, responded by calling this most recent order “great news for Finland.”
“Our economy and employment will continue to benefit from Royal Caribbean Group’s long-term partnership.” Their dedication to and investment in Finland is a testament to the strength of our world-class shipyards and marine cluster, according to Orpo.

This year, Royal Caribbean received four brand-new cruise ships from Meyer Turku and French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique. With the confirmation of the fourth Icon-class ship, the company now has seven more ships on order.

The business stated that it expects its pipeline for new construction to keep expanding.

According to a July TradeWinds article, there were high hopes in the cruise industry that it was already planning for its next generation of ships.