Everybody’s speaking about how the second Icon-class cruise ship, Star of the Seas, is about to enter service on the finish of August.
However the third Icon-class ship, Legend of the Seas, is properly on her method to starting her personal profession at sea and has simply met a serious building milestone on the Meyer Turku Shipyard in Finland.
When the flagship Icon of the Seas debuted in 2024, she entered service with a first-of-its-kind AquaDome, which is a gigantic and revolutionary glass dome that’s situated on the ship’s bow.
As of July 5, 2025, the 7,600-guest Legend of the Seas has her very personal AquaDome after building crews fastidiously (and efficiently) lifted it into place.
“The AquaDome is a single-piece glass and metal construction situated on the bow of the ship, providing large panoramic views for friends onboard. It’s the largest metal and glass construction ever lifted onto a ship in a single piece,” The Meyer Turku Shipyard stated in an announcement.
The shipyard continued: “Lifting and putting in a construction of this measurement and complexity required in depth planning, seamless collaboration, and exact execution from the Meyer Turku group and companions. An enormous thanks to everybody concerned in making it occur!”
After celebrating this main building accomplishment, the ship constructing group shall be proper again to work to ensure the 250,800-gross ton ship is able to debut in summer time of 2026.
Her inaugural voyage is meant to be a 7-night Western Mediterranean cruise that sails round-trip from Barcelona, Spain, and embarks on August 2, 2026.
However although she has come a good distance since her metal reducing in January 2024, she nonetheless has to satisfy accomplishments like floating out of dry dock, which is when she floats on water for the primary time, and finally passing her sea trials.
As soon as she floats out, crews will doubtless flip to perfecting the inside of the cruise ship in a moist dock and finishing essential duties like putting in and adorning the two,805 staterooms.
How Huge is the AquaDome?
With Legend of the Seas anticipated to affix her two older sisters as the biggest cruise ships on this planet, constructing the AquaDome is a triumph of engineering in its personal proper.
For the previous eight months, the huge glass dome has been constructed alongside the cruise ship, which helps make the development course of extra environment friendly.
Over these months, the 12 modules that make up the dome had been fastidiously constructed out with 673 glass panels and 712 aluminum panels.
Now that the dome itself is accomplished, the ultimate measurements are available in at an awe-inspiring 82 toes tall and 164 toes tall. It weighs a staggering 367 tons.
Learn Additionally: Icon of the Seas AquaDome: Design, Options and Info
Now that the AquaDome is hooked up to the mega-ship, crews can begin ending the inside of the “neighborhood,” which can provide 220-degree ocean views, a 55-foot-tall waterfall, and be a hub for nightlife.
It can even be dwelling to the AquaTheater, the place friends can get pleasure from adrenalin-inducing stunt exhibits, and several other bars, lounges, and eating places.
Whereas many particulars in regards to the new-build haven’t been launched but, she is predicted to proceed to enhance upon her older sisters with additional tweaks and upgrades – which can doubtless apply to the AquaDome’s choices as properly.
After an preliminary season in Europe, Royal Caribbean’s subsequent addition shall be primarily based out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, providing 6-night Western Caribbean itineraries and 8-night Southern Caribbean itineraries year-round.
I, for one, shall be very desperate to pay her a go to and see every part she has to supply in individual as soon as she is nearer to me within the US.
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