Royal boss says Icon-class ship launch in Europe 'not a gazillion years away'
Harry KembleThe boss of Royal Caribbean International has strongly hinted an Icon-class ship will operate in Europe in summer 2026, or soon afterwards.
Icon of the Seas launched earlier this year, while sister vessel – Star of the Seas – is scheduled to enter service on 31 August 2025. A third as-yet-unnamed Icon ship will start operating in 2026.
Michael Bayley, the line’s president and chief executive, has previously said an Icon ship will come to Europe at some point.
Speaking exclusively to TTG at Utopia of the Seas’ delivery ceremony in Saint-Nazaire, France, Bayley said: “The statement [that] Icon will inevitably be in Europe is still true. When? Who knows? But it’s not going to be a gazillion years away.
"We’ve announced deployment for the next 18 months. We’ve put early 2026 sailings on sale. Keep your eyes and ears open – it’s coming.”
Bayley said the line had been surprised by hype around Icon’s launch. “It has come out of the gate like a winner and it has just kept taking the prize,” he remarked.
Bayley, meanwhile, dismissed concerns that demand across several markets – including the US and the UK – could wane this year due to national elections.
He said: “The net effect [on bookings] during every election cycle is zero. You do get a two-week period around voting day when sales come down a bit, but there’s no impact across the overall period. It’s like the World Cup – on the day of the final, sales drop. It’s as simple as that.”
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