Royal Caribbean Group’s New Discovery Class: What We Know So Far
Royal Caribbean Group has officially locked in plans for a brand-new class of cruise ships, known as the Discovery Class. The agreement is now signed, the shipyard is confirmed, and the timeline is set. Here’s what’s been announced so far, without the speculation.
The Basics
- Shipyard: The Discovery Class ships will be built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France.
- Order size: Two ships are firmly ordered, with options for up to four additional vessels.
- Delivery timeline:
- First ship: 2029
- Second ship: 2032
This is a long-range play that stretches well into the next decade.
Why This Shipyard Matters
Chantiers de l’Atlantique isn’t new to Royal Caribbean. The yard has delivered some of the most influential ships in modern cruising, including Oasis Class vessels and ships for Celebrity Cruises’ Edge Series. When Royal Caribbean wants something ambitious and technically complex, this is where they go.
What the Discovery Class Is Aiming to Be
Royal Caribbean is being careful not to over-specify this early, but the positioning is clear.
- A next-generation design, not a copy of Icon or Oasis
- Strong emphasis on guest experience and immersion
- Built to expand where and how the brand can operate globally
This suggests Discovery Class will likely sit between existing mega-ships and more destination-flexible designs, though exact size and capacity have not been shared yet.
How This Fits Into Royal Caribbean’s Bigger Strategy
Royal Caribbean Group is not slowing down. Between Icon Class, ongoing Oasis Class deployments, and now Discovery Class, the company is building a diversified fleet with very distinct roles.
Discovery Class appears designed to:
- Complement existing ship classes rather than replace them
- Offer more flexibility for global itineraries
- Serve evolving guest expectations without chasing pure scale
In other words, this is about breadth, not just bigger ships.
What We Still Don’t Know
There are still plenty of unanswered questions:
- Ship size and passenger capacity
- Homeports and inaugural itineraries
- Sustainability features beyond standard next-gen compliance
Those details will come later, likely closer to steel-cutting announcements.
Discovery Class is now real, funded, and scheduled. While the first ship won’t arrive until 2029, this announcement confirms Royal Caribbean Group is planning far ahead and doubling down on innovation across its portfolio.
As more technical details are released, we’ll get a clearer picture of where Discovery Class fits in the cruise landscape. For now, this is a strong signal that Royal Caribbean isn’t done reshaping what a modern cruise ship looks like.
