Royal Caribbean's Hero of the Seas Floated Out in Finland
Royal Caribbean's fourth Icon-class ship, Hero of the Seas, was floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard on September 4, 2026.
Royal Caribbean's upcoming fourth Icon-class ship, Hero of the Seas, has reached a major construction milestone. The vessel was floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland on Friday, September 4, 2026.
Hundreds of construction workers witnessed the event as the dry dock was filled with more than 90 million gallons of water overnight. A ceremonial cannon firing marked the moment the water first touched the completed hull. Both Meyer Turku and Royal Caribbean have shared photos and a behind-the-scenes video of the process, offering rare views of the ship's massive scale.
Construction Milestone and Next Steps
The ship has now been moved to the outfitting pier at the Finnish shipyard. There, workers will continue construction by installing features like waterslides, decking, interior venues, and art details. Following this outfitting phase, Hero of the Seas will undergo sea trials to test all systems, including navigation, propulsion, and emergency responses.
After successful trials, the ship will be delivered to Royal Caribbean. It will then take on supplies and crew, including its newly-named Chief Dog Officer, Dolly, before entering service.
Icon-Class Fleet Expansion
Hero of the Seas will join sister ships Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas, and Legend of the Seas as the largest cruise ships in the world by gross tonnage. Meyer Turku has built all previous Icon-class vessels and is already working on more.
The shipyard cut steel for the fifth, still-unnamed Icon-class ship on January 19, 2026, with a debut expected in 2028. Also, Royal Caribbean Group confirmed orders for a sixth and seventh Icon-class ship on April 27, 2026. Construction on those vessels has not yet begun, and they are slated to debut in 2029 and 2030, respectively.
| Ship | Key Milestone Date | Expected Debut Year |
|---|---|---|
| Hero of the Seas | Floated out September 4, 2026 | 2027 |
| Fifth Icon-class Ship | Steel cut January 19, 2026 | 2028 |
| Sixth Icon-class Ship | Order confirmed April 27, 2026 | 2029 |
| Seventh Icon-class Ship | Order confirmed April 27, 2026 | 2030 |
Partnership and Itinerary Plans
Casimir Lindholm, CEO of Meyer Turku, said the project marks another important milestone in the long-standing partnership with Royal Caribbean. "Building consecutive Icon Class ships has enabled continuous development of our expertise, production processes and energy-efficient shipbuilding solutions together with our partners and thousands of shipbuilding professionals involved in the project," Lindholm stated. "We are proud to see Hero of the Seas move one step closer to delivery."
The ship's inaugural voyage is planned as a 3-night sailing from Miami, Florida, on August 11, 2027, with a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay. Following this, Hero of the Seas will begin a regular schedule of 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.
