With the timely delivery and entry into service of the world’s largest ever passenger ship, Icon of the Seas, her first sister, Star of the Seas, will suffer a short delay in delivery, resulting in the cancellation of two cruises in August 2025. She will now enter service on 31 August from her homeport of Port Canaveral. The third and at present final ship in the series, as yet unnamed, will be delivered in the spring of 2026 Somewhat surprisingly, the company has now ordered another unit in the Oasis class, until delivery of Icon the largest passenger ships ever built. This will bring the total in this class to seven. The first two were built by STX Finland (now Meyer, Turku), with the lead ship, Oasis of the Seas, entering service in 2009. Wonder of the Seas took the title as the world’s largest cruise ship in 2022. The sixth ship, Utopia of the Seas, will enter service in July, and the newlyordered ship will follow in 2028.
Wonder of the Seas recently lost her title as the world’s largest cruise ship.
WILLIAM MAYES