Royal Caribbean Orders Two More Icon-Class Cruise Ships

Royal Caribbean clearly has no interest in easing off the mega-ship gas pedal.

After launching Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, the cruise line is already looking years ahead. Two more Icon-class ships are now on order, meaning this already massive family of ships will keep growing well into the next decade.

For cruisers who love Royal Caribbean’s biggest style of vacation, that’s exciting news. If your dream cruise involves tiny ships, quiet corners, and zero water slides… maybe look away now.

Royal Caribbean Is Going Even Bigger With Icon Class

Royal Caribbean Group has confirmed an order with Meyer Turku for two more Icon-class cruise ships.

These will be the sixth and seventh ships in the class, adding even more weight to Royal Caribbean’s bet on huge, family-friendly ships packed with attractions.

For scale, Icon-class ships are currently the largest cruise ships at sea. Icon of the Seas comes in at 248,663 gross tons and carries 5,610 guests at double occupancy, with space for up to 7,600 guests when fully loaded. So yes, these aren’t just big ships. They’re floating cities with waterslides.

The order was announced on April 27, 2026, and covers Icon 6 and Icon 7. Both ships are expected to be built at Meyer Turku in Finland, the same shipyard behind the earlier Icon-class vessels.

It also makes one thing clear: Icon Class isn’t a one-off showpiece for Royal Caribbean. It’s becoming a full fleet.

When The New Icon Ships Are Expected To Arrive

The two newly ordered ships aren’t arriving right away, so nobody needs to start packing just yet.

Icon 6 is expected to be delivered in 2029, while Icon 7 is planned for 2030. That puts them several years behind the next ships already in the pipeline.

Here’s how the Icon-class lineup currently looks:

Icon of the Seas entered service in January 2024
Star of the Seas followed in August 2025
Legend of the Seas is expected to debut in July 2026

An image of Legend of the Seas on the ocean.

Hero of the Seas is set to follow in 2027

Rendering of Category 6 on Hero of the Seas, showing colorful twisting waterslides and the ship’s upper-deck thrill zone.

Icon 5 is planned for 2028
Icon 6 is expected in 2029
Icon 7 is planned for 2030

That’s a steady run of new ships. Royal Caribbean isn’t adding one or two flashy vessels and calling it done. It’s building a whole family around this concept.

There is one important detail worth noting. The Icon 7 order is still subject to customary conditions, including financing. That’s normal with major ship orders, but it means there are still final steps before everything is fully locked in.

Why This Is A Big Deal For Royal Caribbean Fans

For passengers, the appeal of Icon Class is pretty simple: the ship itself is the vacation.

These ships aren’t just transportation to the Caribbean or somewhere to sleep between ports. They’re designed to be the main event, with enough food, entertainment, pools, and family spaces to keep different types of cruisers happy at the same time.

Icon of the Seas

That matters when you’re traveling with a group. One person can spend the day chasing slides and thrills, another can hide away with a drink and an ocean view, and someone else can be checking showtimes for the next big production while also planning dinner like it’s a military operation.

If you’ve ever cruised with family or friends, you’ll know why that helps. Getting everyone to agree on one activity can be harder than finding a pool chair at 11 a.m. on a sea day.

Icon Class solves part of that problem by offering a lot at once. It’s not subtle, but subtle was never really the point.

Meyer Turku Remains At The Center Of Royal Caribbean’s Mega-Ship Plans

The new ships will be built by Meyer Turku, the Finnish shipyard that has become a major part of Royal Caribbean’s shipbuilding story.

Royal Caribbean Group and Meyer Turku have worked together for more than three decades, and the shipyard has built 25 ships for the company.

Aerial view of the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Utopia of the Seas under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. A massive blue crane labeled "MEYER TURKU" hoists a large circular structure onto the ship’s deck, surrounded by construction equipment, cranes, and a completed ship docked nearby. — Royal Caribbean ships being built at Meyer Turku shipyard

The latest order is part of a long-term agreement that gives Royal Caribbean Group access to shipbuilding capacity through 2036. In plain English, Royal Caribbean is making sure it has space in the shipyard calendar before anyone else grabs it.

That planning matters because ships this large take years to design, build, test, and deliver.

The order also matters for Finland. Meyer Turku and its supplier network support around 13,000 workers, and Royal Caribbean says the shipyard network contributes more than a billion euros each year to Finland’s economy.

So while cruisers are thinking about pools, cabins, dining, and whether the buffet has hash browns, there’s a whole industrial machine behind the scenes making these floating resorts happen.

What We Know About The Future Icon Ships So Far

Royal Caribbean hasn’t revealed the names, onboard features, or itineraries for Icon 6 or Icon 7 yet.

For now, that’s the limit of what we know. No new neighborhoods, restaurants, or surprise attractions have been announced.

Still, it’s fair to expect these ships to follow the general Icon-class formula: big family areas, major water features, lots of dining, large entertainment venues, and enough sea-day options to spread guests across the ship.

Guests gathered inside Royal Railway – Legend Station on Legend of the Seas, designed like a vintage train platform. — Legend of the Seas immersive Royal Railway – Legend Station

Newer sister ships also tend to bring tweaks. Cruise lines watch what guests love, what causes complaints, and what can be improved. Then the next ship gets adjusted.

I’ll be curious to see whether Royal Caribbean keeps pushing the “bigger and bolder” side of Icon Class or uses these later ships to polish the formula. With seven ships planned, there’s room for both.

The Icon Class Isn’t Slowing Down Anytime Soon

This order sends a clear message: Royal Caribbean sees Icon Class as a major part of its future.

For passengers, that means more chances to sail on Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships, more homeport and itinerary possibilities over time, and likely more competition for the family-friendly mega-ship experience Royal Caribbean has made its calling card.

Not every cruiser wants a ship this large, and that’s fine. Some people want quiet lounges, smaller ports, and a more classic feel.

But for the cruisers who want the ship to be part theme park, part resort, part floating city, and part “wait, there’s another restaurant back there?” moment, Icon Class is only getting bigger.