Legend of the Seas Joins Royal Caribbean Fleet as Icon Class Expansion Continues Through Long-Term Meyer Turku Partnership
(IN SHORT) Royal Caribbean has officially taken delivery of Legend of the Seas from Meyer Turku in Turku, Finland, following nearly two years of construction on the cruise line’s third Icon Class ship. The handover ceremony brought together more than 1,200 crew members, partners and shipyard representatives, including Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley and Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm. Legend of the Seas will debut on July 4, 2026, with seven-night Western Mediterranean sailings from Barcelona and Rome, Civitavecchia, before repositioning to Fort Lauderdale in November for Caribbean itineraries that include Perfect Day CocoCay. The ship will feature 28 dining venues, major entertainment productions, seven pools, family water areas, thrill attractions such as Crown’s Edge, and signature Icon Class spaces including the Royal Promenade, the Pearl and Central Park. Powered by LNG and equipped with environmental technologies such as waste heat recovery and shore power connection, Legend of the Seas supports Royal Caribbean Group’s wider ambition to introduce a net-zero cruise ship by 2035. The delivery also forms part of Royal Caribbean Group’s long-term shipbuilding agreement with Meyer Turku, which secures capacity through 2036 and includes future Icon Class ships planned for 2028, 2029 and 2030.
(PRESS RELEASE) MIAMI, FL, United States, 2026-Jun-10 — /Travel PR News/ — Royal Caribbean has officially welcomed Legend of the Seas into its Icon Class fleet following a delivery celebration at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, marking the completion of nearly two years of construction on the cruise line’s third Icon Class ship.
The handover ceremony brought together more than 1,200 crew members, partners and shipyard representatives, including Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean Group EVP of Maritime & Newbuilding Harri Kulovaara, Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm and Deputy CEO Ville Saksi. The event recognised the thousands of engineers, designers, architects, maritime specialists and crew members involved in bringing the new ship to completion.
Legend of the Seas is scheduled to make its debut on July 4, 2026, with seven-night Western Mediterranean sailings before repositioning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in November 2026. The ship will first travel from Turku to Cádiz, Spain, where final work will be completed before welcoming guests for summer itineraries from Barcelona, Spain, and Rome, Civitavecchia, Italy.
Once in Florida, Legend of the Seas will operate six-night Western Caribbean and eight-night Southern Caribbean vacations, with every itinerary visiting Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day CocoCay destination in The Bahamas.
Jason Liberty said the delivery of Legend of the Seas represents another milestone in Royal Caribbean Group’s effort to redefine the vacation experience. He said the new ship reflects the company’s broader vacation ecosystem, bringing together advanced ships, technology and guest experiences, and credited the partnership with Meyer Turku and the work of thousands of skilled contributors.
The delivery is part of Royal Caribbean Group’s long-term framework agreement with Meyer Turku, which secures shipbuilding capacity through 2036. The agreement includes Icon 5, scheduled for delivery in 2028, as well as the sixth and seventh Icon Class ships planned for 2029 and 2030.
Michael Bayley said Royal Caribbean is proud to introduce Legend of the Seas to guests and continue the development of the Icon Class, which the company positions around the family vacation market. He said the ship’s debut will build on the contribution of the many teams involved in its design and delivery.
Legend of the Seas will offer a wide range of dining, entertainment, activities and accommodations across eight neighbourhoods. The ship will feature 28 dining options, which Royal Caribbean describes as the most dining at sea. New experiences include Hollywoodland Supper Club, an elevated multi-course dinner inspired by old Hollywood, and Royal Railway – Legend Station, an immersive five-course train dining journey through the Silk Routes.
The ship will also include AquaDome Market, an all-inclusive food hall with five concepts, along with a new juice and smoothie bar for guests seeking wellness-focused options.
Entertainment onboard will span stage, air, water and ice. Guests will be able to experience Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, America’s Got Talent LIVE on Legend of the Seas, the AquaTheater production Shockwave and Fusion, an ice-skating spectacle at Absolute Zero.
Family-focused water experiences will include seven pools and dedicated areas for different age groups. These include Royal Bay, described as the largest pool at sea, Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay in the Surfside family neighbourhood, as well as adults-only areas such as The Hideaway and Swim & Tonic swim-up bar.
For thrill-seeking guests, Legend of the Seas will include Crown’s Edge, a hybrid skywalk and zip line experience 154 feet above the ocean. Other activities will include Lost Dunes mini golf, Adrenaline Peak rock climbing, the Category 6 waterpark, the FlowRider surf simulator and additional adventure-focused attractions.
The ship will also feature signature Icon Class elements, including floor-to-ceiling ocean views in the Royal Promenade and the Pearl, described as the world’s largest kinetic art sculpture. Central Park will offer an open-air space with more than 30,500 real plants, restaurants, live music and convenient pick-up windows for sushi, champagne, sparkling wine and other offerings.
Accommodation options will range from the exclusive Suite Neighbourhood to a redesigned three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse, featuring a slide, dedicated entertainment spaces and rooms designed for families.
Legend of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean’s fourth ship powered by liquefied natural gas. The ship will also feature environmental technologies including waste heat recovery systems and shore power connection. The vessel supports Royal Caribbean Group’s broader pathway toward introducing a net-zero cruise ship by 2035. The company is also preparing to launch Hero of the Seas, the fourth Icon Class ship and Royal Caribbean’s fifth LNG-powered vessel, in 2027.
Casimir Lindholm said Legend of the Seas is the third Icon Class ship built at Meyer Turku and that work on the series has allowed the shipyard to develop production processes more systematically. He said the project was exceptional in scale and technical complexity, requiring close cooperation across the maritime cluster, while also moving shipbuilding toward more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable solutions.
Royal Caribbean continues to expand its portfolio of ship and destination experiences, including Perfect Day CocoCay, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in The Bahamas, Ultimate Santorini Day at Royal Beach Club Santorini and future signature destinations in Mexico and Australia.
