Royal Caribbean takes delivery of Legend of the Seas

Royal Caribbean has officially welcomed Legend of the Seas to its fleet, marking the handover of the third Icon Class ship from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.

The ship is set to make its European debut in July 2026.

The delivery follows nearly two years of construction and was marked by a ceremony in Turku with more than 1,200 crew members and partners. 

Royal Caribbean Group chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean president and CEO Michael Bayley and Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm led the event, which also 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," said Liberty. 

"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. 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 delivery is part of Royal Caribbean Group’s long-term framework agreement with Meyer Turku, which secures access to shipbuilding capacity through 2036.

The agreement includes the order of Icon 5, scheduled for delivery in 2028, as well as the sixth and seventh Icon Class ships, scheduled for 2029 and 2030, respectively.

Legend of the Seas will next travel from Turku to Cadiz, Spain, where Royal Caribbean will add finishing touches before the ship begins seven-night Western Mediterranean sailings from Barcelona, Spain and Rome, Italy this summer.

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

Each itinerary will visit Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day CocoCay.

"We're incredibly proud to introduce Legend of the Seas to vacationers and continue the legacy of the revolutionary Icon Class," said Bayley. 

"This wouldn't be possible without the many talented individuals that came together to deliver what is truly the ultimate family vacation, and we look forward to making Legend's debut this summer a legendary one."

The ship will feature eight neighbourhoods with dining, entertainment, activities and accommodations for families and multigenerational travellers.

Legend of the Seas will offer 28 dining options. 

New venues include Hollywoodland Supper Club, a multi-course dinner experience inspired by old Hollywood; Royal Railway – Legend Station, a five-course immersive train dining experience through the Silk Routes; and AquaDome Market, a food hall with five concepts, along with a new juice and smoothie bar.

Entertainment will include Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and America's Got Talent LIVE on Legend of the Seas, along with AquaTheater performances during "Shockwave" and the Absolute Zero ice show, "Fusion".

The ship will also feature seven pools, including Royal Bay, which Royal Caribbean describes as the largest pool at sea. 

Other water experiences include Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay in the Surfside family neighbourhood, as well as adults-only spaces at The Hideaway and Swim & Tonic swim-up bar.

Activities include Crown's Edge, a skywalk and zip line experience 154 feet above the ocean, along with Lost Dunes mini golf, rock climbing at Adrenaline Peak, Category 6 waterpark and the FlowRider surf simulator.

Signature Icon Class features on Legend include the Royal Promenade, floor-to-ceiling ocean views, the Pearl kinetic art sculpture and the open-air Central Park, which is lined with more than 30,500 real plants, restaurants, live music and pick-up windows for sushi, champagne, sparkling wine and more.

Accommodations include the Suite Neighborhood and a redesigned three-storey Ultimate Family Townhouse with a slide, dedicated entertainment spaces and rooms for families.

Legend of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean’s fourth ship powered by liquefied natural gas and will feature environmental programs including waste heat recovery systems and shore power connection.

Royal Caribbean Group has said it is working toward introducing a net-zero cruise ship by 2035. 

The company is also set to debut Hero of the Seas, its fifth LNG-powered ship and fourth Icon Class ship, in 2027.

"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," said 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."

Royal Caribbean’s vacation experiences include Perfect Day CocoCay, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in The Bahamas and Royal Beach Club Santorini. 

The company said it is continuing to grow its portfolio of destinations across Mexico and Australia.

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