Royal Caribbean has opened up bookings for its newest cruise ship, Legend of the Seas.
While the cruise line advertised the official opening for bookings is on Thursday, Feb. 20, in practical terms, it's open for bookings now.
In case you missed it, Legend of the Seas will be the name of the third Icon Class ship, and Royal Caribbean revealed details about the ship yesterday.
This is going to be one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, coming in at 250,800 gross tons, and be able to accommodate up to 7,600 passengers.
Unlike the two ships that came before it, Legend will begin sailing in Europe before coming to the United States. Here's what to know about the first sailings.
First sailings on two continents
You could book the first sailing across two different inaugural voyages.
Legend of the Seas will welcome paying guests for the first time when she departs Barcelona, Spain on August 2, 2026.
The first sailing is a 7-night Western Mediterranean cruise that will visit France, Spain, and Italy.
It's a significant move to have a new ship start in Europe, as Royal Caribbean has shied away from this for a while.
According to Royal Caribbean, it's an opportunity to answer demand from Europeans who have wanted an Icon Class ship, "our guests across Europe have been asking for for an Icon Class ship to to be based there. And this was the right time to bring it," said Royal Caribbean Chief Marketing Officer Kara Wallace.
Legend remains in Europe through October, until the ship departs on a 13-night transatlantic sailing.
The new ship heads to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where the first sailing is a quick 3-night sailing to Perfect Day at CocoCay.
There are additional 6- and 8-night Caribbean voyages through April 2027.
How much does Legend of the Seas cost?
If you're looking to book a cruise on Legend, it's not going to be a cheap deal.
New cruise ships tend to come with higher prices, and Legend of the Seas is no exception to that trend.
In the first hours the new bookings are available to book, the least expensive sailing on the vessel available to book was the 3-night inaugural sailing from Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 11, 2026.
It starts at $918.99 per person, including taxes, fees, and port charges.
Of course, that 3-night cruise is an outlier, as it's the only short sailing.
The next least expensive sailing is one of the last cruises in Europe before Legend transitions to North America.
The September 20, 2026 7-night cruise from Barcelona, Spain starts at $1,567.67 per person, including taxes, fees, and port charges.
Not surprisingly, the most expensive sailing is a 6-night western Caribbean Christmas voyage that begins on Dec. 20, 2026.
There are 28 stateroom categories, including some truly amazing suites with eye-opening prices.
There's some sticker shock with the price for the top two suites on Legend of the Seas, but that's been a trend since Icon of the Seas first went on sale.
At the upper end of the spectrum, the Royal Loft Suite will cost $115,972.40 for two people on that aforementioned Dec. 20 sailing.
That gets you 2,088 sq. ft of living space, which is the most luxurious suite within the Royal Caribbean fleet.
On the same cruise, the incredible Ultimate Family Townhouse that spans three decks, a slide, white picket fence, and movie room will cost you $110,232.40 for two people.
These two suites are the biggest suites on the ship, with enough space and features to rival some homes. Plus, they come with the cruise line's top perks that include almost everything in your cruise fare and provide front of the line access in many cases.
Suites are always a splurge and expensive, but they also come with tremendous benefits.
Other suites are priced comparatively lower, but like all cabins on a brand new ship, you'll pay a premium for that privilege.
Prices will probably only go up
Don't expect fares for Legend of the Seas to come down anytime soon.
Royal Caribbean Group executives said as much during a recent earnings call, when they forecasted the trend of cruise prices rising to continue through 2025 and beyond.
"Demand for 2025 is strong with book load factors in line with prior years and at higher rates, allowing for further pricing and yield growth as 2025 bookings continue to ramp up," said Royal Caribbean Chief Financial Officer Naftali Holtz during an earnings call with investors.
Your best price strategy for cruising on Legend of the Seas is too book quickly before prices go higher.
A recent analysis of Royal Caribbean cruise prices indicate fares start rising about 10-12 months before the sailing begins.
Pricing trends show fluctuations in price a year before the sail date, but once you reach that 10 month window, prices only tend to trend upwards.
An added benefit to booking a cruise so far in advance is you might be able to reprice the cruise if there are price drops later.
Residents of select countries can utilize Royal Caribbean's price match option, assuming they take the time to track their cruise fare price.
