Finnish Shipbuilder Meyer Turku Announces that with more than 92 million gallons of water, four tugboats and a shot from a cannon, Royal Caribbean International’s Star of the Seas reached a major construction milestone as it floated for the first time. The next combination of the best of every vacation floated one step closer to its highly anticipated August 2025 debut.
The teams behind the construction celebrated the moment as the new vacation then moved to the outfitting pier – and into the final stages – at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.
Royal Caribbean will double the world’s best vacation count with Star, bringing new twists and acclaimed experiences introduced by Icon of the Seas to the greater Orlando area.
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.
Across eight neighborhoods that are destinations in themselves, there are ways for every type of family and vacationer to make memories, from thrills like six of the fastest and tallest waterslides to 40-plus ways to dine and drink and the Surfside neighborhood designed for young families. And it’s all combined with seven nights of island hopping to idyllic destinations like the cruise line’s Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.
With demand continuing to be strong across the cruise industry, Royal Caribbean is committed to steadily growing its capacity, and currently has ordered 7+2 cruise ships from the shipyard.
