Cruise Spotlight
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Legend of the Seas vs MSC Divina
The Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas is a fairly new ship, being built in 2026. Legend of the Seas features many of the same restaurants and attractions as its sister-ships Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas. Some changes from its sister ships are a two-story casino and The Royal Railway and Hollywoodland Supper Club dining experiences. It's 14 years newer than the Divina, which was built in 2012 and renovated in 2025. The Divina is a ship of class and excellence, inspired by Sophia Loren.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Legend of the Seas is considered an extra large ship. Coming in at 1,198 feet long and 216 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.3 football fields, as wide as 4.1 tractor-trailers, and the same height as a 18-story building. Compared to the MSC Divina, the Legend of the Seas is 79% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas holds 60% more passengers than the Divina based on double occupancy (two people per room). At full capacity, Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas holds 75% more passengers than the Divina.
When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Legend of the Seas has more space per person compared to the Divina. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
The Legend of the Seas uses a neighborhood layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.
| Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas | MSC Divina | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Icon | Fantasia |
| Gross Tonnage | 248,663 | 139,072 |
| Length | 1,198 | 1,093 |
| Beam/Width | 216 | 124 |
| Passenger Decks | 18 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 5,610 | 3,502 |
| Passengers (maximum occupancy) | 7,600 | 4,345 |
| Crew | 2,350 | 1,388 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 3.2 | 3.1 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 33 | 32 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Legend of the Seas has twenty-four different dining options like Pier 7, Starbucks, and Chops Grille. Of those options, fifteen are complimentary, or included with your cruise fare. The other fifteen options have an additional fee.
The Divina has seventeen fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Butcher's Cut, Seven of these restaurants are complimentary and the other five have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Legend of the Seas might be a better choice. It has more than twice as many dining options as the Divina.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Legend of the Seas might be a better choice than the Divina. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas | MSC Divina | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 24 | 7 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 15 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 15 | 5 |
| % of Included Options | 38% | 29% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-Cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barq's Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out the recent bar menus for the Legend of the Seas and the Divina below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas has a total of 7 pools and 10 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
MSC Divina has fewer pools than the Legend of the Seas and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Divina. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? Two of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Legend of the Seas.
| Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas | MSC Divina | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 7 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 4 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 10 | 9 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 8 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 1 | 2 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Legend of the Seas, 74% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Divina, only 50% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas | MSC Divina | |
|---|---|---|
| 4D Cinema | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Aquatheater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Carousel | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Crown's Edge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| F1 Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ice Skating | ✓ | ✗ |
| Laser Tag | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sports Court | ✗ | ✓ |
| Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| Waterpark | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean and MSC are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically, newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas will likely be more expensive than on MSC Divina.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests may also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically, guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas | MSC Divina | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.49 See drink menus | $9.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 - $118 Learn more | $46 - $85 |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $17 - $27 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
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