Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship has reached an important construction milestone.
Legend of the Seas, which is under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, has touched water for the first time.
Construction began in January 2024 with the celebratory steel-cutting ceremony, meaning it's taken around 18 months to get to this point.
During her float out, over 90 million gallons of water filled the dock. It's a major step forward in the mega ship's construction process, bringing her closer to sea trials and her anticipated debut.
Now, the construction will focus more closely on the interior, as most of the exterior work has been completed. For example, the ship's 2,805 cabins will be installed and decorated soon.
Legend of the Seas is the third Icon Class ship and will join her sisters, Icon and Star of the Seas, in August 2026.
During her inaugural season, Legend of the Seas will sail from Barcelona, Spain, and Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, marking the first time an Icon Class ship will offer cruises around the Mediterranean.
European itineraries range from 3 to 13 nights and call at ports like Naples, Italy; Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Provence (Marseille), France; and more.
She'll then move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, following a 13-night transatlantic cruise at the end of October. Her first sailing from Florida is scheduled for November 11, 2026.
"Legend of the Seas continues the state-of-the-art Icon Class, which allows the Finnish maritime industry to showcase its unique expertise at its best," said Casimir Lindholm, C.E.O. of Meyer Turku.
"The shipyard, Royal Caribbean, and an extensive network of partners work together to develop the processes and concepts from ship to ship. Alongside its sister ships, Legend of the Seas will also mark an important milestone in increasingly responsible shipbuilding."
As the third Icon Class ship, guests can expect a similar framework to Icon and Star of the Seas. However, there will be a few changes.
For starters, the supper club will have a Hollywood theme, compared to New York on Icon and Chicago on Star.
Moreover, it's likely that the entertainment line-up will differ from her sister ships. Onboard Icon of the Seas, for example, the Broadway-style musical is The Wizard of Oz. It was replaced by Back to the Future: The Musical on Star of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean plans on building a fourth Icon Class ship
According to Meyer Turku's Facebook post, the shipyard is already preparing the dry dock for the fourth Icon Class ship.
"As Legend starts her outfitting phase, the dry dock awaits the keel laying of the fourth Icon Class ship," the post reads.
Little is known about the next-gen Icon Class ship. However, it’s expected to build on the innovations introduced with Icon, Star, and Legend of the Seas.
