by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 1:30 PM ET, Tue September 8, 2026
Royal Caribbean’s newest ship has reached a major construction milestone.
Hero of the Seas recently floated out for the first time at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. Workers filled the ship’s dry dock with more than 90 million gallons of water overnight before moving Hero of the Seas to the outfitting pier, where construction will continue over the next year.
“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,” says Casimir Lindholm, chief executive officer of Meyer Turku. “We are proud to see Hero of the Seas move one step closer to delivery.”
Slated to debut in August, 2027, Hero of the Seas will be the latest addition to Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class, with eight neighborhoods, nine pools and 28 dining venues, including the new Orleans Parrish Supper Club. The ship will also feature accommodations including the three-deck Ultimate Family Treehouse.
Among its attractions will be Crown’s Edge, a skywalk and zip-line-style experience located 154 feet above the ocean, as well as the Coconut Cove pool and adults-only The Hideaway.
The ship is scheduled to sail seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Miami. Every sailing will include a visit to Perfect Day CocoCay in the Bahamas.
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