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Legend of the Seas Delivered to Royal Caribbean Ahead of July Debut

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Legend of the Seas Delivered to Royal Caribbean Ahead of July Debut

Royal Caribbean has welcomed the Legend of the Seas, its third Icon-class ship, to its fleet.

Following nearly two years of construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, and sea trials that started in April, the ship is ready to make its European debut in July 2026, the cruise line said in a statement.

More than 1,200 crew members and partners gathered for a ceremony led by Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm.

The event marked the transfer of ownership between Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku.

“Today’s delivery of Legend of the Seas marks another important milestone in our ambition to continuously redefine the vacation experience. This new ship reflects the strength of the vacation ecosystem we are building – combining industry-leading ships, innovative technology, and exceptional experiences for our guests,” noted Liberty.

“It is an achievement only possible through the extraordinary partnership and expertise of Meyer Turku and the thousands of talented people whose creativity and commitment continue to help us design the future of vacations.”

The ship is scheduled to travel from Turku to Cadiz, Spain, soon, for finishing touches by Royal Caribbean.

After that, it will operate seven-night Western Mediterranean sailings from Barcelona, Spain, and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, this summer, as part of its inaugural season.

In November, the ship will arrive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to deliver six-night Western Caribbean and eight-night Southern Caribbean cruises.

The delivery is part of the company’s long-term framework agreement with Meyer Turku, securing shipbuilding capacity through 2036.

Under it, the shipyard will build the Icon 5, to be delivered in 2028, as well as the sixth and seventh Icon Class ships, coming in 2029 and 2030, respectively.

“Legend of the Seas is the third Icon Class ship built at our shipyard, and constructing the series has enabled us to develop our production processes in a systematic way. We have built on the experience gained from the previous vessels and further improved efficiency with the customer and our extensive partner network,” added Lindholm.

“The ship is an exceptional project in terms of both scale and technical complexity, requiring strong expertise and seamless collaboration across the entire maritime cluster. At the same time, Legend of the Seas moves shipbuilding towards more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable solutions.”

The Legend will be the company’s fourth ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) as it continues on its journey toward introducing a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.

Caribbean Cruise Capacity Up Over 10% for 2026

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Caribbean Cruise Capacity Up Over 10% for 2026

The Caribbean will have over 40 percent of cruise market share worldwide in 2026, according to the upcoming 2026 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

CIN data shows that more than 200 ships will sail in the region, with capacity up over 10 percent on a year-over-year basis.

Larger brands, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC and Norwegian, will account for 75 percent of the capacity in the Caribbean this year.

Pushing up the numbers are large new ships, which are set to enter service for some of these brands over the course of 2026.

Norwegian will add a new ship to its Caribbean lineup in the second quarter, with the debut of the new Norwegian Luna.

Currently under construction in Italy, the 3,571-passenger vessel is set to offer weeklong cruises departing from PortMiami.

In November, Royal Caribbean is also introducing the next largest ship in the world, the Legend of the Seas.

As the third vessel in the company’s Icon-class series, the 5,610-guest ship will offer a seasonal deployment out of Fort Lauderdale.

The Caribbean is also welcoming new ships from a series of upscale and niche brands, such as Explora Journeys.

After an inaugural season in Northern Europe, the 922-guest ship will spend the 2026-27 season offering a series of cruises between San Juan and Miami.

Other luxury ships arriving in the region this year include the Seven Seas Prestige, the Four Seasons I, and Orient Express’ Corinthian.

2026 will also mark the first full year of service for megaships that entered service in 2025.

The lineup includes MSC’s World America, which debuted last April, Norwegian’s Aqua, which also debuted in April, and Royal Caribbean’s Star, which entered service in August.

After kicking off its maiden season in November 2025, the Disney Destiny will also offer its first year-round schedule in Port Everglades

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas to Feature Two-Story Casino

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Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas to Feature Two-Story Casino

Royal Caribbean International recently revealed that the new Legend of the Seas will feature the company’s first two-story casino.

Currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, the Icon-class ship is scheduled to enter service in July 2026.

The expanded casino space was announced in an email sent to the company’s Club Royale members earlier this month.

“Your next Icon Class casino is getting a major upgrade,” Royal Caribbean said in the reveal, which also included a rendering of the gambling room.

The image shows that the expanded Casino Royale will feature a large bar, in addition to a staircase connecting its two levels of slot machines and game tables.

In September, Royal Caribbean also revealed plans to introduce the largest casino in its fleet onboard the Harmony of the Seas.

The ship’s Casino Royale will be enlarged during a refit scheduled for the Oasis-class ship in mid-2026.

As part of the refurbishment, the gambling area will take over a room currently occupied by a lounge and a comedy club.

The refit will mark the second time that the ship’s casino is expanded, following a similar project carried out in 2023.

Set to enter service next July, the Legend of the Seas will spend its maiden season in the Western Mediterranean before repositioning to North America.

For its stateside debut, the LNG-powered vessel will offer a series of six- to eight-night cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, departing from Fort Lauderdale.

Royal Caribbean recently revealed other features of the Legend of the Seas, including new dining and entertainment venues.

Building on a similar restaurant introduced by the Utopia of the Seas, the ship will feature Royal Railway – Legend Station.

The speciality venue will offer a themed experience that is said to take guests on a journey along the ancient Silk Routes by train.

Other highlights of the ship’s offerings include a new supper club inspired by the golden age of Hollywood and Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” musical.