Key Aspects:
- Legend of the Seas will now debut on July 11, 2026, a week earlier than previously planned.
- This is the second time the ship’s inaugural sailing has been moved earlier.
- Guests booked on the July 18 cruise have the option to move their sailing to July 11 if preferred.
Construction and outfitting is moving along at a truly legendary pace for Royal Caribbean’s upcoming third Icon-class ship, Legend of the Seas, and a new first sailing has now been added.
The ship will now debut on July 4, 2026, one week earlier than her initial July 11 maiden voyage and nearly a full month before the original August 2 debut date.
Royal Caribbean has reached out to guests booked on the July 11 sailing to give them the opportunity to move to the earlier voyage if they prefer. For many cruise guests, the privilege of being part of a ship’s maiden voyage is truly a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list adventure.
“We simply cannot wait to show off The Next Icon of Vacations,” the email notification reads. “We have no added one (1) extra sailing, a 7-Night Western Mediterranean Cruise on 4 July 2026, that will be the inaugural sailing to kick off the celebrations for our inaugural season!”
This new inaugural sailing will depart from Rome (Civitavecchia) and visit Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and Florence before returning to Rome on July 11.
Legend of the Seas is currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. The ship still needs to be finished, complete her sea trials, and be handed over to the cruise line, but everything is ahead of schedule for her to join the fleet with great fanfare.
Booked Guests Can Set Sail Early
To be clear, the July 11 departure is unchanged, this new sailing is simply welcoming guests one week earlier. If that first-aboard feeling is especially important to guests, however, they do have an option to change their sailing date.
“As you may have booked your Legend of the Seas sailing to be first onboard, you’ll now have the opportunity to move your existing booking to the first 5-Night Western Mediterranean Cruise as of today!” the email explained.
Transfers to the earlier sailing are on a first-come, first-served basis and will be made in the same stateroom or, where necessary, a like-for-like stateroom.
The original price guests booked for the July 11 voyage is protected, but if the July 4 sailing is actually a lower fare, the lower price will apply and any overage will be refunded back to the original form of payment.
Guests will still be responsible for taxes, fees, and any add-ons such as drink packages, pre-paid gratuities, and shore tours at the prevailing rates for the new sailing date.
Read Also: How Much Is a Cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas?
If guests are interested in moving to the earlier sailing and booked airfare through Royal Caribbean’s Air2Sea program, the team will adjust flights as necessary. Those guests who made independent arrangements for airfare or hotels can submit receipts for reimbursement for up to $200 (USD) for domestic travel or $400 for international travel, per person.
Will the July 11 Sailing Still Be Special?
Because an inaugural cruise is such a unique and truly once-in-a-ship’s-lifetime event, guests who cannot move to the earlier July 4 departure are naturally concerned about whether or not their July 11 departure will still have that special feel.
“Not to worry, our 11 July sailing that is part of our showcase will still take place,” the email confirmed.
Fortunately, cruise lines no longer treat just a single voyage as special, but the entire first season of a ship’s service has a unique and unforgettable feel with special souvenir swag, exclusive inaugural merchandise, and all sorts of fun onboard.
This ensures that more people can experience the unique opportunity to welcome a new ship to the fleet, and it helps assuage any disappointment when plans have to change, as they have for Legend of the Seas.
In fact, this is not the first time the ship’s debut has been moved earlier. In September 2025, Royal Caribbean announced three earlier sailings departing July 11, July 18, and July 25.
Similar offers were made for booked guests to adjust their sailing date if desired, giving everyone the opportunity to be the “first” aboard what will truly be a legendary cruise ship.
