Royal Caribbean's newest LNG-powered cruise ship launched in Finland

Royal Caribbean International's newest cruise ship was launched into the water for the first time at the facilities of Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku on Friday, August 29.

Legend of the Seas is the third ship in a series built by Meyer Turku. Series lead ship Icon of the Seas was delivered in 2024 while second ship Star of the Seas was handed over earlier this year.

Another sister ship will be built under the current firm contract, though Royal Caribbean also has options for two additional vessels for a total of six.

Upon completion, Legend of the Seas will measure 1,196 by 159 feet (364.75 by 48.47 metres) and will boast over 2,800 cabins for housing 5,600 guests. A parabolic bow design has been incorporated into the hull to provide additional stability, ensuring smoother motion while underway.

The ship's propulsion system will consist of six dual-fuel engines that can also run on LNG, five bow thrusters, three 20MW diesel-electric driven azimuthing thrusters, and fuel cells.

The latter will be used as a lower-emission alternative energy source for generating onboard electricity as well as freshwater.