Royal Caribbean Jumps to Discovery Class with only 3 Icon Class Ships Underway

With only three Icon class ships currently sailing, Royal Caribbean Group has ordered two new Discovery class ships from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France, with the option to build four more.

The company has inked new agreements with the shipbuilder to secure the construction of its new Discovery Class ships.

The first ship in the class is set to debut in 2029, followed by the second in 2032.

“The Discovery Class introduces a bold new concept that puts our guests at the center of it all,” said Michael Bayley, president and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean International. 

“It will deliver extraordinary, one-of-a-kind experiences—from cutting edge design to immersive moments—every detail crafted to surprise and delight guests in ways they’ve never imagined, all while visiting truly breathtaking destinations around the world,” Bayley continued.

This article originally appeared in TravelPulse.

Contact My Journey Begins Travel to plan and book a current Icon class cruise and keep tabs on booking windows for Discovery class sailings.

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The following article teasing the advent of the Discovery class at Royal Caribbean originally appeared in TravelPulse in July 2024:

While sailing aboard a preview cruise on Royal Caribbean’s newest vessel, Utopia of the Seas, CEO Michael Bayley made a revealing announcement about the cruise line’s future. 

During a press briefing Tuesday, Bayley said Royal Caribbean is developing an entirely new class of ship called Discovery Class, hinting that it, “will be really exciting, but we can’t say anything about it.”

Afterward, at a Q&A event for travel advisors, he expounded upon the revelation, saying that Discovery Class may consist of smaller ships that would be able to access ports where bridges prevent larger ships from visiting, like Baltimore and Tampa. 

“It’s not as simple as making [the ship] broader and less high, but we constantly look at the ability to get ships in these places. So, maybe Discovery class will have the great solution for that,” he said.

Los Angeles To Get Another Ship

During the same session, Royal Caribbean’s executive leadership team announced that it will be bringing a second vessel to the Port of Los Angeles, come next spring. Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean’s Senior Vice President of Sales, Trade Support and Service revealed that it will be Ovation of the Seas that starts sailing three-, five- and six-night cruises out of L.A. from May 28, 2025. 

Currently homeported in L.A. is the Voyager Class Navigator of the Seas, now 22 years old. The Quantum Class Ovation of the Seas is less than a decade old, having entered the scene in 2016. 

Bayley told his travel advisor audience that, if they can “sell the hell out of this ship, we’ll send you an Icon”, referring to the line’s newest class of ship, which was unveiled back in January with the launch of Icon of the Seas. “The more you sell, the bigger the ships get out of Los Angeles,” Freed affirmed.

During Icon of the Seas’ preview cruise back in January Bayley also alluded to plans to homeport upcoming Icon Class ships in Galveston. According to a Travel Weekly report, the CEO let another hint drop during Tuesday’s Q&A session, teasing that the line is looking to go “big” in Texas. 

Royal Caribbean currently has two new Icon Class ships in the works, with the first, Star of the Seas, scheduled to launch in late summer 2025.