​Icon of the Seas Floated Out at Meyer Turku Shipyard

The world's largest and Royal Caribbean's most environmentally friendly cruise ship was floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard.
 
The dry dock, the 365-metre-long Icon of the Seas had resided up until now, was flooded, to allow the ship to exit for the first time. The huge dry dock gates were opened, and the ground-breaking new ship was floated out to the outfitting pier where it will stay until it's sea trials in 2023.

Image: Meyer Turku

The float out of Icon of the Seas was celebrated with a ceremonial cannon firing.
 
Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku, said: "Icon of the Seas is a state-of-the-art ship that challenges the know-how of our shipyard and raises the entire Finnish shipbuilding industry to a new level. We are proud to be responsible for the design and construction of Icon of the Seas in cooperation with the customer and all our partner companies. This is also a significant step for the sustainable development of the shipbuilding industry”.
 
Michael Bayley, President & CEO, Royal Caribbean International, said: "The float out of a new ship is a defining moment, and in the case of Icon of the Seas, it marks the next step in the start of a new era of vacations,” said. “We set out to create the world’s best family vacation more than five years ago, the culmination of 53 years of Royal Caribbean firsts and favourites that combine the best of every vacation. That is now a reality more than ever as Icon touches water for the first time.”

The 258,000 gross tonne Icon of the Seas will be handed over to Royal Caribbean International at the end of 2023 and will set sail on its first voyage in January 2024. The ship will cruise from Miami year-round in the Eastern and Western Caribbean.