Icon class cruise ships are the largest in the world. The Royal Caribbean Group has now ordered the fourth giant from shipbuilder Meyer Turku.
Turku – The Royal Caribbean Group has confirmed the order for a fourth ship of the so-called Icon class, a company spokesman said in response to a request from IPPEN.MEDIA announced. The Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku, a company of the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg, is responsible for the construction. The contract also includes an option for two additional ships of the Icon class, which are known as the largest cruise ships in the world.
World’s largest cruise ship in service since 2024 – sister ships to follow in 2025 and 2026
The first ship in this series, the Icon of the Seas, is a ship “with eight city districts”. It was launched on December 9, 2022 and has been in service for the subsidiary Royal Caribbean International since the beginning of 2024. Its sister ship, the Stars of the Seas, is scheduled to be delivered to the cruise company in 2025, Meyer Werft announced in a press release. The delivery of the third, as yet unnamed ship in the Icon class is planned for 2026.
The ships in this class can accommodate up to 5,610 passengers. Including the crew, up to 7,960 people can be on board. This means that the Icon of the Seas has replaced the Wonder of the Seas as the largest cruise ship in the world.
Jason Liberty, CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group, commented: “Building on the incredible market response to the launch of Icon of the Seas and the excitement for her sister ship Star of the Seas, we are delighted to once again partner with Meyer Turku to expand our fleet.” Critics have already seen the construction of Icon of the Seas as “a step in the wrong direction.”
Finnish Prime Minister welcomes further deal between Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku
Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku, expressed his pride in the project: “With the Icon of the Seas, our team, consisting of the shipyard and partners, has built something extraordinary.” According to the cruise company, the shipyard has built 21 ships for the Royal Caribbean Group over the past 28 years.
The Finnish Prime Minister welcomed the new contract between the shipyard and the cruise company: “This is great news for Finland. The long-term partnership of the Royal Caribbean Group will continue to have a positive impact on our employment and economy.” Most recently, a Carnival Radiance cruise ship proved to be a lifesaver for 25 people.
Icon class ships are the largest and most expensive: construction of the Icon of the Seas cost around two billion euros
The Icon class is not only the largest but also the most expensive ship class in the world. According to tagesschau.de The Icon of the Seas alone cost around two billion euros. Passengers also have to dig deep into their pockets. According to morgenpost.de Prices for seven nights on the Icon of the Seas start at around 2,000 euros per person, for trips in September 2024. A cabin with a balcony already costs 2,300 euros, while prices for suites start at 3,400 euros.
Expert says cruise ship record is disastrous
However, the environmental impact of the cruise industry is controversial, and this also applies to the Icon class. Stefan Gössling, Professor of Tourism at Linné University in Sweden, explained at t-online.de: “For the individual cruise tourist, a week-long trip means about 1.7 tons of CO₂ emissions. That is a third of what a person causes on average in an entire year – about 4.6 tons of CO₂.”
Most recently, a well-known climate group blocked cruise ships in AmsterdamCruise companies are now advertising that they are using environmentally friendly technology and will be emission-free in the future. However, many cruise ships are still sailing the seas with heavy oil.
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