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Royal Caribbean's newest ship Legend of the Seas has just started sailing in the Mediterranean, becoming the first Icon-class ship to be based in Europe.
The 5,610-passenger ship will sail in Europe for the rest of the summer before repositioning to Fort Lauderdale in November, where it will be christened, and then sail the Caribbean for the winter season.
But Legend isn't simply making a brief European appearance before heading to the Caribbean – its back here in May for a full summer season, when it will offer seven-night sailings from Barcelona and Rome.
According to Royal Caribbean, Legend has been designed to adapt to its European audience – from bilingual entertainment and announcements to itineraries aimed squarely at Mediterranean holidaymakers.
And strong early bookings suggest the strategy is paying off, said Gerard Nolan, VP and Managing Director, EMEA, for Royal Caribbean, who was onboard the inaugural:
"Legend is our fastest selling ship for 2027 out of our European fleet. The response to it has been phenomenal."
Legend of the Seas will be joined by five other Royal Caribbean ships in Europe in 2027 – one more than this year and a big nod to the strength of cruise in the region.
We caught up with Nolan on a special five-night Trade Cruise from Malaga to Rome, ahead of its current first passenger sailing.
The dip in North American travel to Europe due to the on-off war in Iran has been offset by increases in British, Irish and other European nationalities choosing to sail closer to home, creating a more "international mix" onboard, he said:
"We've got a range of different markets across Europe we've had some great contributions from the UK and Ireland, which are always core markets for us.
"But we also have Israel, Germany and France, so we've got probably a higher proportion of international passengers than we typically would have.
"A lot of that is because North America didn't travel in the same numbers this way and we haven't traveled in the same numbers that way.
"So it's a nice blend. I think we have a much more international total on board."
Passengers shouldn't expect the exact same onboard experience as an Icon-class ship sailing the Caribbean, he added.
Cruise directors will switch between English and Spanish, communications will be bilingual, and entertainment will be adapted to the audience onboard.
As well as Legend of the Seas, Royal Caribbean will base five other ships in Europe in 2027, ranging from short Southampton cruises to Norwegian fjords through to week-long Mediterranean itineraries on its newest ships: "Europe is growing again, which is fantastic," said Nolan.
The six Royal Caribbean ships which will be based in Europe next year are:
• Freedom of the Seas (pictured above), based in Southampton and offering two- to nine-night sailings to the Norwegian fjords, Seville and Copenhagen. The 3,798-passenger ship will replace the slightly smaller Liberty of the Seas, which is sailing from Southampton this summer.
• Odyssey of the Seas, based in Rome and offering seven-night Greek islands cruises including a stop in Santorini for the Royal Beach Club Santorini;
• Mariner of the Seas, offering seven-night cruises from Barcelona to some new ports for Royal in Morocco, including Tangiers and Casablanca;
• Brilliance of the Seas, operating seven-night cruises to the Adriatic and Greek isles; and
• Rhapsody of the Seas, returning to the Med after four years and sailing seven-night cruises out of Athens.
Royal Caribbean is acutely aware of the challenges facing big ships in Europe, which is why it developed Royal Beach Club Santorini to help disperse passengers across the island, which we were one of the first to visit in May.
I asked Nolan is there were plans for any more in Europe, in Mykonos perhaps (Royal Caribbean recently opened Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in the Bahamas).
He said: "The product development team are continuously looking at where we could create something that the guests are looking for [but] I haven't got anything to share in terms of projects."
His words were echoed by Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, in a separate interview who said: "If things were, in a firm, finalized place, then we would announce it."
One of the questions asked in our Ask Me Anything from the ship, was: Will the ship have comedians onboard now that Royal Railway – Legend Station has replaced the comedy club?
We asked the question, and the response was: "Yes there will be. They'll be on the main stage of the Royal Theater probably or in Music Hall.
"We're not getting rid of the comedy, I think you've got such different nationalities and sometimes humor is lost in translation, that's all."
