Hero of the Seas floats out at Meyer Turku shipyard

RCI-Royal Caribbean's Hero of the Seas reached a major construction milestone on September 4th, 2026, when the 4th Icon Class cruise ship was floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

The float-out followed a traditional launching ceremony earlier in the day. After the building dock was flooded, the vessel was moved out of the dry dock and transferred to an adjacent outfitting pier, marking the first time that water was beneath its keel.

The event attracted limited public attention and was initially documented primarily through photographs and video shared by Finnish ship spotters. The float-out marks the completion of a major phase of construction, although substantial work remains before the vessel enters service.

At the outfitting pier, shipyard teams will continue installing and completing cabins, public areas, technical systems and interior spaces. Hull assembly had been completed in July, when the final structural block was positioned. Meyer Turku subsequently continued work on the hull while progressing with cabin installation and preparations for the vessel's float-out and commissioning.

Another significant construction stage was completed earlier in the summer with the installation of the ship's 50-metre-wide glass AquaDome. Meyer Turku described the structure as the largest single-piece glass-and-steel assembly ever lifted onto a cruise ship.

Hero of the Seas will be the fourth vessel in Royal Caribbean's Icon Class. The new ship will be ~365 metres long, with a gross tonnage of ~250,800. Accommodation is planned for ~5,610 passengers at double occupancy, increasing to ~7,600 guests at maximum capacity.

Following the outfitting phase, the vessel will enter commissioning and undergo sea trials. Its propulsion, navigation, safety, power-generation and hotel systems will need to be tested before delivery to Royal Caribbean.

Hero of the Seas is scheduled to enter service in August 2027 and operate year-round 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Miami. The itineraries will include calls at Royal Caribbean's private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The ship is planned to feature 8 neighbourhoods, 9 pools and 28 dining venues, together with new family-oriented attractions and updated versions of features introduced on earlier Icon Class vessels.