Legend of the Seas review: Is Royal Caribbean’s newest Icon Class ship worth booking?

Words by Harriet Mallinson

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas is the latest floating hotel to don the crown of “biggest cruise ship in the world” – and now it’s taking the waves by, well, storm.

Unlike its epic Icon Class siblings, Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, this ship is plying the waters of the Mediterranean for its inaugural summer season, only shifting to the Caribbean in the winter months – so Brits can easily get onboard without a long-haul flight.

Sailawaze boarded the vessel’s first sailing to experience it firsthand. We were greeted by a waterpark, escape rooms, full-length musicals, a park with real plants, world-class ice skaters – and left feeling like we needed another week to finish the fun. Here’s what you can expect onboard – and our honest opinion.

OK, so it really is massive – and utterly FOMO-inducing with oh so much to do, try, admire, taste and enjoy. Join it for a week-long Med holiday and you still might not tick off everything.

To help break it down into more manageable chunks, Legend of the Seas is organised into eight neighbourhoods: Thrill Island [above, left], Surfside, The Hideaway, Central Park [above right], Chill Island, AquaDome, Royal Promenade and the Suite Neighborhood. This divides the ship into distinct areas, helping different types of passengers find spaces that suit them. It also means you can tackle one at a time when adjusting to life onboard (but do bring everything you need when leaving your cabin – it can be quite the schlep back).

Families with young children are likely to spend much of their time in impossibly colourful, energy–packed Surfside. Underneath a blue rectangle of sky above, I ride oversized ducks around a chirpy carousel, roll inflatable dice, weave between iridescent bubbles, hurl beanbags into holes and boogie to Cha Cha Slide – and I only came down to check out the kids’ waterpark with its slides, water cannons and fountains.

Older adrenaline-seekers will find their kicks in Thrill Island with its Category 6 waterpark (more slides than you can count on one hand) and over-the-ocean skywalk-cum-zipline attraction, Crown’s Edge [below, right]. Also up here is surf-simulator FlowRider, Adrenaline Peak rock wall, Lost Dunes mini golf and the Sports Court.

Adults looking for somewhere calmer have The Hideaway, an adults-only area with a suspended infinity pool, bar and whirlpools 135ft above the ocean. I spend a very happy afternoon on a half-submerged bright orange lounger here, trying not to get my book wet or stare too obviously as I people-watch…

Down below, Central Park provides a quieter, open-air contrast, with a whopping 30,000 real plants, restaurants and live music (plus bird sounds for the full immersive nature experience, would you believe). Meanwhile, the Royal Promenade spans two connected decks and includes floor-to-ceiling sea views, bars, shops and The Pearl, Royal Caribbean’s gargantuan sculpture – for anyone who’s ever wanted to sample the interior of a disco ball.

Legend of the Seas is literally “wow” at every turn: an absolute riot of colour, activity and energy – which might be perfect for you, but travellers who prefer an intimate atmosphere, peace and quiet or traditional promenade decks may find its scale a little overwhelming. 

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If you can tear yourself away from the action (and indeed, locate your room after too many frozen margs in the Lime and Coconut bar), you’ll find 29 types of accommodation on Legend of the Seas, including more affordable interior rooms, ocean-view cabins, Infinite Balcony cabins, family accommodation and Royal Suite Class (aka, very fancy) options – and they’re nice, they really are.

At the top end is the three-storey Ultimate Family Townhouse [above, left], which sleeps eight and includes 1,772sq ft of interior space plus three balconies totalling 751sq ft. It’s a child’s fantasy come to life, crammed with games, a cinema room, themed beds and even a slide to travel between floors (should the musical staircase – yes, really – prove too taxing). Don’t worry, the adult room is perfectly chic, so you don’t need to be permanently embedded in a theme park – plus, the dedicated butler and private wraparound terrace with a hot tub will make a stay feel pretty, well, sweet.

Royal Loft, Icon Loft and Sunset Suites provide alternatives for deep-pocketed cruisers wanting more space and access Royal Caribbean’s largest Suite Neighborhood to date, spread across four decks. It includes The Grove sun deck, a private pool, whirlpool, Mediterranean dining and the two-storey Coastal Kitchen.

