By
Alex Smith |
Royal Caribbean has taken delivery of Legend of the Seas, the third Icon-class ship, at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. The vessel is due to make its debut in the Mediterranean in July 2026.
A handover ceremony attended by more than 1,200 crew members and partners marked the transfer of ownership, with Royal Caribbean Group chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean president and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm among those present.
“We’re incredibly proud to introduce Legend of the Seas to vacationers and continue the legacy of the revolutionary Icon Class,” said Michael 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.”
Legend of the Seas will sail from Turku to Cadiz, Spain, for final outfitting before operating seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries from Barcelona, Spain, and Civitavecchia, Italy, over the summer. In November the ship relocates to Fort Lauderdale, USA, for six-night Western Caribbean and eight-night Southern Caribbean voyages, all calling at Royal Caribbean's private island destination Perfect Day CocoCay.
The new vessel will feature eight distinct neighbourhoods (Photo: sbw-photo)
The ship carries 28 dining options, including new concepts Hollywoodland Supper Club, an elevated multi-course dinner with an old Hollywood theme; Royal Railway Legend Station, a five-course immersive train dining experience tracing the Silk Routes; and AquaDome Market, an all-inclusive food hall with five concepts.
Entertainment includes stage productions of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and America's Got Talent Live, alongside aquatic and ice-skating shows. Facilities include seven pools, the Crown's Edge skywalk and zip line experience 154 feet above the ocean, and the Category 6 waterpark.
Legend of the Seas is the fourth Royal Caribbean ship powered by LNG (Photo: Royal Caribbean)
Legend of the Seas is the fourth Royal Caribbean ship powered by LNG. The delivery forms part of a long-term framework agreement with Meyer Turku covering shipbuilding capacity through 2036, including Icon 5 in 2028 and two further Icon Class vessels in 2029 and 2030.
“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,” said Casimir Lindholm, CEO of Meyer Turku. “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.”