Legend of the Seas, world's largest cruise ship, makes U.S. debut this weekend

Royal Caribbean's newest megaship is about to make its U.S. debut. Passengers board Legend of the Seas, the cruise line's third Icon Class vessel, at Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades on Sunday for a pre-inaugural three-night trip to the Bahamas.

The line added the sailing ahead of the ship's previously announced Nov. 11 inaugural voyage, giving travelers an early chance to step aboard the newest and biggest vessel in the fleet. The three-night trip calls at Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, then spends a day at sea before returning to Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 11.

The biggest ship on the water

At 248,633 gross tons, Legend of the Seas shares the title of world's largest cruise ship with its two same-size Icon Class sisters, Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas. The vessel can carry up to 7,600 passengers and roughly 2,350 crew members, and it is built around eight themed neighborhoods and seven pools. That makes it one of the largest floating resorts the cruise line has ever sent to sea.

Alongside the family-friendly favorites carried over from its sisters - including Category 6, the six-slide water park - Legend of the Seas adds a few firsts of its own. The new Hollywoodland Supper Club leans on a Hollywood-themed dinner experience, and the AquaDome picks up additional dining venues.

The ship first debuted in Europe in summer 2026, operating seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries from Barcelona and Rome before crossing the Atlantic to start its Caribbean season. After those two initial Bahamas trips, it will run six- to eight-night sailings from Fort Lauderdale to Western and Southern Caribbean ports, including Aruba and Curacao, which rarely see Icon Class ships, plus calls in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Every single itinerary stops at CocoCay.

Six-night sailings start around $1,000 per person, and the longer eight-night trips begin around $1,400, though the final fare swings a lot by itinerary, stateroom and travel dates.