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Legend of the Seas has 28 dining options as well as no shortage of bars and lounges that I constantly stumble across (accidentally, of course…). Complimentary venues include the Main Dining Room, Windjammer buffet, Surfside Eatery, AquaDome Market, Pearl Café, Park Café, Sorrento’s and El Loco Fresh, so you’re never far from your next snack.

Surfside Eatery [above, left] is designed with families in mind, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in a colourful setting where even the tables resemble surfboards. AquaDome Market is a good alternative to the buffet, with five food stalls serving everything from crêpes and fresh juices to Asian dishes, while El Loco Fresh proves perfect for grabbing a quick burrito between activities. Truth be told, I spend much of the first day grazing rather than sitting down for proper meals – there simply seems too much else to see and do.

Speciality restaurants include Royal Caribbean favourites such as Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, Hooked Seafood, Izumi and Chef’s Table. Results vary – I wouldn’t rush back to Giovanni’s, which feels a little too much like a high street Italian chain for my liking, but takeaway sushi from Izumi enjoyed in the leafy surroundings of the park is fresh and tasty.

The most novel experience is Royal Railway – Legend Station [above, right]. The immersive train carriage restaurant takes diners on a five-course journey inspired by destinations along the ancient Silk Routes, travelling through China, India and Italy. Thankfully it doesn’t sacrifice food standards for gimmick, either.

When it comes to drinks, you’re equally spoilt for choice. Swim-up bar Swim & Tonic, champagne bar Bubbles, Lou’s live music venue, Dueling Pianos and Rye & Bean – serving coffee by day and coffee-based cocktails later on – all become regular haunts. “Cruising mainly seems to be people drinking in water on water,” my new-to-cruising boyfriend observes. He’s not wrong.

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Strap in – Legend of the Seas’ activity and entertainment offering is as extensive as they come. The Royal Theater hosts the first production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory [above left] at sea (and I swear I can smell actual chocolate when they enter Wonka’s lair).

Ice skating bonanza, Fusion [below, left], is performed in Absolute Zero, Royal Caribbean’s largest ice arena and the performers so effortlessly spin, speed, pirouette, flip, leap and cavort I forget they’re on skates at all,

At the other end of the ship, Shockwave [below, right] combines street and classical dance in the AquaTheater, using artistic swimmers, aerialists, robotic arms, lifts, projection mapping and a 55ft water curtain to deliver a helluva jaw-dropping show. It’s supposed to showcase the beauty and power of water – and it does – but it’s the capabilities of the human body that most impress me as they dive and spin from vertiginous heights. I’ve never seen anything like it (so do try to get into Shockwave more than once if you can – before you return to real life and the only decent aquatic feat you witness is your husband getting out of the bath without making a mess).

Elsewhere on the ship there are two escape rooms, laser tag, a spa, the biggest gym I’ve ever seen on a ship, a two-floor casino, live music, comedy, karaoke, parades, parties, shops, seven pools and 10 whirlpools – so there really is something for everyone.

For children, Adventure Ocean kids’ club caters for ages six months to 12 years, with dedicated groups including AO Babies and AO Juniors. Teenagers aged 13 to 17 have Social020, with gaming, films, music and social spaces.

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Legend of the Seas launched with Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona and Rome in July 2026. From November 2026, the ship sails from Fort Lauderdale in Florida on Caribbean itineraries.

The Mediterranean programme suits travellers who want a port-intensive holiday, while Caribbean sailings provide more time to use the ship’s pools, restaurants and attractions. On a ship with this many facilities, you’ll undoubtedly relish those sea days – there’s certainly no time-killing and thumb-twiddling to be done here.

– READ MORE: What’s included on Royal Caribbean? –

Legend of the Seas includes accommodation, meals at complimentary restaurants, theatre productions, ice and aqua shows, pools, water slides, children’s clubs and many activities within the fare.

Extra costs can include alcoholic and speciality drinks, Wi-Fi, speciality restaurants, shore excursions, spa treatments, arcade games and selected premium attractions. Gratuities may also be added depending on the fare and booking terms.

The ship is likely to offer the best value to holidaymakers who will use the waterpark, children’s facilities, entertainment and included dining extensively. Passengers interested mainly in the itinerary may find better value on a smaller or older ship.

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Legend of the Seas won’t be for everyone. If your dream cruise involves reading quietly, you’ll probably find it exhausting. But if you love big holidays with big entertainment, endless choice and enough activities to keep every member of the gang happy, it’s difficult to imagine many ships doing it better.