Royal Caribbean has officially started physical construction of its fifth Icon Class ship, marking another major step in the cruise line’s expansion of its newest class of family-focused ships.
The still-unnamed vessel reached its keel-laying milestone at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, on Sept. 14, 2026. The ship is scheduled to debut in 2028, with its name, features and other details still to be announced.
For cruisers following Royal Caribbean’s growing Icon Class, the milestone confirms that another ship is now moving through construction, with additional Icon Class ships already planned to follow in 2029 and 2030.
First Major Steel Block Lowered Into Place
During the keel-laying ceremony, the first major building block of steel was placed into the shipyard’s dry dock. This section forms part of the foundation from which the ship will continue taking shape during approximately the next two years.
The keel runs along the bottom and center of the hull and traditionally represents the backbone of a ship. Its placement is one of the major milestones in the construction process.
Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku also marked the occasion with a longstanding shipbuilding tradition. A layer of freshly minted coins was placed beneath the steel block before it was lowered into position, symbolizing good fortune for the ship and its future voyages.
The New Ship Will Debut in 2028
Royal Caribbean has confirmed a 2028 debut for the fifth Icon Class ship but is keeping many of the details under wraps for now.
The cruise line has not announced the ship’s name, homeport, itineraries or specific onboard attractions. Royal Caribbean says additional information about the ship’s features will be revealed in the coming months, with the name and other details to be announced later.
That means travelers interested in the newest Icon Class ship will have to wait before learning exactly where it will sail or how its onboard experience will differ from other ships in the class.
Royal Caribbean Says the Icon Class Will Keep Evolving
Although Royal Caribbean has not revealed the fifth ship’s individual attractions, the company says it will build on the Icon Class formula with a combination of thrills, relaxation, family experiences and entertainment.
Royal Caribbean describes the broader Icon Class concept as combining several different styles of vacation within a single ship, including elements of a beach retreat, resort escape and theme park adventure.
The approach is intended to give families and other travelers the flexibility to spend time together or pursue different experiences independently while sailing on the same vacation.
Exactly how the fifth ship will expand or change that concept remains to be seen. Royal Caribbean’s announcement does not identify any specific restaurants, neighborhoods, attractions, accommodations or entertainment that will be aboard the vessel.
Two More Icon Class Ships Are Already Planned
The fifth Icon Class ship will not be the end of Royal Caribbean’s expansion of the class. The cruise line says a sixth Icon Class ship is scheduled to follow in 2029, with a seventh planned for 2030.
That timeline gives Royal Caribbean three additional Icon Class ships scheduled to debut over three consecutive years: the fifth ship in 2028, the sixth in 2029 and the seventh in 2030.
The keel laying in Finland marks the point when the fifth vessel moves from plans and preliminary work into a highly visible stage of physical construction.
What Happens Next?
With the first major steel block now positioned in the dry dock, construction will continue at Meyer Turku as the ship takes shape over the next two years.
For cruise travelers, the biggest unanswered questions are also some of the most important: what the ship will be called, what new experiences it will introduce and where Royal Caribbean plans to send it when service begins in 2028.
Royal Caribbean has not answered those questions yet, so there is no confirmed homeport or itinerary to plan around at this stage. What is confirmed is that construction is underway and the fifth Icon Class ship is moving toward a planned 2028 debut, with more details expected as work progresses.
Source: Royal Caribbean
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