Royal Caribbean to Buy Two More World-Class Cruise Ships from Finland

Royal Caribbean International has confirmed an order for two new Icon-class cruise ships to be built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. The sixth and seventh vessels in the world’s largest cruise ship class are scheduled for delivery in 2029 and 2030.

The agreement extends a long-standing partnership between the global cruise line and the Finnish shipyard. It is part of a broader framework that guarantees shipbuilding capacity in Turku through 2036.

The Icon class vessels are currently the largest cruise ships ever constructed. Each ship measures 364 meters in length and can accommodate up to 7,600 passengers alongside a crew of 2,350.

The third ship in the series, Legend of the Seas, departed Meyer Turku on April 19 for sea trials. A team of 2,000 specialists will spend 10 days testing the vessel’s movement and liquid natural gas engines before its commercial debut in July.

Shipbuilding is a cornerstone of the Finnish export market, having recently surpassed the traditional paper industry in national value creation.

Meyer Turku noted that its operations support a vast local supply chain across Southwest Finland. The shipyard and its network employ approximately 13,000 workers, “contributing over a billion euros annually to Finland’s economy”.

The global cruise industry is experiencing significant growth, with the current international orderbook expected to reach $100 billion.

The partnership between Royal Caribbean and Finnish shipbuilders spans more than three decades. The delivery of these new vessels will bring the total number of ships built for the company in Finland to 25.