Icon of the Seas, the flagship of Royal Caribbean International's Icon class, set sail on her maiden voyage from the Port of Miami on January 27, 2024. With an impressive gross tonnage of 248,663 GT, she holds the title of the world's largest cruise ship. Built by Meyer Turku in Finland at a cost of €1.65 billion, this Icon-class cruise ship boasts state-of-the-art features and technologies.
The ship's history dates back to October 2016 when Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku unveiled plans for two vessels under the project name "Icon," with delivery expectations in the third quarter of 2023 and 2025. Notably, the trademark "Icon of the Seas" was registered by Royal Caribbean in 2016.
Construction milestones include the commencement of steel-cutting in June 2021, the installation of the first LNG tank in October 2021, and the keel being laid in April 2022. In May 2022, it was confirmed that Icon of the Seas would surpass the size of the Oasis class. Sea trials commenced on June 19, 2023, followed by adjustments at the Meyer Turku shipyard in late June.
Officially handed over to Royal Caribbean on November 27, 2023, the ship's debut from Miami was two months ahead of schedule. On December 1, 2023, Icon of the Seas passed under the Great Belt Bridge in Denmark and underwent final outfitting at the Navantia Shipyard in Cádiz, Spain.
Departing Cadiz on December 23, 2023, the ship arrived at her home port, PortMiami, on January 10, 2024. The naming ceremony, sponsored by footballer Lionel Messi, took place on January 23, and the official maiden voyage commenced on January 27, 2024.
Icon of the Seas is registered in Nassau, Bahamas, with a unique identification including call sign C6FU5, IMO number 9829930, and DNV ID 38545. The cruise ship features three Wärtsilä 14V46DF and three Wärtsilä 12V46DF engines, providing a speed of 22 knots. Accommodating 5,610 passengers in double occupancy and a maximum capacity of 7,600 passengers, along with a crew of 2,350, Icon of the Seas stands as a testament to cutting-edge maritime engineering and design.