Royal Caribbean’s Fourth Icon-Class Cruise Ship Hero of the Seas Floated Out in Finland
Royal Caribbean’s fourth Icon-class cruise ship, Hero of the Seas, has been floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, marking another major milestone in the vessel’s construction.
The cruise ship has a gross tonnage of approximately 250,800 GT and a length of 365 metres. Construction has been underway for more than a year and a half, with the vessel scheduled to enter service in August 2027 and operate from Miami.
According to Meyer Turku, the project is now just over 60% complete and construction remains on schedule. The main hull work has been completed, allowing the shipyard to shift its focus toward outfitting the vessel and completing its extensive passenger areas.
The float-out represents an important stage in the construction process, moving Hero of the Seas closer to the final phases of outfitting, testing and preparation for sea trials before delivery.
Royal Caribbean plans to deploy Hero of the Seas on seven-night Caribbean cruises from Miami, with itineraries covering destinations in both the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
The massive cruise ship will feature eight themed neighbourhoods, nine swimming pools and 28 restaurants and other dining venues, continuing the large-scale resort concept introduced with Royal Caribbean’s Icon class.
Like other vessels in the Icon class, Hero of the Seas will use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel.
Once completed, Hero of the Seas will become the fourth member of Royal Caribbean’s Icon-class fleet and one of the largest cruise ships in the world.
