Royal Caribbean Takes Delivery of Legend of the Seas, Third Icon Class Ship
The vessel, built by Meyer Turku, will debut in European waters this summer before relocating to Caribbean service in November.
Royal Caribbean has officially accepted delivery of Legend of the Seas, the third Icon Class ship built in collaboration with Meyer Turku at its shipyard in Turku, Finland. The handover ceremony, held at the Finnish facility, included Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm, along with more than 1,200 crew members and partners.
The ship marks a continuation of Royal Caribbean's long-term expansion strategy. The company operates under a framework agreement with Meyer Turku that secures shipbuilding capacity through 2036, with Icon 5 scheduled for delivery in 2028 and the sixth and seventh Icon Class vessels arriving in 2029 and 2030, respectively. Legend of the Seas will be the company's fourth ship powered by liquefied natural gas, with a fifth LNG-powered vessel, Hero of the Seas, set to debut in 2027.
Legend will transit from Turku to Cadiz, Spain, for final outfitting before launching 7-night Western Mediterranean itineraries departing from Barcelona and Rome (Civitavecchia) this summer. In November, the ship will reposition to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to operate 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean voyages. All Caribbean itineraries include stops at Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day CocoCay.
The vessel introduces 28 dining venues, the highest count across Royal Caribbean's fleet. New concepts include Hollywoodland Supper Club, Royal Railway – Legend Station, and AquaDome Market. Entertainment offerings feature productions of Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and America's Got Talent LIVE, along with AquaTheater performances and ice skating shows. Recreation includes Royal Bay, described as the largest pool at sea, seven total pools across various neighborhoods, Crown's Edge—a combined skywalk and zip line experience 154 feet above the ocean—and Category 6 waterpark.
Accommodations range from the exclusive Suite Neighborhood to a redesigned three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse featuring a slide and dedicated entertainment spaces. The ship incorporates the Icon Class signature design elements including the Royal Promenade with floor-to-ceiling ocean views, the Pearl kinetic art sculpture, and Central Park with more than 30,500 real plants.
The delivery advances Royal Caribbean Group's environmental goals, including a target to introduce a net-zero cruise ship by 2035. As Icon Class ships continue joining the fleet, the company's capital deployment remains focused on fleet modernization and destination expansion, particularly in Mexico and Australia.