Just one day after
Royal
Caribbean celebrated the delivery of its latest Icon-class ship, Legend
of the Seas, the cruise giant marked an altogether different milestone for
its upcoming, as-yet-unnamed Oasis-class vessel.
On June 11, the
cruise line commemorated the start of construction on its seventh Oasis-class ship
with a traditional keel-laying ceremony at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique
shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. The event signals the beginning of the
ship's assembly process and kicks off what is expected to be a two-year construction
period before its planned 2028 debut.
According to Cruise
Hive, Royal Caribbean executives, shipyard officials, various VIPs and
construction crews were in attendance during the event as the first steel block
(known as the keel) was lowered into place in the dry dock.
As part of a time-honored
maritime tradition, newly minted euro and U.S. dollar coins were placed beneath
the keel to symbolize good luck for the vessel, its crew and future passengers.
Newly minted euro and U.S. dollar coins were placed beneath the keel to bring the ship good fortune. (Photo Credit: Royal Caribbean)
“The first block
of Oasis 7 has been set in the dry dock by the TGP, in the presence of Royal
Caribbean Group and Chantiers de l’Atlantique teams — as Oasis 7’s assembly
officially begins,” the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard shared on Facebook.
“A milestone moment. Congratulations to all teams involved!”
Royal Caribbean
first announced plans for the vessel in early 2024, and construction took
another step forward when steel-cutting
began in October 2025. Now, however, comes the phase wherein individual blocks
built over the past several months will be assembled into what will eventually
become a vessel spanning more than 15 decks.
While Royal
Caribbean has yet to reveal the ship's name or many details about what guests
can expect onboard, the vessel is expected to follow in the footsteps of its
six Oasis-class sisters: Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony
of the Seas, Symphony
of the Seas, Wonder
of the Seas and Utopia
of the Seas.
Like its sister ships,
Oasis 7 will likely feature an exciting mix of immersive entertainment
offerings, innovative dining concepts, family-friendly attractions and the distinctive
“neighborhood” layout that has become synonymous with the Oasis class. In its announcement,
Royal Caribbean teased that the ship promises “bold new adventures, standout
dining, immersive entertainment and experiences designed for every type of
vacationer.”
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