Icon-class cruise ship

Last updated

Icon of the Seas.jpg
Icon of the Seas on her first sea trial outside Turku, Finland in 2023
Class overview
Builders Meyer Turku, Turku, Finland
Operators Royal Caribbean International
Preceded by
Planned3
Building2
Completed1
Active1
General characteristics
Type Cruise ship
Tonnage248,663–250,800  GT
Length364.75 metres (1,196.7 ft) [1]
Beam48.47 m (159.0 ft) [1]
Draught9.25 metres (30.3 ft) [1]
Decks20
Installed power
  • 3 ×  Wärtsilä 14V46DF, 16,030 kW (21,790 hp) each [1] [2]
  • 3 × Wärtsilä 12V46DF, 13,740 kW (18,680 hp) each [1] [2]
Propulsion
Speed22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity
  • 5,610 passengers (double occupancy)
  • 7,600 passengers (maximum capacity) [3]
Crew2,350 [3]

The Icon class (formally Project Icon) is a class of cruise ships ordered by Royal Caribbean International to be built by Meyer Turku in Turku, Finland. As of 2024 this class is the largest cruise ship class ever constructed. Royal Caribbean plans to have three Icon-class ships by 2026.

Contents

History

On 10 October 2016, Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku announced an order to build two ships under the project name "Icon". [4] Icon of the Seas was delivered on 27 November 2023, and the second ship, Star of the Seas , is expected to be delivered in 2025. [4] [5] The ships will be classified by DNV. [6]

Royal Caribbean applied to register a trademark for "Icon of the Seas" in 2016, which was at the time suggested as an indication of the name of the first ship. [7]

On 2 July 2019, Royal Caribbean announced an order for a third ship in the "Icon" class. The third ship is planned to be delivered in 2026, one year after Star of the Seas. [8] [9]

Steel-cutting for Icon of the Seas began on 14 June 2021, [10] and the keel was laid on 5 April 2022. [11]

Steel-cutting for the second Icon-class ship, Star of the Seas began on 15 February 2023. [12] Parts of the ship are built at Meyer Werft, Papenburg. [13]

Icon of the Seas arrived in her home port of PortMiami on 10 January 2024 for the first time after leaving Europe in December, with the inaugural passenger sailing occurring on 27 January 2024. [14]

Steel-cutting for the third Icon-class ship began in January 2024. [15]

Design

The ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas, with a gross tonnage of about 200,000 GT. [5] Ships will contain other alternative energy features, like the use of fuel cells to produce electricity and fresh water. [4] They will have a capacity of 5,600 berths. [16]

The "Icon" class is the first Royal Caribbean ship to feature a parabolic bow design, which is intended to aid stability and provide smoother motion. [17]

In 2020, the director of projects and facilities at Nassau Cruise Port said that the specifications for the Icon class indicate it would be larger than the Oasis class. [18] Later, in May 2022, Royal Caribbean confirmed that Icon of the Seas would be bigger than the Oasis class. [19]

Ships

NameStatusEntering service Gross tonnage LengthNotesImage
Icon of the Seas In service27 January 2024 [20] 248,663 [1] 364.75 metres (1,196.7 ft) [1] Shipyard number NB-1400 [21]
Star of the Seas [22] Under construction31 August 2025 [23] 250,800 [24] Shipyard number NB-1401 [24]
TBAUnder constructionQ2 2026 [20] 250,800 [25]

Shipyard number NB-1402 [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Caribbean International</span> Norwegian–American cruise line

Royal Caribbean International (RCI), previously known as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL), is a cruise line brand founded in 1968 in Norway and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group since 1997. Based in Miami, Florida, it is the largest cruise line by revenue and second largest by passengers counts. In 2018, Royal Caribbean International controlled 19.2% of the worldwide cruise market by passengers and 14.0% by revenue. As of January 2024, the line operates 28 ships and has three additional ships on order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celebrity Cruises</span> Cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida, US

Celebrity Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida and a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group. Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 by the Greece-based Chandris Group, and merged with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in 1997. Celebrity's signature logo is an "Χ" displayed on the funnel of Celebrity ships, and is the Greek letter chi, for "Chandris".

