Construction on the sixth ship in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class has begun in Saint-Nazaire, France. The cruise line revealed the name of the upcoming ship, Utopia of the Seas, at the steel-cutting ceremony that took place in the Chantiers de l‘Atlantique shipyard.

The first Oasis Class ship powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas) is scheduled to begin sailing in spring 2024, and aims to be a bold evolution of the class of ships that changed the industry more than a decade ago.

“We are excited to begin construction on Utopia of the Seas,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “On the sixth Oasis Class ship, vacationers can look forward to the signature combination of Royal Caribbean experiences and many brand-new adventures that has and will continue to make the Oasis class of ships the ultimate vacation for guests of all ages.”

At the ceremony, Utopia’s first piece of steel was cut to mark the start of the 30-month construction process. Representatives from Royal Caribbean and Chantiers de l’Atlantique attended the milestone event, including Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group; and Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

Royal Caribbean’s game-changing Oasis Class redefined cruising with the introduction of Oasis of the Seas in 2009. Today, these ships are known as the ultimate vacations for families and travelers of all ages. With the recent debut of Wonder of the Seas, the renowned class continues to push what is possible with innovations across every aspect of the cruise experience – from unparalleled thrills to original entertainment, and now a transition to cleaner energy.

By introducing the first LNG-powered Oasis Class ship, the cruise line will take yet another step toward a clean-energy future after its first LNG ship, Icon of the Seas, debuts in fall 2023. The use of the cleanest fossil fuel available to cruise ships today and additional environmentally friendly applications on board Utopia will boost energy efficiencies and further reduce emissions overall.

Royal Caribbean was named ‘Caribbean’s Best Cruise Line’ at the World Cruise Awards 2021.