Royal Caribbean’s Fifth Icon Class Ship Officially Begins Construction
Royal Caribbean is once again pushing the limits of cruise ship size. The cruise line has officially begun construction on its fifth Icon Class ship, marking another major milestone in its aggressive fleet expansion plans.
Earlier this week, the first piece of steel was cut at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. Known as a traditional and symbolic moment in shipbuilding, the steel-cutting ceremony signals the official start of construction and kicks off more than two years of work involving thousands of designers, engineers, and shipyard specialists.
A New Icon Class Ship for 2028
The yet-to-be-named vessel, often referred to as Icon 5, is scheduled to debut in 2028. Royal Caribbean has not revealed where the ship will be homeported or what itineraries it will sail, and the ship’s name remains under wraps.
The Icon Class already holds the title of the largest cruise ships in the world, with current ships measuring around 250,800 gross tons. While Royal Caribbean has not released exact specifications for the new ship, vessels within the same class often grow slightly or introduce new features, meaning Icon 5 could potentially edge out its predecessors in size or onboard offerings.
What Icon Class Ships Offer
The Icon Class set a new benchmark for cruise vacations when Icon of the Seas debuted in 2024. These ships are designed as floating destinations, featuring:
- Six water slides
- More than 20 bars and lounges
- A reimagined Royal Promenade
- An open-air Central Park with over 30,500 real plants
- Capacity for 5,610 guests at double occupancy, or over 7,000 passengers at maximum capacity
The second ship in the class, Star of the Seas, continues the trend, and the third ship, Legend of the Seas, is set to debut this summer in Europe before repositioning to Florida for Caribbean sailings.
Royal Caribbean has also confirmed that the fourth Icon Class ship, expected to enter service in 2027, will have its name revealed soon.
More Mega Ships Are Already on the Way
Icon 5 will not be the only major new ship arriving in 2028. Royal Caribbean is also preparing to launch the seventh and possibly final Oasis Class ship that same year. The Oasis Class, which began with its first ship in 2009, remains one of the most recognizable cruise ship designs in the world.
Ships in the Oasis Class include massive pool decks, rock-climbing walls, surf simulators, ice-skating rinks, mini-golf, and more than 40 bars and lounges. While slightly smaller than the Icon Class, they still rival them in passenger capacity. For comparison, Utopia of the Seas measures 236,860 gross tons, compared to the Icon Class at over 250,000.
Even More Ships Could Follow
Royal Caribbean isn’t stopping with five Icon Class ships. The cruise line still holds options to build a sixth and seventh Icon Class vessel, giving it reserved construction slots at Meyer Turku without committing immediately. If exercised, these ships could enter service around 2030 or later.
Looking even further ahead, Royal Caribbean confirmed in September 2025 that it is actively working on a brand-new, game-changing class of cruise ship beyond Icon, also planned for construction at Meyer Turku. Adding to the intrigue, industry rumors suggest another new ship class announcement could be coming soon from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France.
The Big Picture
With Icon Class construction accelerating, Oasis Class ships nearing their finale, and entirely new ship designs already in development, Royal Caribbean is clearly doubling down on mega-ships as the future of cruising.
The steel-cutting for Icon 5 is more than just a ceremonial moment—it’s another step toward reshaping what cruise vacations will look like for the next decade.
