Another Mega-Ship On The Way from Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean have announced that a 3rd Icon Class ship is to be built by Meyer Turku  shipbuilders. This  environmentally friendly mega-ship is set for delivery in 2025 and will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Royal already plan to have  2 ‘Icon Class’ ships  due to enter service in 2022 and 2024, and all three will use clean energy with a “breakthrough” ship design.

So what exactly can we expect from an ‘Icon Class’ ?  Will the ships be bigger and more futuristic than the Quantum & Oasis classes?

Very little publicity has been released, but what we do know is that they will accommodate approximately 5,000 passengers, at a weight of 200,000 tonnes. and be powered by a combination of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fuel cell technology.

Official word from Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said: “We are thrilled to announce the newest addition to our Icon-class fleet that affirms our commitment to clean-power technologies at sea. We’ve designed a class of ships powered by liquefied natural gas that leverages the latest, environmentally-friendly applications. “We believe that innovative shipbuilding can reduce our carbon footprint and boost energy efficiencies to help to build a cleaner future.”

Sounds very fancy!

I wonder if any of these Mega Icon Class ships will sail out of Southampton?  With the departure of our favourite Royal Caribbean ship, the Independence of the Seas, Royal Caribbean has left a rather large gap in the market for ex-Southampton options. Yes of course we have the Anthem of the Seas, which was launched ‘way back’ in April 2015, almost classed as an ‘old-timer’ compared to the newer more technologically advanced models that have since been launched.  Harmony, Spectrum etc.

Royal Caribbean ships sailing out of Southampton remain a firm favourite for cruise passengers of all ages. So I remain hopeful that one of these Mega beauties will find its way to our shores.

Time will tell of course, as I suspect that the continuing confusion over Brexit will stall any decisions.

That’s all for now

Regards Gina