Royal Caribbean’s Legend to Drydock in Spain Ahead of Maiden Voyage

Posted on 22 June, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Royal Caribbean’s Legend to Drydock in Spain Ahead of Maiden Voyage

Royal Caribbean’s new Legend of the Seas is scheduled to drydock in Cadiz ahead of its maiden voyage, according to reports by Spanish media.

Recently delivered by the Meyer Turku shipyard, the LNG-powered vessel is scheduled to welcome its first guests at the Italian port of Civitavecchia on July 4, 2026.

According to a report by Diario de Cadiz, the Legend is scheduled to arrive at the Navantia shipyard on June 22, 2026.

The 250,800-ton vessel will reportedly enter the facility’s Dique 4 to undergo final adjustments over the course of five days.

The local news source said that Navantia workers will prepare the gardens and green areas of Legend’s Central Park.

In late 2023, the Spanish shipyard installed over 10,000 natural plants aboard the Icon of the Seas.

The drydock will also include other technical work, Diario de Cadiz said, as well as be the location for various inspections and provisioning.

As part of its inaugural season, the Legend of the Seas is scheduled to offer a series of seven-night cruises to the Western Mediterranean.

The itineraries feature visits to destinations in Spain, France and Italy, including Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Marseille and La Spezia.

Following a repositioning voyage to Florida, the Icon-class ship will kick off a series of cruises from Port Everglades.

As part of its 2027-28 winter season, the Legend will operate six- to eight-night itineraries to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

After the delivery of the 5,610-passenger ship, Royal Caribbean’s orderbook now has seven vessels, including the Hero of the Seas.

Set to enter service in 2027, the fourth Icon-class ship will offer seven-night cruises to the Caribbean sailing from PortMiami.

According to data from Cruise Industry News’ global cruise ship orderbook, six other vessels are scheduled to enter service through 2031.

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

Posted on 12 June, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

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.

MSC Cruises Celebrates Grandiosa’s Maiden Season in Brazil

Posted on 4 December, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

The MSC Grandiosa arrived in Brazil for its first winter season in South America.

Repositioning from the Western Mediterranean, the 4,888-guest vessel docked at its new homeport in Santos on Nov. 25.

To mark the occasion, MSC Cruises invited over 2,800 guests for a celebration onboard the 177,100-ton cruise ship, which also became the largest ever to operate in Brazil.

“It is a great source of pride to have a ship like this here, bringing passengers to travel within our country,” said the company’s Brazil Country Manager Adrian Ursilli.

He also noted that the Grandiosa is MSC’s 17th new ship to arrive in Brazil since the debut of MSC Armonia in 2004.

The event included a symbolic christening of the Grandiosa that saw Marlene Ribeiro – the longest-tenured employee of MSC Cruises in Brazil – serving as godmother.

“MSC Cruises is a family company. Everyone is always together and in good spirits. The choice of the MSC Grandiosa godmother is a demonstration of this,” said Fabio Gatti, the company’s Global Director of Entertainment.

Part of a six-ship program in the region, the MSC Grandiosa is now offering a series of cruises to different Brazilian destinations.

In addition to Santos, the ship’s regular seven-night itineraries feature visits to Salvador, Maceió and Búzios.

Set to be repeated through late March, the cruise can be started at any of the ports of call, with the exception of Búzios.

The MSC Grandiosa was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France and originally entered service in 2019.

Part of MSC Cruises’ five-ship Meraviglia Class, the vessel offers several different amenities, including the Galleria Grandiosa, a 112-meter-long central promenade that features a huge LED dome.

The Grandiosa also offers a selection of bars and lounges, as well as a complete water park, and over ten dining venues.