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Royal Caribbean has welcomed the Legend of the Seas, its third Icon-class ship, to its fleet.
Following nearly two years of construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, and sea trials that started in April, the ship is ready to make its European debut in July 2026, the cruise line said in a statement.
More than 1,200 crew members and partners gathered for a ceremony led by Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm.
The event marked the transfer of ownership between Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku.
"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," noted Liberty.
"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."
The ship is scheduled to travel from Turku to Cadiz, Spain, soon, for finishing touches by Royal Caribbean.
After that, it will operate seven-night Western Mediterranean sailings from Barcelona, Spain, and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, this summer, as part of its inaugural season.
In November, the ship will arrive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to deliver six-night Western Caribbean and eight-night Southern Caribbean cruises.
The delivery is part of the company's long-term framework agreement with Meyer Turku, securing shipbuilding capacity through 2036.
Under it, the shipyard will build the Icon 5, to be delivered in 2028, as well as the sixth and seventh Icon Class ships, coming in 2029 and 2030, respectively.
"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," added Lindholm.
"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."
The Legend will be the company's fourth ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) as it continues on its journey toward introducing a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.
Fuente: cruise industry news
