Icon of the Seas Officially Joins Royal Caribbean Ahead of January Debut

It’s official: Royal Caribbean International welcomes the highly awaited Icon of the Seas to the family in a stunning ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, after over seven years of dreaming and 900 days of design and construction by thousands of experts.

The world’s largest cruise line had a signing ceremony for the first-of-its-kind mix of the finest of every vacation just two months before the new ship’s launch in Miami in January 2024.

More than 1,200 crew members and staff attended the celebration, which Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer attended.

“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 Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. 

“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 transfer of ownership, also known as the delivery of a new ship, between Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku also commemorated a series of never-before-seen feats accomplished over more than two years of construction, including the installation of the AquaDome, the single largest glass and steel structure to be lifted onto a cruise ship, and engineering more water on board than ever before across seven pools, six record-breaking waterslides, and more. Now is the time for Icon to sail from Turku to Cadiz, Spain, where the cruise line will put the final touches on the world’s best vacation before heading to Miami.

“Welcoming Icon of the Seas to the Royal Caribbean family is a remarkable accomplishment years in the making for thousands of innovators, engineers, architects and designers,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International. “Seven years ago, we had an ambitious idea to create the first vacation truly made for every type of family and adventurer; now, it’s in our hands, and in this final stretch, we’ll bring it all to life for the biggest debut in our history in January 2024.”

Whether “family vacation” means getting away as a family, a couple, or a group of friends, Icon’s all-encompassing portfolio includes firsts and next-level favourites for everyone to create memories their way every day across eight neighbourhoods.

There are adrenaline-pumping thrills, unequalled opportunities to relax, over 40 dining and drinking options, cutting-edge entertainment across the cruise line’s four iconic stages – air, ice, water, and theatre – and more. Even the rooms are carefully designed for every vacationer, with 28 different ways to stay, including the new three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse.

Icon is also the first ship in the line’s history to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), a transitional fuel. The dual-fuel engines will be used with several energy-saving initiatives and industry-leading environmental programmes on board, including the first waste-to-energy plant at sea.

Twenty-four percent more energy efficient than the standards required for ships being designed today, the cruise line’s most sustainable ship yet will mark the next step in parent company Royal Caribbean Group’s journey to introduce a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.   

Any time of year, any family and adventurer may escape to the world’s best vacation and island hop in the tropics. Each 7-night Eastern or Western Caribbean voyage departing from Miami includes stunning Caribbean destinations and an unrivalled day of excitement and relaxation at Royal Caribbean’s award-winning private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

Plus, on Perfect Day in January 2024, the private island’s first adults-only retreat, Hideaway Beach, will be cranking up the perfect with an all-day experience complete with a private beach and pools, new dedicated areas for drinks and snacks, exclusive cabanas, live music, and more.