Royal Caribbean Group set new dates for the delivery of several upcoming newbuilds, including three Royal Caribbean International Icon-class ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and Celebrity Cruises' next Edge-class ships and warned that further delays are possible.
In a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing, the company said that Covid-19 has impacted shipyard operations, "which has and may continue to result in delays of our previously contracted ship deliveries."
The first two 5,600-passenger, Icon-class ships were originally set to be debut in 2022 and 2024. According to the filing, the first will now debut in the third quarter of 2023, the second in the second quarter of 2025 and the third ship year after that.
The ships are being built by Finland's Meyer Turku shipyard.
Sister brand Celebrity Cruises' fourth Edge-class ship was pushed back one year, from a scheduled in delivery in spring 2022 to the fourth quarter of 2023. The fifth Edge-class ship, which is contingent upon completion of certain conditions including financing, would be delivered in 2025 instead of 2024.