Royal Caribbean Takes Delivery of Legend of the Seas And Starts Work On Oasis #7
Royal Caribbean is keeping shipyards busy creating the biggest cruise ships in the world. This week saw significant milestones for two specific ships.
The cruise line officially took delivery of Legend of the Seas, the third ship in the Icon Class, at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. At the same time, construction is underway on Royal Caribbean’s seventh Oasis Class ship, which is being built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France.
It’s an interesting moment for the cruise line. The Icon Class is clearly the future of Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships, but the Oasis Class is not going away anytime soon. Even after the debut of Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is still investing in the ship design that helped reshape modern cruising.
Legend of the Seas Joins Royal Caribbean’s Fleet
Royal Caribbean officially welcomed Legend of the Seas during a delivery ceremony at Meyer Turku, the Finnish shipyard that has been building the cruise line’s Icon Class ships.
The handover marks one of the final major steps before the ship welcomes its first guests. Before entering service, Legend of the Seas will head to Cadiz, Spain, where Royal Caribbean will complete final work such as installing furnishings, setting up cabins, and finishing attractions.
The ship will debut on July 4, 2026, with 7-night Western Mediterranean sailings from Barcelona, Spain, and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.
After its summer season in Europe, Legend of the Seas will reposition to Fort Lauderdale in November 2026. From there, the ship will offer 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean sailings. Every Caribbean sailing is scheduled to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay.
What To Expect On Legend of the Seas
Legend of the Seas will have a lot in common with Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, but Royal Caribbean is not making it an exact copy of its sister ships.
The biggest changes appear to be in dining, entertainment, and a few onboard spaces. None of these completely reinvent the Icon Class, but they do give Legend of the Seas its own personality.
The most notable differences include:
- Royal Railway – Legend Station: This immersive dining experience will take guests on a five-course journey along the ancient Silk Routes through China, India, and Italy. The concept first debuted on Utopia of the Seas, but Legend of the Seas will get its own version.
- Hollywoodland Supper Club: The high-end supper club returns with a new theme focused on the golden age of Hollywood, with food, cocktails, and live performances designed around the film industry from the 1910s to the 1950s.
- AquaDome Market: The complimentary food hall will get a refreshed lineup. Creme De La Crepe will return, but Royal Caribbean is adding Seoulmate, Cajun Kitchen, Adobo, La Espanola, and Simply Pressed.
- Two-story casino: Royal Caribbean has said Legend of the Seas will receive a major casino upgrade, with the casino spanning two stories.
- Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”: Instead of “The Wizard of Oz” on Icon of the Seas or “Back to the Future: The Musical” on Star of the Seas, Legend of the Seas will get its own major Broadway-style production.
- Updated Surfside: The family-focused neighborhood will return, but the carousel will get a new rubber duck theme, and the dry playscape will be redesigned.
- Updated Lost Dunes: The mini-golf course will return with more challenging holes and a new volcano feature.
Beyond those changes, Legend of the Seas will still bring back many of the core features that define the Icon Class.
Guests can expect eight neighborhoods, including AquaDome, Central Park, Royal Promenade, Surfside, and Thrill Island. The ship will also feature Category 6 Waterpark, Crown’s Edge, FlowRider, Absolute Zero, Swim & Tonic, The Hideaway, and multiple pool areas, including Royal Bay.
That makes Legend of the Seas more of an evolution than a major departure. If you have already sailed Icon of the Seas or Star of the Seas, this ship probably will not feel completely different. But the new dining concepts, Broadway show, casino changes, and refreshed family areas should help it stand apart from the first two ships in the class.
Royal Caribbean Is Still Pushing The Icon Class Hard
Legend of the Seas will be the third ship in the Icon Class, following Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas. The fourth ship, Hero of the Seas, is already scheduled to debut in 2027.
Royal Caribbean Group also recently confirmed additional Icon Class ships beyond that. A fifth ship is planned for 2028, with the sixth and seventh ships scheduled for 2029 and 2030.
Construction Is Underway On Royal Caribbean’s Seventh Oasis Class Ship
While Legend of the Seas gets ready for passengers, Royal Caribbean is also moving forward with another huge ship.
The cruise line officially started construction on its seventh Oasis Class ship at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France. The milestone was marked with a steel-cutting ceremony, when the first piece of steel was cut for the ship.
Royal Caribbean said the ship name will be announced shortly, and Oasis #7 is expected to debut in 2028.
Royal Caribbean has not revealed specific restaurants, shows, neighborhoods, or onboard features for the new ship yet. When Royal Caribbean went back to the Oasis platform for Wonder of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas, it made changes like a fully enclosed Solarium and the new The Vue bar. What changes will we see for the next Oasis Class ship?
The Oasis Class Still Has Life Left In It
The Oasis Class first changed the cruise industry when Oasis of the Seas debuted in 2009. It introduced Royal Caribbean’s neighborhood layout, including spaces like Central Park, the Boardwalk, and the Royal Promenade.
Since then, Royal Caribbean has continued to evolve the class with ships like Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas.
For a while, it looked like Utopia of the Seas might be the final ship in the class, especially once Royal Caribbean shifted so much attention to the larger Icon Class. Instead, the cruise line is adding more Oasis Class ships.
That makes sense. The Icon Class may be newer and flashier, but the Oasis Class is still one of the most successful cruise ship designs ever built. It offers huge capacity, familiar neighborhoods, proven venues, and a layout many Royal Caribbean guests already know well.
Royal Caribbean Is Building Both Mega-Ship Classes At Once
The most interesting part of these announcements is not just that Royal Caribbean is taking delivery of another new ship. It’s that the cruise line is now building both of its biggest ship classes at the same time.
Legend of the Seas will debut in 2026. Hero of the Seas follows in 2027. The seventh Oasis Class ship and fifth Icon Class ship are both expected in 2028. More Icon Class ships are planned for 2029 and 2030.
That gives Royal Caribbean a very busy newbuild schedule over the next several years. And that’s not including the upcoming, highly anticipated Discovery Class, which is expected to debut in 2029.
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