Meyer Turku has floated the world's next largest cruise ship, Star of the Seas, out of her building dock at its yard in Turku, Finland. Following a traditional ceremony to mark the construction milestone on Wednesday, the ship was transferred to Meyer Turku’s outfitting pier with the help of tug boats, where she will remain until her delivery in 2025.

Following days of delays caused by strong winds at the construction site, the weather finally cleared, allowing the massive vessel to be transferred from the construction pool to its new position. The undocking marks a significant step in the ship’s construction journey, following its official launch ceremony, which took place earlier on Wednesday.

Set to embark on one-week Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida, starting in August 2025, Star of the Seas still has a substantial amount of work ahead. With the hull of the ship completed the next step of the building process is proceeding to complete all attractions and features, making sure at the same time that Star of the Seas will be a safe and reliable ship to sail at sea.

The photographer Janne-Petteri Kumpulainen captured these amazing photos.

The construction of Star of the Seas began on February 15, 2023, and by December the vessel’s keel had been laid. Since then, numerous sections of the ship have been assembled. A major development this summer was the installation of an impressive glass and steel structure over the bridge, which will serve as the roof for the ship’s AquaDome, a future centerpiece of the ship’s offerings. Just days before the undocking, the ship’s three Azipods—crucial rotating propeller nacelles that will power the vessel—were attached to its hull.
With Star of the Seas now undocked, construction at the Finnish shipyard shifts focus to the next vessel in Royal Caribbean’s groundbreaking Icon Class. The keel of the yet-to-be-named third ship in the series is expected to be laid soon, with delivery set for 2026. Additionally, a fourth ship, also part of the Icon Class, has been ordered and is slated for delivery to India in 2027. The cruise line also holds options for two further Icon Class vessels.