Royal Caribbean has confirmed orders for seven new cruise ships to be delivered through 2032, the most ambitious multi-year pipeline the company has ever announced. The schedule clusters two ships into each of 2028 and 2029, a pace that Royal Caribbean Blog notes is unusual in an industry that typically spaces launches to manage financial and shipyard commitments.
The next confirmed Icon Class ship has been named Hero of the Seas, though beyond the name, details remain limited. The 2029 delivery slot is also designated for the first-ever Discovery Class vessel, an entirely new platform whose size and concept have not yet been publicly detailed. CEO Jason Liberty and brand president Michael Bayley addressed the broader expansion at a press event aboard the newly launched Legend of the Seas, confirming Discovery Class ships are being designed for markets including Asia, Alaska, and Europe.
For context, the line now operates 30 ships after Legend of the Seas joined the fleet in July. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has a similarly sized order book of seven ships between 2027 and 2037, while Carnival's five-ship plan is spread more evenly across a longer window. Royal Caribbean's concentration of launches in a two-year window signals strong confidence in sustained demand through the end of the decade.