Royal Caribbean’s second Icon-Class ship, Star of the Seas, recently made waves with its debut as the world’s largest cruise ship at sea, and now the popular cruise line’s making new headlines with the announcement that it’s officially placed an order for a fifth ship in the series, plus options for two more, according to a report from Cruise Hive.
The order for Icon 5 will arrive in 2028, and with options 6 and 7 on the horizon, the news means its partnership with Finland’s Meyer Turku shipyard will extend for another decade.
The Miami-based cruise line’s third ship, Legend of the Seas, makes its debut next summer—now at an earlier-than-planned date, with Mediterranean sailings through October before making its way across the Atlantic for its first Caribbean itineraries.
Related: Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas Adds Extra Sailings After Finishing Ahead of Schedule
Royal Caribbean’s fourth Icon Class ship, which hasn’t officially been named yet, just started construction in Finland in September. “Joining the ranks of Icon, Star and Legend of the Seas, the yet-to-be-named fourth Icon Class vacation will deliver more of the unmatched combination of experiences that defines the game-changing Icon Class,” said Royal Caribbean in a statement earlier this month.
With room for 5,600 passengers, 40 dining options, Broadway-level entertainment and a Category 6 waterpark, the Icon Class has been a design and technological game changer for the cruise industry and has pushed other lines to go bigger and better as well.
Celebrity Xcel, set to make its debut in November in Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades, will be the next in line of the XXL cruise-ship trend, enticing a greater number of passengers with innovative offerings on its largest Edge-Class ship yet, including its famed Magic Carpet cantilevered platform.
With the announcement, Royal Caribbean fans on the ship’s Reddit page were hopeful that the new increased supply of ships could mean lower fares for passengers. “More ships= cheaper fares Especially when the economy hits rock bottom These cruise companies going to be begging people to come back,” said one commenter. Another agreed, writing, “That’s how I see it. I’m excited to sail on an icon class ship in the future, but not at the prices they are charging right now.”
Another added, “It’s around 30,000 beds across all icon ships, and 40,000 beds across oasis class ships. When all icon ships are built, that’s a lot of rooms that need selling every night across both Icon and Oasis class.”
With cruise demand only growing in 2026 and beyond, however, the latest ships may find their itineraries filled just fine.
Related: Royal Caribbean Reveals Exciting Update About Its Fourth ‘Icon Class’ Ship
