Key Aspects:
- Legend of the Seas has departed the Meyer Turku shipyard where she was built and is on her way to Cadiz, Spain.
- There, the ship will take on final provisions and crew members to be ready to begin welcoming guests onboard.
- The ship’s maiden voyage is a 7-night Mediterranean cruise from Rome departing on July 4, 2026.
Royal Caribbean’s third Icon class ship, Legend of the Seas, has officially left the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland and is now en route to Cadiz, Spain for outfitting and crew arrivals ahead of her first cruise.
The ship left Finland on Thursday, June 18, 2026, a week after her delivery to the cruise line. Cruise Hive has already reported on that handover ceremony, when Legend of the Seas officially became part of the Royal Caribbean fleet.
It is not unusual for a new cruise ship to remain at her construction shipyard for several days after delivery as crew members begin to arrive so the ship can be properly operated. As she sails away, construction crews and shipyard employees have nothing but good wishes for her to have a long service life.
“Once again we wish Legend fair winds following seas!” Meyer Turku said in a Facebook post acknowledging the ship’s departure.
Royal Caribbean is also keeping an eye on its newest fleetmate as Legend of the Seas gets closer to welcoming guests.
“And she’s off! Legend of the Seas has officially departed from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland and is now heading to Cadiz, Spain to get her finishing touches,” the cruise line posted with a “feeling happy” emoji.
Satellite tracking shows the brand new ship on course with no delays, traveling at a speed of 20 knots through the Baltic Sea. She is estimated to arrive in Cadiz, roughly 2,700 miles away, late on Wednesday, June 24, though that time may be adjusted as the ship’s route and speed vary through her journey.
What Will Happen in Spain?
Isn’t the new ship finished and ready for guests? Not quite.
Guests booked on Legend of the Seas‘ maiden voyage on July 4, 2026 are naturally wondering if the vessel is ready to show off all her bells and whistles.
While the ship is fully operational, there may yet be some minor finishing work that has to be attended to. This could include artwork installation, assembling fixtures in staterooms (such as arranging beds and linens), or similar work that Royal Caribbean is managing.
The ship also needs to take on her full load of supplies to be ready to serve the up to 7,600 guests who will board the 248,663-gross-ton ship for every voyage. This includes food and beverages, retail merchandise, entertainment supplies (where do all those trivia pencils come from?), and more.
The final crew members must also join the ship, ensuring a full complement of nearly 2,350 international crew members ready to offer outstanding service on every voyage. One of those crew members will be her Chief Dog Officer, Skipper.
Setting Sail on Legend of the Seas
The ship’s first sailing with guests onboard will set sail from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy on Saturday, July 4. That 7-night Western Mediterranean sailing will visit Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and La Spezia before returning to Civitavecchia.
Read Also: What Are Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class Ships?
Legend of the Seas will remain homeported from Rome for a total of four departures, then will offer sailings from both Barcelona and Civitavecchia through mid-October.
At the end of her first Mediterranean season, the massive ship will depart on October 25 on her first transatlantic cruise, a 13-night voyage to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
From the Sunshine State, Legend of the Seas will be offering 6- and 8-night Western and Southern Caribbean itineraries, with every sailing stopping at Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
The new ship will return to Europe in April 2027 for another summer of Mediterranean sailings and will be back to her Florida homeport in November 2027.
