Royal Caribbean’s Third Icon-Class Giant Kic...

Royal Caribbean’s subsequent big cruise ship has formally left the shipyard for its first checks at sea.

Legend of the Seas, the cruise line’s third Icon Class vessel, started sea trials on April 19, 2026, within the Baltic Sea after departing from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.

The checks mark one of many last phases of development earlier than the ship is delivered and begins carrying passengers in summer time 2026.

“The vessel departed the shipyard on Sunday night, marking the beginning of an roughly week-long testing section at sea,” introduced Meyer Turku. “Easy crusing and truthful winds for the journey forward!”

Through the trials, greater than 2,000 engineers, technicians, and specialists are onboard to guage how the ship performs below actual working situations.

The testing program will final about 10 days and can look at all the pieces from maneuverability in open water to engine efficiency and security programs.

“Over the subsequent 10 days, Legend will push her engines to the restrict – suppose doing donuts and hitting max velocity,” Royal Caribbean stated. “This marks one of many previous few main milestones forward of Legend’s debut in July.”

Over the course of the checks, Legend of the Seas is predicted to sail roughly 2,400 nautical miles earlier than returning to Turku to finish inside work and last preparations forward of supply.

Like its sister ships, Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, the vessel will function a number of themed areas designed to prepare the large ship into smaller districts, together with dozens of eating venues, bars, and leisure choices.

After coming into service on July 4, 2026, the ship will spend its inaugural season crusing in Europe earlier than relocating to Florida in November 2026. From Fort Lauderdale, it’s anticipated to function 6-night Western Caribbean cruises and 8-night Southern Caribbean itineraries.

These voyages will embody stops at a number of ports throughout the Caribbean in addition to visits to the cruise line’s non-public vacation spot, Perfect Day at CocoCay within the Bahamas.

From Metal Chopping to Sea Trials

The brand new vessel represents the newest step in Royal Caribbean’s effort to construct the biggest cruise ships on this planet.

Legend of the Seas is being inbuilt the identical shipyard that constructed the sooner Icon Class ships. Development started with the first steel cutting in January 2024, adopted by the keel laying later that yr, a standard step that marks the formal begin of a ship’s meeting.

In August 2025, the ship was floated out of dry dock for the primary time and moved to the outfitting pier, the place inside areas, cabins, and public areas had been put in. It’s final key milestone happened in February 2026, when Legend of the Seas had her coin ceremony.

When accomplished, the ship will measure about 250,800 gross tons and stretch roughly 1,198 toes lengthy. At double occupancy, it’s going to carry abut 5,610 passengers, with a most capability of roughly 7,600 company, supported by greater than 2,300 crew members.

That scale locations the ship among the many largest cruise vessels ever constructed following the debut of Icon of the Seas in 2024 and Star of the Seas in 2025.