The Finnish subsidiary of Papenburg-based Meyer Werft in Turku completed the steel construction phase in the dry dock: The third unit of the “Icon” class now has water under its keel for the first time.
The approximately 365-meter-long “Legend of the Seas” is powered by fuel cells and liquefied natural gas (LNG) and reaches a maximum cruising speed of 24 knots. Once commissioned, the ship will offer capacity for up to 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members on 18 decks. The maiden voyage is scheduled to depart from Barcelona next July and will take passengers to Mediterranean destinations such as Rome, Marseille, and Mallorca. The mega-cruiser will then move to the Caribbean for the 2026/27 winter season.
“The ‘Legend of the Seas’ continues the state-of-the-art ‘Icon’ class, which allows the Finnish shipping industry to showcase its unique expertise at its best. The shipyard, Royal Caribbean and an extensive network of partners are working together to develop the processes and concepts from ship to ship,” explained Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm.
While the outfitting phase begins for the “Legend of the Seas”, the dry dock is already waiting for the keel to be laid for the fourth as yet unnamed ship in the “Icon” class. This is the sister ship planned for 2027. The US cruise company Royal Caribbean International (RCI) also holds options for two further units, although these have not yet been converted into firm orders. According to estimates by market observers, the construction costs for each newbuild will amount to around €1.1 billion.
