On July 10, Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku officially delivered the second Icon-class luxury cruise ship, Star of the Seas, built for Royal Caribbean Group. It is expected to leave the shipyard in mid-July and set sail from its home port of Port Canaveral this summer to begin its Caribbean cruise.
The delivery of the Star of the Seas also marks an important milestone for Meyer Turku, which has spent more than two years assembling the ship.
So far, Royal Caribbean Group has ordered 4+2 Icon-class cruise ships from Meyer Turku. The first cruise ship “Icon of the Seas” (248,663 gross tons) was completed and delivered in December 2023; the second ship “Star of the Seas” (248,663 gross tons) was delivered and put into use in July 2025; the third ship “Legend of the Seas” was built in January 2024 and is scheduled to be launched in the summer of 2025, and then moved to the outfitting dock, and is expected to be delivered in 2026; the remaining 1+2 ships were signed on August 27, 2024, and will be delivered in 2027.
The Icon class cruise ship is 365 meters long and about 50 meters wide, with a gross tonnage of about 250,000 and flies the Panamanian flag. It has 20 decks with 2,805 staterooms and can carry 5,610 passengers, or up to 7,600 passengers if all staterooms are full.The cruise ship will also be equipped with an air lubrication system that reduces friction on the hull; and a robotic hull cleaner that removes debris and slime when the ship is docked in port to prevent increased drag. Equipped with shore power connection and a pioneering waste heat recovery system, it can convert waste heat into up to 3 megawatts of additional energy.
The “Star of the Seas” will fly the Bahamian flag, continuing the “floating theme park” concept, featuring eight different neighbourhoods, including the world’s largest water park at sea (with six water slides), a leisure zone, a family zone, a children’s zone, and an exclusive adult-only space. The ship will feature 26 dining or fast-food service areas and 18 bars and lounges. The onboard cabin and entertainment facility solutions were developed by Meyer Turku in collaboration with its long-term partners. The cruise ship’s top is crowned by a iconic dome housing a water theater, where thrilling performances such as high-dive diving, aerial acrobatics, and robot shows will take place.
According to the official website, Meyer Turku was founded in 1737 and has a history of 288 years. It has become one of the world’s largest and most advanced large cruise and passenger ship shipyards. Over the years, the shipyard has built more than 1,300 ships for shipowners around the world. Meyer Turku is owned by the German Meyer family. The Meyer Group has entered its seventh generation of management. In addition to Meyer Turku in Finland, the German Meyer family also owns two shipyards, namely Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany and Neptun Werft in Rostock.