Royal Caribbean International has reached a key milestone in the construction of its newest cruise ship, Legend of the Seas, as the vessel officially begins sea trials in Turku ahead of its scheduled debut in July 2026.
The ship, which is the third in the cruise line’s Icon Class, is currently undergoing a series of technical evaluations at sea. Over the next 10 days, more than 2,000 engineers, designers, and specialists will test critical onboard systems to ensure operational readiness and safety standards.
During the trials, the vessel is expected to travel approximately 2,400 nautical miles before returning to the Meyer Turku shipyard for the final phase of construction.
Following its launch, Legend of the Seas will operate a European summer season before repositioning to Fort Lauderdale. From there, it will offer a mix of six-night Western Caribbean and eight-night Southern Caribbean cruises.
The itineraries will include stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay, the cruise line’s private island destination in The Bahamas.
The development highlights Royal Caribbean’s continued investment in expanding its fleet with next-generation vessels, as competition intensifies within the global cruise industry. The successful completion of sea trials will mark a major step toward the ship’s official entry into service later this year.
