Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku, commented on the handover of ICON OF THE SEAS as a significant moment in the shipyard's history:

"ICON OF THE SEAS is the world's largest, but above all, the world's most advanced cruise ship. Together with Royal Caribbean, we set the bar exceptionally high in terms of design, technology, safety and reducing energy consumption.

ICON OF THE SEAS is a revolutionary ship and at the same time a significant step towards the green transition, which is the shipyard's most important competitive advantage. Such a demanding project has only been possible because we cooperate closely within the maritime cluster. In particular, I would like to highlight the finishing expertise of our supply chain. I am extremely proud of the people of Meyer Turku and everyone who has participated in this project."

In what has been estimated to be the most complex project in the industrial history of Finland, several smaller, yet huge sub-projects fit inside. They are good examples of the strength of cooperation between Meyer Turku and partner companies. These include, among other things:

• AquaDome, the heaviest and in terms of surface area largest glass-steel structure ever lifted onto a ship

• Pearl, a 15-metre-diameter round thrill staircase that is part of the ship's load-bearing structure

"Today we are celebrating much more than just a ship being completed. We also celebrate that the innovations and dreams created by Royal Caribbean during over 50 years have reached a new peak. ICON OF THE SEAS represents everything that can be achieved in responsible vacationing thanks to commitment and strong partnerships. We thank Meyer Turku and the shipyard's incredibly competent partner network with whom we have done this work. The memories of the millions who will travel on ICON will be our greatest achievement to date," says Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty.

Royal Caribbean International markets ICON OF THE SEAS as an unprecedented vacation experience with something for everyone. The ship's eight different themed areas include the largest water park in the seas, the Central Park consisting of living plants, the AquaTheatre offering water acrobatics entertainment, and forty different places to eat.

ICON OF THE SEAS will depart for its first customer cruise from its home port of Miami at the end of January. ICON OF THE SEAS will regularly cruise in the Caribbean.

The hull assembly of the second ship in the series, STAR OF THE SEAS, will begin at the Meyer Turku shipyard in December, ready for delivery in December 2025. A third yet-unnamed sister will follow at the end of 2026.

ICON OF THE SEAS in numbers:

Length: 365 m
Hull width: 48.5 m (waterline), 57.8 m (deck building), 65.8 m (bridge)
Gross tonnage: 248,655
Passengers: 7,600
Crew: 2,350
Flag State: Panama

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