<i>Oasis</i>-class cruise ship Class of Royal Caribbean International cruise ships

The Oasis class is a class of 7 Royal Caribbean International cruise ships. The first two ships in the class, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, were delivered respectively in 2009 and 2010 by STX Europe Turku Shipyard, Finland. A third Oasis-class vessel, Harmony of the Seas, was delivered in 2016 built by STX France. A fourth vessel, Symphony of the Seas, was completed in March 2018. As of March 2022, the fifth Oasis-class ship, Wonder of the Seas, was the largest cruise ship in the world. A sixth ship, Utopia of the Seas, is currently being built for entry into service in July 2024 with a seventh to follow in 2028.

<i>Allure of the Seas</i> Oasis-class cruise ship

Allure of the Seas is an Oasis-class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. As of 2018, the Oasis class ships were the largest passenger vessels ever in service, and Allure is 50 millimetres (2.0 in) longer than her sister ship Oasis of the Seas, though both were built to the same specifications. Designed under the name "Project Genesis", she was ordered from Aker Finnyards in February 2006 and her construction began at the Perno shipyard, Turku, Finland, in February 2008. She was named in May 2008 after a contest was held to name her and her sister. The keel of Allure of the Seas was laid on 2 December 2008, shortly after the shipyard had been acquired by STX Europe.

<i>Quantum</i>-class cruise ship Cruise ship class

The Quantum class is a class of cruise ships from Royal Caribbean International, previously known by the code name Project Sunshine.

<i>Quantum of the Seas</i> Quantum-class Cruise Ship

Quantum of the Seas is a Quantum-class cruise ship currently operated by Royal Caribbean International and is the lead ship of her class. At her time of delivery in 2014, Quantum of the Seas was the third largest cruise ship in the world by gross tonnage. She is currently deployed to serve the Alaskan and Australian cruise markets.

<i>Norwegian Joy</i> Cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Joy is a Breakaway Plus-class cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and is the second of four Breakaway Plus-class vessels in the company's fleet. Built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, she was delivered in April 2017.

<i>Ovation of the Seas</i> Quantum-class cruise ship

Ovation of the Seas is a Quantum-class cruise ship owned by Royal Caribbean International (RCI) and the third ship of her class. The Quantum class is the third largest class of cruise ships behind MSC Cruises's Meraviglia class and Royal Caribbean International's Oasis class by gross tonnage.

<i>Anthem of the Seas</i> Quantum-class cruise ship

Anthem of the Seas is a Quantum-class cruise ship owned by Royal Caribbean International (RCI) and the second ship of her class. The Quantum class is the fourth largest class of cruise ships behind MSC Cruises's Meraviglia class and Royal Caribbean International's Icon class and Oasis class by gross tonnage.

<i>Harmony of the Seas</i> Oasis-class Royal Caribbean International cruise ship

Harmony of the Seas is an Oasis-class cruise ship built by STX France at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, for Royal Caribbean International. With a gross tonnage of 226,963 GT, she is the fourth largest passenger ship in the world, larger than her older sisters Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, but surpassed by her newer sisters Symphony of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas. Harmony of the Seas is the second longest cruise ship in the world, being surpassed by Icon of the Seas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meyer Turku</span> Finnish shipbuilding company

Meyer Turku Oy is a Finnish shipbuilding company located in Turku, Finland Proper. The company is fully owned by German shipbuilder Meyer Werft GmbH. The main products are cruise ships and cruiseferries.

Excellence-class cruise ship Excellence class of cruise ship

The Excellence class, including the sub-classes Helios class and XL or Excel class, is a class of cruise ships ordered by Carnival Corporation & plc for its subsidiary brands AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line. The ships are being constructed by Meyer Werft at their shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, and Meyer Turku at their shipyard in Turku, Finland. The first, AIDAnova, entered service for AIDA Cruises in 2018.

<i>Norwegian Encore</i> Ship of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)

Norwegian Encore is a Breakaway Plus-class cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). She is the fourth Breakaway Plus-class ship in the fleet, following sister ships Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Escape, and Norwegian Joy, and debuted in November 2019.

<i>Spectrum of the Seas</i> Quantum Ultra-class cruise ship

Spectrum of the Seas is a Quantum-Ultra-class cruise ship currently operated by Royal Caribbean International and the first ship of the Quantum Ultra class, a modification from the company's Quantum class of ships. The ship was constructed at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany and was delivered in April 2019. At 169,379 GT, she became the fifth largest ship in the fleet by gross tonnage upon delivery. She currently operates primarily in East Asia.

<i>Odyssey of the Seas</i> Quantum Ultra-class cruise ship

Odyssey of the Seas is the second Quantum Ultra-class cruise ship and the last of the class operated by Royal Caribbean International. She is the 3rd newest ship out of the Royal Caribbean fleet, and primarily operates in the Caribbean out of Port Everglades.

