Royal Caribbean's newest giant is now in American waters. Legend of the Seas, the third ship in the line's Icon Class, kicks off its U.S. life this weekend with a three-night Bahamas sailing from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, ahead of its official inaugural voyage on November 11.
The ship already clocked up a summer season in Europe, running seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona and Rome before making the Atlantic crossing. Now it's settling in for the Caribbean, and early cruisers get a head start: the pre-inaugural trip includes a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private Bahamian island, plus a day at sea.
At 248,633 gross tons, Legend of the Seas shares the title of world's largest cruise ship with its two sisters, Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas. It carries up to 7,600 passengers with a crew of roughly 2,350. Expect the full Icon Class formula: eight themed neighbourhoods, seven pools and Category 6, a six-slide water park aimed squarely at families. New for this ship are a Hollywoodland Supper Club with a movie theme and expanded dining in the glass-domed AquaDome.
Once the initial Bahamas sailings wrap up, the ship moves to six- and eight-night Caribbean itineraries out of Fort Lauderdale. Routes cover both the Western and Southern Caribbean, including ports like Aruba and Curacao that Icon Class ships rarely visit, with calls also possible in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Every sailing includes CocoCay.
Pricing starts around $1,000 per person for six-night trips and about $1,400 for eight nights, though the final figure swings a lot depending on cabin type, dates and route.
For anyone weighing up a mega-ship holiday, the timing is decent. Brand-new ships usually command peak prices in their first months, but the jump to a Caribbean winter season from Fort Lauderdale means there are genuinely short and mid-length options, not just week-long marathons. The Southern Caribbean itineraries are the interesting ones — Aruba and Curacao sit outside the hurricane belt, making them reliable picks for winter sun, and combining them with a day at CocoCay gives you both a port-heavy trip and a beach day. Families are the obvious target: the water park, pools and neighbourhood layout are built for multi-generation groups. If you'd rather avoid crowds, book shoulder-date sailings or opt for a smaller ship elsewhere in the fleet.
