Photo: Royal Caribbean Royal Caribbean, the cruise giant, has officially received its new ship, "Star of the Seas<\/a>", during a festive ceremony held at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.<\/p>\r\n\r\n As the third ship in the Icon Class series, it is set to begin sailing in August from Port Canaveral, Florida. The ship boasts groundbreaking water features, giant pools, an exclusive family area, and dedicated leisure zones. It operates on natural gas and supports the company's sustainability goals, including a target to achieve zero emissions by 2035.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The company, represented in Israel by Sanorama, stated in its announcement: "Royal Caribbean has begun the countdown to a new era of family vacations as it officially welcomed the Star of the Seas. After nearly two years of construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, the keys to the revolutionary ship from the Icon series were officially handed over to Royal Caribbean, just weeks before its launch in August from Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida."<\/p>\r\n\r\n Jason Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group,<\/strong> stated at the ceremony: "The delivery of the ship is another bold step in Royal Caribbean Group's journey to redefine the future of vacations. The ship symbolizes what is possible when innovation, imagination, and a focus on extraordinary experiences come together to create unforgettable memories for millions of families and vacationers."<\/p>\r\n\r\n The company also conveyed that the delivery marked the official transfer of ownership from Meyer Turku to Royal Caribbean, highlighting significant engineering achievements in its construction, including the installation of the AquaDome glass and steel dome, the development of six record-breaking water slides, and more.<\/p>\r\n\r\n In the near future, Star will sail from Turku to Cadiz, Spain, where final touches will be completed before embarking on a 7-night cruise to the Eastern and Western Caribbean Islands, stopping at various destinations, including Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Royal Caribbean CEO, Michael Bayley, added at the ceremony: "We are proud to welcome the ship to the Royal Caribbean family as we continue to revolutionize vacations for families and travelers. This is a true group effort. Many talents came together to turn the Icon series vacation into reality, and we are excited to celebrate this impressive achievement at a sparkling launch event in August."<\/p>\r\n\r\n For all the latest updates in the cruise world, visit PassportCruise<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The ship delivery ceremony in Finland. Photo: Royal Caribbean