GDS Chosen Again For Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class Fleet
Royal Caribbean has recently announced the order of two additional Icon Class cruise ships, further expanding one of the most ambitious and technically advanced cruise ship programmes ever developed.
The sixth and seventh vessels in the Icon Class series will be built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, with deliveries scheduled for 2029 and 2030 respectively. The announcement forms part of a long-term agreement between Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku that includes options for additional vessels through to 2036.
The new ships will join the growing Icon Class fleet alongside Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, which launched in 2024 and 2025, while Legend of the Seas prepares to welcome its first guests this summer. The fourth vessel in the series, Hero of the Seas, is scheduled to enter service in 2027, with a fifth ship following in 2028.
Since the very beginning of the Icon Class programme, GDS has been engaged in delivering advanced lighting solutions across some of the most prominent and technically demanding venues onboard.
GDS technology features throughout major guest environments including the Royal Promenade, Theatre, Absolute Zero and the spectacular Aquadome, helping create immersive and dynamic experiences for millions of guests.
A range of GDS luminaires and control solutions have been specified across the fleet, with Quasar, Puppis and DL4 featuring prominently throughout the vessels. From vibrant RGBW feature lighting through to high-quality white light and unrivalled dimming performance, the systems have been designed to meet the exacting standards required for world-class entertainment and hospitality environments at sea.
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The continued expansion of the Icon Class fleet represents another significant milestone for both Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku, while reinforcing the long-standing collaboration between GDS, shipyards, designers and project partners delivering these landmark vessels.
As the next generation of Icon Class ships take shape, GDS looks forward to continuing its involvement in helping deliver exceptional onboard experiences through innovative lighting technology.
