The Icon Class, Built Around Family Time
Hero of the Seas is the fourth ship in Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class, following Icon of the Seas in 2024, Star of the Seas in 2025 and Legend of the Seas in 2026. It’s being built at Meyer Turku in Finland, and construction is running ahead of schedule. Its first guests now board on August 1, 2027, for a 7-night Western Caribbean sailing from Fort Lauderdale, followed by a 3-night getaway to The Bahamas on August 8. After that, it settles into Miami for year-round 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations, and every one of them visits Perfect Day CocoCay.
Royal Caribbean designed Hero with families in mind. It keeps the eight neighborhoods guests already love on its sisters and adds nine pools (the most at sea), a record 28 places to eat, two new family raft slides and the first Ultimate Family Treehouse. We’ve filmed Icon, Star and Legend, so we can tell you how Hero compares and which rooms are worth the upgrade. We’ll film its as soon as it sails. Until then, here’s what has been announced.
Ship Overview
Icon Class · Royal Caribbean
Hero of the Seas
The fourth Icon Class ship, arriving August 2027.
Class: Icon Class (fourth ship)
First sailing: August 1, 2027, from Fort Lauderdale
Homeport: Miami, year-round 7-night Caribbean
Guests: About 5,610 at double occupancy
Neighborhoods: 8
Pools: 9, the most at sea
Dining: 28 places to eat
Shipyard: Meyer Turku, Finland
Best for: Families and multigenerational groups
Hero of the Seas Cruise Search
Hero of the Seas Highlights
Category 6 & New Family Raft Slides
Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, gets two new family raft slides on Hero, including the first funnel raft slide at sea. The Storm Chasers mat-racing slides return with new twists. Nearby, Crown's Edge (part skywalk, part zip line, 154 feet above the ocean) is back, along with the FlowRider surf simulator, the Adrenaline Peak climbing wall, Lost Dunes mini golf and courts for pickleball, basketball and soccer.
The Hideaway & Nine Pools
Hero has nine pools, the most at sea, including three adults-only options. The Hideaway, the adults-only retreat, now has two pools, the largest swim-up bar at sea and an in-water DJ booth. Swim & Tonic, the adults-only pool and swim-up bar, has been expanded, and Splashaway Bay in Surfside gets new water features for young kids.
Ultimate Family Treehouse
The first Ultimate Family Treehouse sleeps up to 12 across three decks. It has a rooftop terrace with a private whirlpool, a two-deck teen space, and two main bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and balcony. Families can also choose the three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse with direct access to Surfside, Surfside Family Suites and Family Infinite Ocean View Balconies, while Royal Loft and Icon Loft Suites lead the suite lineup.
Icon Class Favorites, Day and Night
The signature Icon Class spaces return on Hero: the Royal Promenade with The Pearl, the world's largest kinetic art sculpture; Central Park, lined with more than 30,500 real plants; and new productions in the Royal Theater, the AquaTheater and Absolute Zero, the largest ice arena at sea. The AquaDome Market food hall comes back with four new stalls, plus Crème de la Crêpe and Simply Pressed juices, alongside fleet favorites like Izumi, Giovanni's, Chops Grille and Hooked Seafood.
New on Hero
Orleans Parish Supper Club
Royal Caribbean's newest supper club: a multi-course dinner of Cajun and Creole dishes with live jazz and craft cocktails, inspired by the French Quarter in the early 1900s.
Royal Railway – Hero Station
An immersive dinner in a train car that takes you to new destinations through food, entertainment and technology.
Coconut Cove
An all-new pool with in-water loungers and poolside drink service, steps from The Lime and Coconut bar, looking out over Central Park.
Royal Caribbean News & Updates
Royal Caribbean’s Summer 2028 Caribbean Season Is Here: Four Icon Class Ships, Two Newly Amplified Favorites
Eleven ships from eight homeports, the newest Icon's first full summer, and CocoCay on most of them. Here's where every ship sails, what I love on each one, and how to grab the best staterooms before summer sells out.
Legend of the Seas Ship Overview: Every Neighborhood, Pool & Suite
Tour Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas neighborhood by neighborhood: all seven pools, every room and suite category, what's new compared with Icon and Star, and Danny's on-camera tips.
Legend of the Seas Restaurants: The Complete Dining Guide (2026)
Your guide to the restaurants on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas, from Royal Railway and the Hollywoodland Supper Club to the included AquaDome Market, with photos from our ship tour and booking tips.
