Royal Caribbean Group on Jan. 29 announced plans for a new class of cruise ships, the Discovery Class, with two vessels on order and options for up to four additional ships.

Discovery Class ships will be built by French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique at its Saint-Nazaire shipyard. The first Discovery Class ship is scheduled to enter service in 2029, followed by a second vessel in 2032, the company said.

In a statement shared on social media, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley described the Discovery Class as featuring “cutting-edge design” and “immersive moments” while sailing to destinations worldwide. The company did not release details on ship size, passenger capacity, onboard features, or homeports.

Royal Caribbean has previously indicated the Discovery Class will be designed to transit the Panama Canal, allowing seasonal deployments between regions such as Alaska and the Caribbean. According to the Panama Canal Authority, vessels transiting the canal are limited to a maximum length of 1,215 feet (370 meters), a beam of 168 feet (51 meters), and a height of 190 feet (58 meters).

If built to those specifications, the Discovery Class would be smaller than Royal Caribbean’s most recent ship classes, including the Oasis and Icon classes. Canal limitations could result in a ship with fewer decks and a lower passenger capacity compared with the line’s newest megaships, though Royal Caribbean has not confirmed any design specifications.

The Discovery Class is intended to complement its existing fleet and expand deployment flexibility, particularly as some ports introduce size and passenger restrictions.

Building The Future

With the addition of the Discovery Class order, Royal Caribbean currently has six ships on order through 2032, including vessels in the Icon, Oasis, and Discovery classes.

Legend of the Seas (Icon Class) – 2026

Unnamed (Icon Class) – 2027

Unnamed (Oasis Class) – 2028

Unnamed (Icon Class) – 2028

Unnamed, likely Discovery of the Seas (Discovery Class) –2029

Unnamed (Discovery Class) – 2032