Hero of the Seas Hits Water in Major Construction Milestone
Key Aspects:
Hero of the Seas was floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland on Friday, September 4, 2026.
Both Meyer Turku and Royal Caribbean have shared behind-the-scenes looks at the milestone with photos and video.
The fourth Icon-class ship is now at the outfitting pier at the shipyard where her construction continues.
Cruises are getting a little more heroic as the upcoming fourth Icon-class ship, Hero of the Seas, has floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, where the vessel is currently under construction.
The ship was floated out on Friday, September 4, 2026, and Meyer Turku shared the important milestone on Facebook several days later, on September 8. A ship’s floating out or launching ceremony is the first time water touches the completed hull, a critical step in a vessel’s construction.
Hundreds of the project’s construction workers were on hand for the momentous event as the dry dock was filled with more than 90 million gallons of water, a process that occurred overnight. A ceremonial cannon firing, a long-standing maritime tradition, marked when the floating out began.
Photos show the process from both aerial and close-up perspectives, shipyard viewpoints cruise guests do not typically get to see and ones that highlight the ship’s massive size. Royal Caribbean has also shared a behind-the-scenes video of the special milestone for Hero of the Seas.
When she debuts, Hero of the Seas will join her sister ships Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas, and Legend of the Seas as the largest cruise ships (by gross tonnage) in the world.
Process Getting Refined for Building Massive Ships
For Meyer Turku, the process of building Hero of the Seas is a continuation of a lengthy relationship that has redefined modern shipbuilding.
“Hero of the Seas is another important milestone in the long-standing partnership between Meyer Turku and Royal Caribbean. Building consecutive Icon Class ships has enabled continuous development of our expertise, production processes and energy-efficient shipbuilding solutions together with our partners and thousands of shipbuilding professionals involved in the project,” said Casimir Lindholm, CEO of Meyer Turku.
“We are proud to see Hero of the Seas move one step closer to delivery.”
All three previous Icon-class ships were also built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in southwestern Finland, and the shipyard cut steel for the as-yet-unnamed fifth Icon-class ship on January 19, 2026. That ship is expected to debut in 2028.
On April 27, 2026, Royal Caribbean Group also confirmed orders for the sixth and seventh Icon-class ships, though construction on those vessels has not yet begun and they will not debut until 2029 and 2030.
In the meantime, there is still much to be done to complete Hero of the Seas‘ construction and prepare her to welcome guests in August 2027.
Read Also: Find Out How Huge Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas Really Is
The ship has now moved to the outfitting pier where construction will continue, such as the installation of the waterslides, decking, interior venues, art details, and so much more.
Following her construction, Hero of the Seas will undergo sea trials to ensure the full operation of all her systems, including navigation, steering, propulsion, and emergency responses.
After successful trials, the ship will be delivered to Royal Caribbean and officially become the property of the cruise line. At that time, she will take on supplies and crew members before entering service, including welcoming Dolly, her newly-named Chief Dog Officer.
Her inaugural voyage is planned as a 3-night sailing departing Miami, Florida on August 11, 2027 with a visit to Perfect Day CocoCay, before she begins a regular schedule of 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.