Hero of the Seas to Launch Early: Adds 2 Sailings
Launching a new cruise ship is a gargantuan effort, coordinating thousands of workers and companies to build a ship that can cost over $2 billion. With that, timelines can easily slip as everyone races toward the debut date of the new ship.
But Royal Caribbean seems to have mastered the process. For the third Icon Class ship in a row, its newest ship will debut ahead of schedule, a huge feat considering Hero of the Seas will be tied for the largest cruise ships in the world. And because of that, Royal Caribbean is adding two new sailings, which may be good or bad news for those who wanted to be the first to sail.
Hero of the Seas Adds New Sailings
In an email sent to guests who are booked on the first sailing of Hero of the Seas, Royal Caribbean announced that the new ship will be ready ahead of schedule. The inaugural sailing was originally scheduled to depart on August 11, 2027.
7-Night Perfect Day CocoCay & Western Caribbean Cruise – August 1
The first chance to sail aboard the ship, at least for non-media and travel agents, will be a full 7-night cruise visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay and the Western Caribbean. It will visit Costa Maya, Roatan, Cozumel, and finish with a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
3-Night Perfect Day CocoCay Getaway – August 8
For those who want a shorter sampler of what Hero of the Seas has to offer, there will be a 3-night Perfect Day cruise. This sailing will just visit Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and have a sea day on the way back.
Inaugural Guests Can Move Their Sailings
For those guests who absolutely, positively have to be the first ones onboard, Royal Caribbean is giving them the opportunity to switch sailings. They will have first dibs starting in the afternoon of Wednesday, October 7. Guests on the original inaugural sailing will have until October 14 to move to an earlier date without change fees. They will have to pay the prevailing rate, though, which may be different from what they originally booked.
Knowing that some suite guests will definitely want to move, Royal Caribbean is holding all suites on the new sailings until October 14 to give those guests the opportunity to switch over.
Guests who wish to remain on the sailing they originally booked don’t have to take any action.
Be the First to See the Fourth Icon Class Ship
Hero of the Seas will be the fourth Icon Class ship, but it won’t simply be a copy of the ships that came before it. The ship will have two more pools, for a total of nine, the most on any cruise ship. The Hideaway adults-only area gets supersized with a second pool and a swim-up bar, the ship’s second, while getting rid of those extra-fee daybeds that just took up space. Category 6 Waterpark also gets new slides, including the first funnel raft slide at sea.
There will also be some returning favorites with a new twist. The supper club onboard will be New Orleans themed, called Orleans Parish Supper Club, while Royal Railway – Hero Station will return, but its theme hasn’t been announced yet. AquaDome Market will get four new concepts, and Royal Caribbean is adding a new venue in Surfside for cooking classes for the whole family. Based on the current deck plans, it appears to replace Pier 7.
The two-story Casino Royale design that first debuted on Legend of the Seas this summer will also return on Hero of the Seas.
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