Royal Caribbean Brings Back a Historic Name for Its Third Icon-Class Ship, Legend of the Seas

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Royal Caribbean is making history by reviving a retired ship name for the first time, confirming that its third Icon Class vessel will be called Legend of the Seas.

Legend of the Seas

The original Legend of the Seas debuted in 1995 as part of the Vision Class, a significantly smaller ship at 70,000 gross tons with a passenger capacity of around 2,000 guests. The new Legend of the Seas will be in an entirely different league, coming in at 250,800 gross tons with a maximum capacity of 7,000 passengers.

After more than two decades of service, the original ship was sold in 2017 to what is now Marella Cruises, where it was renamed Marella Discovery.

Now, Royal Caribbean is bringing the Legend name back – this time, on one of its most advanced and ambitious ships yet.

Set to launch in July 2026, Legend of the Seas will begin sailing in Europe, offering 7-night Western Mediterranean itineraries from Barcelona, Spain. This will be the first time guests can enjoy sailings on an Icon-class ship in Europe.

Ports of call will include some of the region’s most famous cities across France, Italy, and Spain, giving passengers the chance to explore historic landmarks and scenic coastal destinations.

Once the summer season wraps up, the ship will relocate to Florida in November 2026, where it will homeport from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades.

From there, Legend of the Seas will operate 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean itineraries, including stops at Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, as well as Aruba, Curaçao, and Jamaica.

Royal Caribbean’s Chief Marketing Officer Kara Wallace explained that selecting a name for the third Icon Class ship was no small task.

“The Icon Class as a name really sets a really high bar… so we needed a third name that really fit with that… Legend is, not only fitting of the class, but an homage to everything that came before it.”

The Icon Class has been a game-changer for Royal Caribbean, breaking records and redefining the cruise industry with Icon of the Seas and its upcoming sister ship Star of the Seas.

The demand for these ships has been off the charts, and Royal Caribbean expects Legend of the Seas to continue that momentum.

Wallace also noted that launching the ship in Europe first was a strategic move to meet the growing demand from international guests eager to sail on an Icon Class vessel.

“Our guests across Europe have been asking for an Icon Class ship to be based there, and this was the right time to bring it,

“The ship will come straight from delivery into Europe, taking what is going to be a legendary ship and bringing it to legendary destinations.”

What to expect on Legend of the Seas

While Royal Caribbean has not released full details about what will set Legend of the Seas apart from its predecessors, Wallace confirmed it won’t be an exact copy of Icon of the Seas or Star of the Seas.

“We’ll tweak things as we learn and as we go along to make them both fresh, interesting, but also deliver on the experiences that our guests are asking for,” she said.

One confirmed change is that the Supper Club venue will have a Hollywood theme, differing from the New York-inspired version on Icon of the Seas and the Chicago-themed version coming to Star of the Seas.

However, Legend of the Seas will not be larger than its sister ships.

Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider has previously stated that all Icon Class ships will remain 1,198 feet long, meaning Royal Caribbean won’t be making each successive ship slightly bigger as it has done with previous classes.

The build process for Legend of the Seas has been underway for more than a year.

The first steel was cut in January 2024, officially marking the start of construction, and the keel was laid in October 2024, a major milestone in the ship’s assembly.

Next steps will include the float out, where the ship touches water for the first time, followed by sea trials before its official delivery.

Since its launch in early 2024, Icon of the Seas has become a ground-breaking success for Royal Caribbean, setting new standards in cruise entertainment, dining, and family-friendly experiences.

According to Wallace, guest satisfaction scores for Icon of the Seas have been the highest in the company’s history – not just for Royal Caribbean, but across the entire hospitality industry.

However, this runs counter to the average review scores on independent websites, which place Icon of the Seas fairly low down the list when compared to other ships in the fleet.

Much of Icon’s appeal comes from its neighbourhood-based design, bringing innovative spaces such as Surfside, Thrill Island, and the AquaDome to life.

With Legend of the Seas now confirmed as the third Icon Class ship, Royal Caribbean continues to build on the success of its most ambitious cruise line expansion to date.

Sailings for Legend of the Seas will open for booking later this week, with Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members gaining early access before general bookings begin on 20th February 2025.

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