During the first-ever sailing aboard Legend of the Seas, Royal Caribbean executives sat down to discuss everything from future deployment plans to artificial intelligence (AI) and even Skipper, the ship's Chief Dog Officer.
One of the most highly anticipated topics was its upcoming Discovery Class, though executives were careful not to reveal too much.
Europe and Australia were also brought up, with hints at how future deployments could broaden the brand's footprint while accounting for seasonal demand and weather patterns.
Accessibility and autism-friendly cruising came up, too, and executives reinforced the company's ongoing efforts to make vacations more inclusive and accommodating for all guests.
Here's a roundup of some of the highlights shared by executives like Jason Liberty and Michael Bayley during two conversations aboard Legend of the Seas in Europe.
The Royal Beach Club Lelepa project is going to break ground in July
Once it opens, the Royal Beach Club Lelepa will be the first private cruise destination in the South Pacific, and Royal Caribbean is targeting October 2027 for the first guests to visit the beach club.
During the Q&A session aboard Legend of the Seas, executives confirmed that major groundbreaking is expected to start sometime this month.
Not only that, but Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley hinted that the beach club's opening could determine how the company continues to curate sailings for the Australian market, with a growing focus on year-round sailings.
"We think [the Royal Beach Club Lelepa is] going to really tick the box for the Australian market, and our intention would be over time to grow that market because of that destination," Bayley said.
Discovery Class is coming, but we won't know more until next year
As the name implies, Discovery Class ships will likely steer clear of traditional Caribbean voyages to ports like CocoCay, St. Thomas, and Cozumel.
According to Bayley, there are three regions where we can expect Discovery Class ships to sail: Asia, Alaska, and Europe.
"It is a class by its name that will go to Asia; it will go to Alaska; it will go to [Europe]. [And the ships] will be specifically designed for those types of more exotic experiences," he claimed.
Discovery Class ships will also be small enough to sail through the Panama Canal, though that wasn't breaking news.
Still, knowing that the vessel will meet the canal's size restrictions helps reinforce the notion that the cruise line plans on using Discovery Class ships for more unique itineraries.
Beyond that, though, there's a lot that is being kept under lock and key, and Bayley said we can expect to learn more sometime during the second half of 2027.
There's a reason why Royal Caribbean doesn't offer year-round Europe cruises
There's no denying that there's a strong European market for Royal Caribbean cruises. However, despite the demand, they strategically choose not to offer year-round sailings from ports like Southampton and Barcelona, with the primary reason being the weather.
"You have to be able to operate it for a longer period of time, not just for the Christmas holidays, but it is the weather, right?" Jason Liberty, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, explained.
Bayley added that customer satisfaction can drop by around 25 points when guests sail in less favorable conditions and pointed to the line's strong Caribbean presence in the winter.
"We've got a lot of beautiful ships in the Caribbean in the winter, and it's only a short little flight from London to Miami... We've got the best lineup of products on the planet with Perfect Day, with the beach clubs. I mean, come on. And it's almost guaranteed sunshine," he said.
That said, Royal Caribbean has confidence in Europe as a key market, with executives claiming that demand remains robust, even if year-round deployment isn't viable.
Looking ahead, Bayley hinted at the possibility of an Icon Class ship returning to Europe in 2028, pointing to the strong early performance of Legend of the Seas in the region before the vessel even welcomed paying passengers.
"[Legend] is doing exceedingly well. It seems to be extremely popular. It's selling at great rates, so I think we're on a great track. And obviously, our plan is to put this kind of fantastic hardware into the European market. So fingers crossed it's all looking great [for 2028]," he stated.
Royal Caribbean is an autism-friendly cruise line
Next, Royal Caribbean executives made it abundantly clear that the company takes pride in being such an autism-friendly cruise line.
For starters, a dedicated access team works with travelers to help ensure that all reasonable accommodations are met. Sensory toys are also available onboard, along with quiet spaces that can help guests manage sensory overload.
Additionally, they mentioned areas where they could continue to improve and expand these offerings, explaining why Q&A sessions and panels are so important.
For example, when asked if adding sensory rooms to their fleet was an option, Bayley said the company is open to exploring it.
He noted that the cruise line spends a lot of time designing new ship classes and refurbishing existing vessels. Part of that work includes reconfiguring and adding cruise cabins.
As such, creating sensory-friendly rooms isn't totally out of the question, though he said they will need to investigate the idea further with their newbuild team.
Challenging cruise stereotypes and coming out on top
Although cruising has made a remarkable rebound after the pandemic, a lot of people still have outdated perceptions of what a cruise vacation is like.
"There are a lot of people who will say, 'Cruising isn't for me,'" Liberty said, "They may look at the number of people on a ship, or they may just think that's not the kind of vacation they want."
However, these are the types of travelers that the company loves to welcome on board because they're five times more likely to cruise with them again once they've experienced everything Royal Caribbean Group offers.
He attributed that to the company's focus on creating share-worthy vacations that cruisers can't help but recommend to friends and family, generating some of the best marketing out there: word-of-mouth.
Artificial intelligence as a superpower
AI is a controversial topic, with concerns ranging from job displacement to privacy. To Liberty, however, AI is a superpower that can help enhance the overall guest experience.
With the use of AI, for example, the company has been able to reduce food waste by around half.
Not only that, but it's helpful when it comes to energy conservation. By using sensors in public areas, they can better manage systems such as lighting and air conditioning.
"[AI is] going to enhance our crew; it's going to enhance what we do on shore and how we operate our ships [and] how we design our ships into the future," he added.
Honoring the original Legend of the Seas
Finally, Royal Caribbean executives discussed why they decided to reuse the name Legend of the Seas. In reality, it wasn’t a long, drawn-out process; it was a pretty natural choice to bring the name back for the Icon Class.
Legend of the Seas, which initially set sail in 1995, was a popular ship. Unfortunately, she was sold to Thomson Cruises (now Marella Cruises) in 2016 and now operates as the Marella Discovery 2.
According to Bayley, many longtime cruise fans suggested reviving the name, letting the company's history live on through the next-gen Icon Class ship.
(Credit: Aaron Hall)
"Legend was suggested by many of our former guests. It was an incredibly popular ship. It was an appropriate name for the [Icon Class]... And so that name just became a natural, top contender. And that's why we ended up with Legend of the Seas," he explained.
