This Royal Caribbean Icon Class Ship Will Tour the Caribbean and Europe for the First Time — What to Know

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

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

Currently in build in ​​Turku, Finland, Legend is set to become the first Icon Class to sail the Mediterranean. Bookings will open on Feb. 20 (earlier for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty club members) for 7-night round-trip cruises visiting France, Italy, and other parts of Spain.

“There’s going to be demand and excitement to bring a ship like Legend of the Seas to these legendary, monumental destinations,” Kara Wallace, Royal Caribbean's Chief Marketing Officer, told Travel + Leisure.

After its inaugural summer in Europe, Legend will then make its Caribbean debut in November 2026 with 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean round trips from Fort Lauderdale. Legend will visit destinations where the Icon Class has yet to sail, Wallace said, citing Aruba, Curaçao, and the Dominican Republic as examples. “Of course, on every single Caribbean sailing, Legend will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, our hallmark destination,” she added.

Wallace doesn’t, however, rule out a return to the Mediterranean. “I think you can fully expect that this won’t be the only time,” she said. “I feel there’s a big opportunity to expand on the program that we’re building with Legend in the future.”

The name Legend was chosen to continue the theme of the Icon Class. “Like Icon and Star, Legend is the pinnacle, the peak, the ultimate family vacation,” Wallace explained. The choice also pays homage to a Vision class ship of the same name that left the Royal Caribbean fleet in 2017.

Royal Caribbean has said more details on what’s in store on Legend will follow but promises more of the same Icon Class experiences that have seen over 300,000 guests sail on Icon of the Seas in the 12 months since its maiden voyage.

Expect Icon Class highlights such as Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, Royal Bay, the largest pool at sea, the adults-only Hideaway, and over 40 dining and drinking venues.

With the growth of the Icon Class, as well as the expansion of its private destination portfolio with Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, opening in December 2025 and Perfect Day Mexico in Costa Maya in 2027, Wallace said that there’s never been a more exciting time for Royal Caribbean. “We're always dreaming about what's beyond. We really are envisioning and creating the next level of vacations across the entire experience, both ship and shore.”

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