Royal Caribbean’s New Ship in 2026 Will Tour the Caribbean and Europe

Legend of the Seas, the third ship in Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class, will launch in July 2026 and spend its first summer time cruising the Mediterranean. It can then journey to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from the place it can sail year-round to the Western and Southern Caribbean, the cruise line introduced right this moment.

After Icon of the Seas, which debuted in January 2024, and Star of the Seas, coming in August of this 12 months, Legend will make it a trio of Icon Class vessels to hit the water in three years.

At the moment in construct in ​​Turku, Finland, Legend is ready to develop into the primary Icon Class to sail the Mediterranean. Bookings will open on Feb. 20 (earlier for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty membership members) for 7-night round-trip cruises visiting France, Italy, and different elements of Spain.

“There’s going to be demand and pleasure to carry a ship like Legend of the Seas to those legendary, monumental locations,” Kara Wallace, Royal Caribbean’s Chief Advertising and marketing Officer, informed Journey + Leisure.

After its inaugural summer time in Europe, Legend will then make its Caribbean debut in November 2026 with 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean spherical journeys from Fort Lauderdale. Legend will go to locations the place the Icon Class has but to sail, Wallace stated, citing Aruba, Curaçao, and the Dominican Republic as examples. “After all, on each single Caribbean crusing, Legend will go to Excellent Day at CocoCay, our hallmark vacation spot,” she added.

Wallace doesn’t, nevertheless, rule out a return to the Mediterranean. “I feel you may absolutely count on that this received’t be the one time,” she stated. “I really feel there’s an enormous alternative to increase on this system that we’re constructing with Legend sooner or later.”

The identify Legend was chosen to proceed the theme of the Icon Class. “Like Icon and Star, Legend is the top, the height, the final word household trip,” Wallace defined. The selection additionally pays homage to a Imaginative and prescient class ship of the identical identify that left the Royal Caribbean fleet in 2017.

Royal Caribbean has stated extra particulars on what’s in retailer on Legend will observe however guarantees extra of the identical Icon Class experiences which have seen over 300,000 visitors sail on Icon of the Seas within the 12 months since its maiden voyage.

Anticipate Icon Class highlights corresponding to Class 6, the most important waterpark at sea, Royal Bay, the most important pool at sea, the adults-only Hideaway, and over 40 eating and ingesting venues.

With the expansion of the Icon Class, in addition to the growth of its personal vacation spot portfolio with Royal Seashore Membership Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, opening in December 2025 and Excellent Day Mexico in Costa Maya in 2027, Wallace stated that there’s by no means been a extra thrilling time for Royal Caribbean. “We’re at all times dreaming about what’s past. We actually are envisioning and creating the subsequent degree of holidays throughout all the expertise, each ship and shore.”