17 STAR OF THE SEAS TO MAKE DEBUT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE Construction on Royal Caribbean International’s second Icon-class vessel, Star of the Seas, is progressing ahead of schedule at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. As such, the ship will host two four-night showcase sailings from Florida’s Port Canaveral on 23 and 27 August 2025. Both will take place before the ship’s official inaugural sailing, which will still take place on 31 August as originally planned. Star of the Seas was floated out in September 2024, during a nine-hour process that involved filling the dry dock with 92 million gallons of water. The ship will be similar to Icon of the Seas, which launched in January 2024, but with a few new additions, such as the Lincoln Park Supper Club, Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues, and convenient pick-up windows for sushi and champagne. Meyer Turku began building the ship’s restaurants, bars and the signature AquaTheater in July 2024 after the installation of the 367-ton AquaDome, which is the largest glass and steel structure to ever be lifted onto a cruise ship. and we look forward to bringing the revolutionary lineup of experiences to more families and adventurers across Europe, the Caribbean and beyond,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International. The ship is currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, where the keel was laid on 7 October 2024. “Icon 3 is a very important vessel for both the shipyard and the partner network,” said Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku, at the keel-laying ceremony. “We get to see what a combination of high-level know-how and sister ship experience can achieve today. Icon 3 will be an allencompassing holiday experience to the tourism market, which is impatiently waiting for it.” Legend of the Seas will offer more than 40 venues for guests to dine and drink across eight neighbourhoods, including Surfside, which has been designed for young families. Onboard attractions will include high ropes course Crown’s Edge and the largest waterpark at sea, Category 6. The ship will also feature seven pools, including the largest pool at sea, Royal Bay, as well as swim-up bar Swim & Tonic and the adults-only Hideaway, which will feature an infinity pool suspended above the ocean. The ship is also the fourth Royal Caribbean International ship to be powered by LNG fuel. In addition, it will include waste heat recovery systems and shore power connection capability to reduce its environmental impact. The keel-laying ceremony for Legend of the Seas took place at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland on 7 October 2024
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