Royal Caribbean has formally named its second Icon-class ship, Legend of the Seas, in a ceremony held at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, timed to coincide with Veterans Day on November 11. The date was no accident: the event doubled as a tribute to veterans, active-duty service members and military families.
The ship's godmother is retired U.S. Air Force General Lori J. Robinson, a significant figure as the first woman to command a major American combatant command. She joined Royal Caribbean Group chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean president Michael Bayley and the ship's captain, Sindre Borsheim, for the naming. The ceremony also acknowledged the thousands of workers behind the ship's construction.
Legend of the Seas reached the U.S. on November 7 after a debut summer sailing the Mediterranean. Before the naming ceremony, she ran a preview cruise from Fort Lauderdale that included a first-ever stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas, on November 9.
So what does this mean for anyone eyeing a winter sun holiday? From now on, Legend shifts to the Caribbean with two core itineraries. Six-night Western Caribbean sailings call at Cozumel in Mexico, while eight-night Southern Caribbean routes take in Oranjestad in Aruba, Willemstad in Curaçao and Cabo Rojo in the Dominican Republic. Every sailing on both routes includes a day at Perfect Day at CocoCay, the resort-style private island with beaches, a waterpark and thrill attractions.
The Icon class is positioned by the line as its top family product — think surf simulators, multi-slide waterparks, neighbourhoods aimed at different age groups and a heavy slate of entertainment. With Legend joining Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, families now have three of these ships to choose from, and the Caribbean itineraries are the first chance for most travellers to sample the newest one outside Europe.
For cruisers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: if you want the newest big ship experience combined with short-to-medium Caribbean itineraries departing from Florida, Legend's six- and eight-night sailings out of Fort Lauderdale are the product to watch. Departing from Port Everglades rather than Miami can also make a cruise-plus-fly trip easier for some travellers, with Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport a short transfer away.
Prices for the new itineraries are likely to be at a premium in the first season, so booking early — or waiting for the hype to settle — are both viable strategies depending on your budget and flexibility.
