World’s Largest Cruise Ship Legend of the Seas Reaches Florida

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas, described by Cruise Hive as the world’s largest cruise ship, docked at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Nov. 7, its first time in the United States. Families who want to sail on it from Florida can do so from Nov. 8, and regular Bahamas and Caribbean voyages begin Nov. 14.

The Icon-class ship carries 5,610 passengers. It came in shortly after 9:00 a.m. local time, according to the Cruise Ship Tracker, and tugboats met it with the customary water salute.

A transatlantic trip from Barcelona with a medical detour

Legend of the Seas left Barcelona, Spain, on Oct. 25. On the way across the Atlantic it stopped at Palma de Mallorca on Oct. 26, Malaga on Oct. 27 and Cadiz on Oct. 28.

On Nov. 5 the ship changed course briefly in the eastern Caribbean so it could get nearer to Puerto Rico, where the U.S. Coast Guard airlifted a passenger. Cruise Hive reported that the detour did not hold up the ship’s arrival.

The ship entered service in July 2026 and spent its first season sailing the Mediterranean before the crossing.

Legend of the Seas schedule from Fort Lauderdale

• Nov. 8: the first sailing from Florida, a three-night trip to Perfect Day CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.
• Nov. 11: the ship returns to Fort Lauderdale for a naming ceremony. Its godmother is retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson.
• After the ceremony: a second three-night trip to CocoCay.
• Nov. 14: regular service starts with an eight-night voyage to the Bahamas and the southern Caribbean.
• After that, the ship alternates eight-night and six-night voyages from Fort Lauderdale.

What it means for families planning a Florida cruise

Legend of the Seas now joins sister ships Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas sailing from Florida. Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean’s president and CEO, pitched the class around thrills and “family memory-making” in a statement on the ship’s arrival.

Once regular service starts, the ship will run a steady rotation of eight-night and six-night trips out of Fort Lauderdale, with the short CocoCay sailings coming before that. Broward County Mayor Mark D. Bogen said the ship’s visit will support jobs and tourism in the county.

Another Icon-class ship is on the way

All Icon-class ships, Legend included, were built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. The next one, Hero of the Seas, is scheduled to debut from Miami in August 2027.

Source: Cruise Hive