One Of The World's Newest, Biggest Cruise Ships Will Offer Tons Of Family-Friendly Fun

The future of family cruising is officially making a big splash. Royal Caribbean announced that the highly anticipated Legend of the Seas cruise ship was floated out from its dry dock at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland in September 2025. With its 250,800 gross tonnage, 7,000-passenger capacity, and 1198-foot length, Legend of the Seas joins the league of the largest cruise ships in the world.

Now that the hull is afloat, the real magic begins: the installation of its eight unique neighborhoods, dining and bar venues, endless attractions, and thousands of staterooms. The sight of the massive hull is more than impressive, plus it holds promise of family-friendly fun to come — all made possible by cutting-edge engineering and design expertise of the Finnish shipyard and the Royal Caribbean team.

At the heart of Legend's appeal is its staggering array of activities, following in the wake of sister cruise ships, Icon of the Seas, and Star of the Seas (which launched in August 2025) in the same record-breaking Icon Class, meaning it's built from the keel up for family fun.

A cruise holiday is a fertile environment for different generations to enjoy time together, from toddlers to grandparents. Everything is catered to relaxation and fun, from staterooms to the dining experience and fun attractions. Legend of the Seas is a floating city packed with bonding opportunities the whole family can share. Particularly popular with families is the Surfside neighborhood, where you can spend all day splashing around, refueling at Surfside Bites, and playing in the arcades.

Then there's the seriously awesome Category 6 waterpark (a play on the hurricane grading scale), which is the largest waterpark at sea, with huge slides including the "Frightening Bolt" — the tallest at sea — the open freefall "Pressure Drop," and mat and raft rides. For extra thrills, you can dangle high above the water on the "Crown's Edge" skywalk, or test your surfing chops in the 40-foot-long "FlowRider" simulator.

A key factor to surviving a cruise with your kids is to keep the different ages entertained. The cruise line's signature Adventure Ocean program promises a unique experience tailored for young mariners, from Aquanauts (ages 3-5), and Explorers (6-8) to Voyagers (9-12). Activities range from theater and art, to science and games. Your family can become the star of the show in the escape rooms, dance contest, and virtual concerts. The hardest decision will be picking where to eat, from sophisticated world cuisine at Izumi Hibachi & Sushi to Giovanni's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, or biting into a juicy burger at the casual Basecamp.

For an over-the-top option that goes well beyond dining and activities on your next family cruise vacation, consider the "Ultimate Family Townhouse". It sleeps up to eight guests in a three-level suite complete with an inside chute slide. You'll have your own dining room and kitchenette, a hot tub, direct access to the Surfside neighborhood, and — as if the entertainment on board wasn't enough — a private movie setup and popcorn machine.

Legend of the Seas is due to launch its stellar career in Europe during summer 2026. The cruise line announced that the vessel will first stretch its sea legs on seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries, and then reposition across the Atlantic in November to offer six-night Western Caribbean and eight-night Southern Caribbean cruises.

The family keeps growing. Royal Caribbean ordered a fourth Icon Class ship to be delivered in 2027, with options for two additional Icon Class ships. This would bring the total ships built for them by Meyer Turku to 21 ships over 28 years. As a plus, Legend of the Seas is a little bit kinder to the environment, as the cruise line noted that she's the fourth cruise ship in the fleet to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as incorporating energy-conserving systems, part of the cruise line's efforts to develop a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.