Royal Caribbean has officially taken delivery of Legend of the Seas, its third Icon Class ship, ahead of a July 2026 debut on seven-night Western Mediterranean sailings.
The ship was handed over at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland following almost two years of construction, with sailings from Barcelona and Rome (Civitavecchia) due to begin on 4 July 2026.
For Australian cruisers, the new ship slots into two of the most popular fly-cruise regions on the map: the European summer, then the Caribbean, with Legend repositioning to Fort Lauderdale in November 2026 for six-night Western Caribbean and eight-night Southern Caribbean itineraries, all calling at the line’s private island, Perfect Day CocoCay.
What’s on board Legend of the Seas?
Legend carries 28 dining options across eight ‘neighbourhoods’, which Royal Caribbean claims is the most dining at sea. New concepts include the Hollywoodland Supper Club, the Royal Railway – Legend Station immersive train dining experience, and the all-inclusive AquaDome Market food hall.
There are seven pools, headlined by Royal Bay, which the line says is the largest pool at sea, plus the Surfside family neighbourhood with Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay, and adults-only spaces at The Hideaway and the Swim & Tonic swim-up bar.
Thrill-seekers get Crown’s Edge, a part-skywalk, part-zip line experience 154 feet (about 47 metres) above the ocean, the Category 6 waterpark, rock climbing and the FlowRider surf simulator. Entertainment includes Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and America’s Got Talent LIVE, while families can book the redesigned three-storey Ultimate Family Townhouse, complete with its own slide.
“We’re incredibly proud to introduce Legend of the Seas to vacationers and continue the legacy of the revolutionary Icon Class,” Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley said.
“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.”
More Icon Class ships on the way
Legend is Royal Caribbean’s fourth ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), and the pipeline doesn’t stop here: a fourth Icon Class ship, Hero of the Seas, which Karryon recently revealed will feature a record number of eateries plus the largest ice arena and waterpark at sea, debuts in 2027, with a fifth ordered for 2028 and sixth and seventh ships due in 2029 and 2030 under the line’s framework agreement with Meyer Turku, which runs to 2036.
Closer to home, the line also confirmed its Royal Beach Club Lelepa in Vanuatu launches in October 2027, part of a growing portfolio of exclusive shoreside destinations that includes Perfect Day CocoCay and beach clubs in The Bahamas and Santorini, where the line officially opened its first European beach club.
New Seward cruise terminal opens in Alaska
Royal Caribbean Group has also marked the official opening of the Dale R. and Carol Ann Lindsey Alaska Railroad Terminal in Seward, describing it as the state’s largest cruise terminal.
The new facility was developed with partners including Alaska Railroad, The Seward Company and Turnagain Marine Construction, and replaces dock facilities dating to the mid-1960s.
The terminal, owned and operated by Alaska Railroad, is designed to support Seward’s role as a cruise turn port, with 41,500 square feet of enclosed space and 27,000 square feet of open luggage transfer space.
Its location beside the Alaska Railroad station is intended to support onward travel to Anchorage, Fairbanks and other parts of Alaska for cruise guests adding land journeys before or after their sailing.
The pier modernisation also includes a shore power system, developed through the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Grant, designed to reduce emissions and noise while ships are in port. The terminal has also been built for year-round use, with Royal Caribbean Group saying it will serve as Seward’s largest indoor space for sport, concerts, festivals and community gatherings outside the cruise season.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Legend won’t homeport in Australia, but its Mediterranean and Caribbean seasons sit squarely in fly-cruise territory for Aussie families chasing the big-ship experience.
