Eagled-eyed fans on Reddit spotted a potential name for Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Hero of the Seas.
The Reddit post looked at the Equasis database and found a new ship registered: Hero of the Seas. The post was titled, “The 4th Icon class ship has appeared in the Equasis database, Hero of the Seas coming 2027.”
In the post, the Reddit user states, “Equasis is a database that has all information about ships and confirmed Legend of the Seas before it was publicly announced as well.”
The Equasis database is a publicly accessible maritime database that contains a list of ships worldwide, including their age, ownership, classification, and inspection history.
Let’s unpack what that means, what’s confirmed, and what remains speculation.
What’s confirmed: The Icon class expansion
Royal Caribbean Group officially confirmed on September 8, 2024, that they have signed an agreement with Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku to build a fourth Icon class ship. The massive cruise ship is scheduled for delivery in 2027, with additional options for a fifth and sixth ship.
This announcement aligns with broader plans to expand the cruise line’s fleet. Currently, the Icon class already includes:
- Icon of the Seas, which entered service in January 2024
- Star of the Seas, which began service in August 2025
- Legend of the Seas, the third ship, is scheduled to debut in 2026 (having floated out in September 2025 and entering service in mid-2026)
- The fourth ship, confirmed, but unnamed, with delivery set for 2027
So, it’s true that Royal Caribbean has already ordered a fourth Icon class ship. The Equasis registry shows “Hero of the Seas” with an effective date of January 11, 2027.
Why Hero of the Seas makes sense for Royal Caribbean’s newest ship
The Reddit post suggests the ship is named Hero of the Seas, and this would align with the other names in the Icon Class: Icon, Star, and Legend. These names represent the bold, innovative, and revolutionary design of Royal Caribbean’s newest ship class.
At this time, Hero of the Seas has not been confirmed or announced by Royal Caribbean. It may be speculative naming based on preliminary registry listings like Equasis, which sometimes record working or internal names, but not final branded names.
Reddit users also predicted the name “Legend of the Seas” for Royal Caribbean’s third Icon class vessel. At the time, Royal Caribbean had not officially announced the name of its newest cruise ship, but some found the website already populating with Legend of the Seas itineraries in Europe.
This turned out to be true, as Royal Caribbean confirmed the vessel’s name and that the ship is debuting in Europe next summer.
Why the Icon class matters
Scale and innovation set the Icon class apart from any other cruise ships in the world. These are among the largest cruise ships ever built, exceeding Oasis class dimensions, with ~250,800 GT, nearly 365 meters in length, and capacity for 5,600–7,600 passengers.
Icon class vessels are LNG-powered, include fuel cells, and have onboard systems designed for energy recovery and environmental efficiency, a step toward net-zero cruising by 2035.
The Icon class also introduced stunning features such as the AquaDome, the Pearl, and the Category 6 Waterpark. Each new ship expands on these innovations.
Royal Caribbean’s CEO remarked that Icon of the Seas’ strong performance, both in guest satisfaction and financial returns, made the case for ordering more Icon ships.
Cruisers have mixed feelings about “Hero of the Seas”
Reddit’s comment section included a few remarks from speculative cruisers about the fourth Icon class ship.
One of the top comments referenced a year-old comment predicting the name “Hero” or “Idol” when the fourth vessel was confirmed.
Alright everyone, time for us to guess the 4-letter name for the next two Icon ships. I’ll say either IDOL or HERO, based on a Google synonym search.
However, many commenters on Reddit also emphasized their excitement for Royal Caribbean’s new Project Discovery that will bring smaller vessels to the fleet. This project is meant to design newer ships for the cruise line that will inevitably replace the aging Vision and Radiance class ships.
“I’m still waiting to see the new smaller ships,” replied one user.
Another stated, “A brand new Voyager or Radiance class ship would be sweet. I’m going on Symphony in October. My first time on Oasis-Class and only my second cruise ever. But going on Oasis-Class, seeing as they are newer built, comes with a price premium. Would love a more affordable but new ship, even if it’s much smaller.”
What to watch for next
When will Royal Caribbean confirm a name like Hero of the Seas? It’s likely that we could receive confirmation of the vessel’s name by the end of the year, but it’s more likely in 2026 when itineraries become available.
Many will be looking to see how the fourth Icon class vessel will differ from Icon, Star, and Legend. In addition, many are curious when Royal Caribbean will place an order for the fifth and sixth Icon class vessels.
While Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas both debuted in North America, Legend of the Seas will be sailing in Europe for her inaugural season. Many are now curious about where Hero of the Seas could be sailing.
With each new Icon, Royal Caribbean is rewriting the cruising playbook, bonding mega-scale, sustainability, technology, and immersive experiences into something truly next-level. The fourth Icon will continue that trend, and fans are already brimming with anticipation.
