Royal Caribbean takes delivery of Legend of the Seas ahead of Med debut

Royal Caribbean’s latest mega ship Legend of the Seas has been handed over to the company ahead of a debut season in Europe next month.

The third Icon class vessel, capable of carrying more than 7,500 passengers, is now poised to leave its shipyard in Finland for Cadiz in Spain where finishing touches will be made.

The company’s fourth ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) will then enter service in the Mediterranean running seven-night cruises this summer between Barcelona and Civitavecchia, the port for Rome.

Legend of the Seas will then switch to sailing six and eight-night Caribbean cruises out of Fort Lauderdale in Florida from November.

After nearly two years of construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, the ship was delivered in a ceremony attended by more than 1,200 crew members and the company’s senior executives.

Legend of the Seas is being heralded as advancing Royal Caribbean Group’s plan towards introducing a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.

The fifth ship to be powered by LNG, Hero of the Seas, is due for delivery in 2027 as the fourth in the Icon Class.

The delivery is part of a long-term agreement with Meyer Turku, securing access to shipbuilding capacity over the next decade, including the fifth Icon vessel to be delivered in 2028, as well as the sixth and seventh in 2029 and 2030.

Legend of the Seas features 28 places to eat, seven pools and entertainmemnt such as adaptations of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and America’s Got Talent. 

Royal Caribbean Group chairman and chief executive Jason Liberty said: "Today’s delivery of Legend of the Seas marks another important milestone in our ambition to continuously redefine the vacation experience.

"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."

Meyer Turku chief executive Casimir Lindholm added: "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. 

"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."