Royal Caribbean International has taken delivery of Icon of the Seas ahead of the ship entering into service in January.
The ship, which is capable of carrying up to 7,600 passengers, was delivered during a ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, which was attended by more than 1,200 crew members and workers, as well as Royal Caribbean Group president and chief executive Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean International president and chief executive Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku chief executive Tim Meyer.
Icon of the Seas, which is the line’s first ship to be powered by liquified natural gas, will now sail to Cadiz where final touches will be made before it repositions to its homeport in Miami.
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It will then operate seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries year-round.
“Today we are celebrating more than a new ship, it’s also the celebration of the culmination of more than 50 years of innovation and dreaming at Royal Caribbean to create the ultimate vacation experience,” said Liberty.
“Delivering Icon of the Seas represents all that can be accomplished with strong partnerships and a commitment to delivering memorable vacations responsibly, and we thank Meyer Turku and an incredible village of skilled partners for joining us on this journey.
“The memories millions of families and vacationers will make on Icon will be our greatest accomplishment yet.”
Bayley added: “Welcoming Icon of the Seas to the Royal Caribbean family is a remarkable accomplishment years in the making for thousands of innovators, engineers, architects and designers.
“Seven years ago, we had an ambitious idea to create the first vacation truly made for every type of family and adventurer. Now it’s in our hands, and in this final stretch we’ll bring it all to life for the biggest debut in our history in 2024.”