On June 10th, RCI-Royal Caribbean took delivery of Legend of the Seas, the third ICON-class vessel, from Meyer Turku (Finland).
The handover marks another milestone in the expansion of RCI's next-generation fleet and clears the way for the ship’s entry into service in the Mediterranean in July 2026.
The transfer of ownership was commemorated during a ceremony at the shipyard attended by 1200+ crew members, project partners and company representatives. Among those present were Royal Caribbean Group's Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, RCI's President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku's CEO Casimir Lindholm.
Royal Caribbean stated that Legend of the Seas continues the development of the Icon-class concept, which has been designed to deliver a large-scale family vacation experience at sea. Company executives noted that the vessel’s completion was made possible through the combined efforts of shipyard workers, suppliers, partners and crew members involved throughout the construction process.
Following delivery, the vessel will sail from Turku to Cadiz, where final outfitting and preparations will be completed. The ship is then scheduled to commence a summer programme of 7-night Western Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona and Civitavecchia, serving Rome. Later in the year, Legend of the Seas will reposition to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where it will operate 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean itineraries beginning in November. All Caribbean voyages will include calls at Royal Caribbean’s private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
The vessel has been designed around eight distinct neighbourhoods, each offering its own mix of accommodation, dining, entertainment and recreational facilities. Onboard dining will include 28 venues, among them several new concepts introduced for the Icon class. These include the Hollywoodland Supper Club, offering a themed multi-course dining experience inspired by classic Hollywood; Royal Railway – Legend Station, an immersive restaurant concept centred on a railway journey along the historic Silk Routes; and the AquaDome Market, an inclusive food hall featuring five separate culinary outlets.
Entertainment facilities will include productions of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and America’s Got Talent Live, alongside aquatic performances and ice-skating shows. Recreational features range from seven swimming pools to the Crown’s Edge attraction, a combination skywalk and zip line positioned 154 feet above the sea, as well as the Category 6 waterpark.
Powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), Legend OTS becomes the fourth LNG-fuelled vessel in the fleet. The delivery also forms part of the cruise line’s long-term shipbuilding programme with Meyer Turku, which extends through 2036 and includes the construction of ICON 5 (2028), followed by two additional units scheduled for delivery in 2029 (ICON 6) and 2030 (ICON 7).
Meyer Turku noted that the construction of successive Icon-class vessels has enabled the yard to further refine its production processes and technical capabilities. The shipbuilder described the project as one of considerable scale and complexity, requiring extensive expertise and close cooperation across the wider maritime supply chain.
With delivery now complete, Legend OTS enters the final stage of preparation before joining the global cruise fleet, where it will become the latest representative of RCI's expanding ICON-class series.