<i>Wonder of the Seas</i> Oasis-class cruise ship

Wonder of the Seas is the flagship of Royal Caribbean International. She was completed in 2022 in the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, the fifth in Royal Caribbean's Oasis class of cruise ships. At 236,857 GT, she was the largest cruise ship by gross tonnage, until she was surpassed by the new Icon class ship, Icon of the Seas, also owned by Royal Caribbean International.

<i>Icon of the Seas</i> Royal Caribbean International cruise ship

Icon of the Seas is a cruise ship built for Royal Caribbean International and is the lead ship of the Icon class. She entered service on 27 January 2024 out of the Port of Miami in the US. At 248,663 gross tonnage (GT), Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world.

<i>Silver Nova</i>

Silver Nova is a luxury cruise ship, the 12th ship in service with Silversea Cruises. She was ordered in 2018 and completed in 2023. Nova is the first ship in the company's new Evolution-class, and designed with the intent of environmentally friendly cruising. It is the first hybrid luxury cruise ship, powered by a combination of liquefied natural gas (LNG), fuel cell system, and batteries, enabling it to be emissions free when in port. The ship was built at a Meyer Werft in Germany, featuring a unique asymmetrical design.

Star of the Seas is a cruise ship being built for Royal Caribbean International and will be the second Icon-class cruise ship built, the first being Icon of the Seas. The name was announced on 5 October 2023. She is expected to enter service on 31 August 2025, and will be homeported at Port Canaveral, Florida, United States.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Icon of the Seas (38545)". Vessel Register for DNV. DNV . Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Wärtsilä 46DF Product Guide" (PDF). Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Icon of the Seas Fast Facts". Royal Caribbean International. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "Powered By LNG and Fuel Cells, Royal Caribbean International's New Ships Will Ride the Wave of the Future". Royal Caribbean Press Center (Press release). Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 10 October 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  5. 1 2 "Meyer Turku wins two new large cruise ship orders from Royal Caribbean". Meyer Turku Oy (Press release). 11 October 2016. Archived from the original on 14 October 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  6. ↑ "DNV GL sorgt bei Turku-Schiffen für Klasse" [DNV GL provides class on Turku ships] (in German). 8 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  7. ↑ Matt Hochberg. "Royal Caribbean files trademark for Icon of the Seas ship name". Royal Caribbean Blog. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  8. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Inks Deal for Third Icon Class Ship for 2025 Delivery". Cruise Industry News. 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  9. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Fleet Expansion Cruises to Clean-energy Future". Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Press Center (Press release). Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  10. ↑ "Meyer Turku cuts steel for Royal Caribbean's newly named Icon of the Seas". seatrade-cruise.com. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  11. ↑ "Meyer Turku lays the keel for Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas". seatrade-cruise.com. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "The Next Iconic Adventure Begins With Royal Caribbean's Second Icon Class Ship". royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  13. ↑ "Wie das Schwesterschiff der "Icon of the Seas" durch den Kanal kommt" (in German). 10 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  14. ↑ "Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, arrives at PortMiami". nbcmiami.com.
  15. ↑ "First steel cut for Royal Caribbean's third Icon Class cruise ship | Royal Caribbean Blog". royalcaribbeanblog.com. 12 January 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  16. ↑ "Form 10-Q Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd". sec.report. 5 August 2021. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  17. ↑ "Icon of the Seas looks like it will have a new bow design for Royal Caribbean | Royal Caribbean Blog". royalcaribbeanblog.com. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  18. ↑ "Nassau port advances as Bahamas expects an edge in cruise recovery". seatrade-cruise.com. 20 November 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  19. ↑ Huxley, Lucy (10 May 2022). "Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas to be 'bigger than Oasis-class'". Travel Weekly.
  20. 1 2 "Royal Caribbean Report fiscal year 2020". 31 December 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  21. ↑ "First Cruise Ship in the Icon Class". Meyer Werft. Archived from the original on 19 January 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  22. ↑ "Royal Caribbean announces new Icon Class ship will be called Star of the Seas". 5 October 2023.
  23. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Pushes Back Star of the Seas Maiden Cruise". Cruise Industry News. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  24. 1 2 "Second Cruise Ship in the Icon Class". Meyer Werft. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  25. ↑ "Third Cruise Ship in the Icon Class" . Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  26. ↑ "Icon 3 Hull No. 1402 Credit Agreement" . Retrieved 20 January 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.