The enlargement of Royal Caribbean’s extremely profitable Icon Class cruise ships continues with building of its fourth ship underway.
A keel-laying ceremony was held earlier at this time on the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. The primary constructing block was positioned within the dry dock the place the ship will take form.
This marks the official begin of building, and it is as a lot a celebration as it’s a milestone.
The cruise ship is on monitor to debut someday in 2027.
Icon 4
There is not any identify for this ship but, and we do not know what is going to make it totally different from the the opposite three ships within the class.
Icon 4 follows up on Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, each of that are cruising now. Legend of the Seas is the third Icon Class ship, and can begin cruising in August 2026.
The explanation a brand new Icon Class ship stands out is due to how spectacular these cruise ships have turn out to be within the brief time period since their debut.
Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm spoke on the occasion, “Icon 4 is a really vital ship for each the shipyard and all the associate community. With this ship, Meyer Turku is additional strengthening its place as one of many world’s main cruise ship builders.”
“Every luxurious cruise ship of this measurement creates 13,000 person-years of employment, and we’re consistently searching for new shipbuilders to affix our workforce at varied levels from design to implementation.”
What does keel laying imply?
The ship’s keel is the primary block, and it’s maritime custom to commemorate this section of a brand new ship building.
One other maritime custom is to position the “fortunate cash”, which signify the shipyard and cruise line.
For Icon 4’s ceremony, cash had been positioned below the primary metal block to deliver success and safety to the vessel.
Two ships directly
Development of Icon 4 has now formally commenced whereas the third Icon Class ship continues to be below building close by.
Often called Legend of the Seas, this ship was put into water for the primary time a couple of weeks in the past on the finish of August.
Having two cruise ships below building on the similar time is nice enterprise. It permits Royal Caribbean to maintain the movement of latest ships, and a focus for them, on the forefront of consideration.
The identical factor occurred when Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas had been being constructed.
What’s going to Royal Caribbean identify Icon 4?
Whereas there isn’t any phrase what the brand new ship will likely be named, there’s loads of hypothesis amongst cruise followers!
Royal Caribbean logos ship names with the USA Patent and Trademark Workplace, most of which by no means get used.
Examples of current logos Royal Caribbean have made embrace:
Comfortable of the SeasFun of the SeasIdol of the SeasLove of the SeasSplendor of the SeasNova of the SeasTitan of the SeasSun of the SeasMarquee of the SeasHero of the SeasFantasia of the Seas
It is necessary to notice there have not been any current ship identify registrations, with the final batch coming in 2023.
For what it is value, Legend of the Seas had her keel laid on October 11, 2024 and the identify was revealed February 18, 2025. So maybe we have to wait a further 4 months earlier than we all know Icon 4’s identify.
What’s subsequent for Icon 4?
The fourth Icon class ship will not launch till 2027 and you’ll’t guide cruises but for it.
Development of the ship will proceed for a lot of months, with the ship’s metal infrastructure being assembled to kind the vessel.
The ship’s keel is the primary block, and different blocks will likely be joined collectively till the ship’s main construction is assembled. Then extra of the ship’s options are added in, similar to cabins, inside constructions, and paneling.
The following milestone is to drift it out, the place its dry dock is full of water to make sure it will probably float.
After that, Icon 4 will proceed building work till it is prepared for sea trials. That is when the ship really sails into the ocean below its personal energy to check all of its techniques. That is often the final main step earlier than supply to the cruise line.
Royal Caribbean will reveal the ship’s identify, dwelling port, and sailings, and different necessary particulars within the months to come back.
Source link
