Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas marked a big new milestone this month.

The vast vessel was floated for the first time, bobbing out onto the waves at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, ahead of its summer 2026 debut in Europe.

When it does, the Legend of the Seas will measure 250,800 gross tonnage and have a capacity of approximately 5,610 passengers over its 2,805 cabins. However, it is estimated that Legend of the Seas could have a maximum capacity of up to 7,000 passengers, making it the third-largest cruise ship in the world, after its sister vessels Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas.

Legend is the third and final of the Icon class to take to the waves and will follow the successful launch of Star of the Seas this summer. When the mega-ship does begin to welcome passengers onboard next year, cruise fans will have a huge amount to get stuck into.

For thrillseekers and families with energetic kids, the adrenaline-pumping thrills of the Category 6 waterpark and Crown's Edge -- part skywalk, part ropes course, and part ride -- are bound to be big hits. The 40-foot-long FlowRider surf simulator powers up 30,000 gallons of rushing water so cruisers can learn to carve like a pro while friends cheer them on from the stadium seating.

Once you're down being plunged face-first into the surf, you may want to relax a little. Well, you're in luck as Legend has seven sun-soaked pools and ten all-zen whirlpools. Its stand-out water feature is the Royal Bay, which is the largest pool at sea.

Passengers can also drink in the views from the suspended infinity pool at the adults-only Hideaway or grab a cocktail from Swim & Tonic.

Legend will also be Royal Caribbean's fourth ship fueled by liquefied natural gas, which is considered one of the more environmentally friendly ways to power a cruise ship. However, it is a long way off becoming a 'net-zero' cruise ship, which the firm plans to introduce to its fleet by 2035.

Legend of the Seas is set to debut in the Western Mediterranean in the Summer 2026 season, and in doing so, will be the first Icon-class cruise ship to offer sailings of Europe. The ship will offer three to 7-night cruises of the region, primarily cruising out of Barcelona, Spain, and Rome, Italy.

When the summer season concludes, the vessel is planned to relocate to Florida, where it will offer three to 8-night cruises of the Western and Southern Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale. For its relocation, Legend of the Seas will offer a 13-night long, transatlantic cruise.

Royal Caribbean ticks off huge milestone for next mega cruise ship Legend of the Seas - The Mirror