Royal Caribbean Extends Icon Class Fleet With Huge New Order

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Royal Caribbean has confirmed a major step in its shipbuilding strategy, securing a fresh order for its Icon Class series and extending its long-standing partnership with Finland’s Meyer Turku shipyard.

Legend of the Seas float out at shipyard

On 23rd September 2026, the cruise line announced that Icon 5 will debut in 2028, while also extending its collaboration with Meyer Turku through to 2036.

The deal not only secures construction of future Icon vessels but also leaves the door open for a brand-new ship class in the coming years.

Icon Class Growth Continues

The Icon Class is Royal Caribbean’s flagship ship design, each vessel accommodating more than 5,600 guests at double capacity, and featuring themed neighbourhoods, advanced technology, and headline entertainment.

  • Icon of the Seas launched in January 2024 as the world’s largest cruise ship at 248,663 gross tons.
  • Star of the Seas followed in August 2025.
  • Legend of the Seas is due in summer 2026.
  • Icon 4 is scheduled for 2027.
  • Icon 5, now confirmed, will sail in 2028.

Royal Caribbean also holds conditional options for Icon 6 and Icon 7, potentially extending the class further if financing is approved.

Meyer Turku has already built 25 ships for Royal Caribbean since the mid-1990s, making the Icon project another chapter in a long and successful partnership.

Legend of the Seas dome fitting at shipyard

New Land Destinations in Development

The expansion isn’t limited to ships. Royal Caribbean is heavily investing in private destinations and beach clubs:

  • Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau opens in December 2025.
  • A Cozumel Beach Club is set for 2026.
  • Perfect Day Mexico, a mega waterpark with the world’s longest lazy river, opens in 2027.
  • A new destination on Lelepa, Vanuatu will follow in 2027.

These projects are designed to complement the Icon Class experience and extend the company’s reach both in the Caribbean and the South Pacific.

Discovery Class Ships in Design

Alongside the Icon order, Royal Caribbean is also designing a new Discovery Class of smaller ships.

These vessels will be able to access more intimate ports and are expected to eventually replace the line’s Vision and Radiance Class ships.

Details on the ship class are still sparse – but it has been talked about for some time, and so an official announcement on the first ship in the class is expected in the near future.

What’s Next

With Icon 5 now confirmed and Icon 6 and 7 under consideration, Royal Caribbean’s pipeline includes at least nine new ships and seven new destinations through 2028.

The announcement reflects the brand’s confidence in the Icon Class and demonstrates its broader strategy to dominate both at sea and ashore.

There are rumours that Royal Caribbean may be challenged on its hold of the largest cruise ship title, with speculation that the next ship class launched by MSC Cruises could be bigger.

But for now, it’s clear that the Icon Class is going nowhere, and mega ships will remain part of the plans for Royal Caribbean going forward.

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