Royal Caribbean International welcomes the highly anticipated Icon of the Seas to the family in a momentous celebration at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. The world’s largest cruise line hosted a ceremony on the first-of-its-kind combination of the best of every vacation, where representatives signed on the dotted line just two months before the new ship’s January 2024 debut in Miami.
Marking the milestone at the celebration were more than 1,200 crew members and workers, who were joined by Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley and Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer.
“Today, we are celebrating more than a new ship; it’s also the celebration of the culmination of more than 50 years of innovation and dreaming at Royal Caribbean to create the ultimate vacation experience,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “Delivering Icon of the Seas represents all that can be accomplished with strong partnerships and a commitment to delivering memorable vacations responsibly, and we thank Meyer Turku and an incredible village of skilled partners for joining us on this journey. The memories millions of families and vacationers will make on Icon will be our greatest accomplishment yet.”
The transfer of ownership, commonly known as the delivery of a new ship, between Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku also commemorated the series of never-before-seen feats accomplished during more than two years of construction: from the installation of the AquaDome, the single largest glass and steel structure to be lifted onto a cruise ship, to engineering more water on board than ever before across seven pools, six record-breaking waterslides and more. Now is when Icon will sail from Turku to Cadiz, Spain, where the cruise line will start to put the finishing touches on the world’s best vacation before it heads to Miami.
“Welcoming Icon of the Seas to the Royal Caribbean family is a remarkable accomplishment years in the making for thousands of innovators, engineers, architects and designers,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Seven years ago, we had an ambitious idea to create the first vacation truly made for every type of family and adventurer; now, it’s in our hands, and in this final stretch, we’ll bring it all to life for the biggest debut in our history in January 2024.”
Icon is also the cruise line’s first ship that can be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), a transitional fuel. The dual-fuel engines will work alongside a lineup of energy efficiency initiatives and industry-leading environmental programs on board, like the first waste-to-energy plant at sea. Twenty-four percent more energy efficient than the standards required for ships being designed today, the cruise line’s most sustainable ship yet will mark the next step in parent company Royal Caribbean Group’s journey to introduce a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.
Source Royal Caribbean Group