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LA SPEZIA, Italy – After a day exploring major landmarks on a cruise shore excursion in Italy, I boarded a tender bound for another kind of towering structure.
Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas, one of the largest cruise ships in the world, stood tall over the water off the coast of La Spezia. The vessel – with a stature that rivaled the Leaning Tower of Pisa I visited earlier that day – doesn’t have any historic sites or Renaissance art on board, but it has plenty of attractions of its own.
As the first Icon Class ship in Europe, it offers a unique way to see the Mediterranean. Here’s what it was like to sail in the region during a four-night preview cruise that departed in late June.
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Why did Royal Caribbean send an Icon Class ship to Europe?
Europe is an important market for the cruise line, according to Royal Caribbean Group chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, but it’s also a “travel playground.”
“People thirst to come here and immerse themselves in this incredible culture throughout these different countries that are here in Europe,” he said during an onboard press briefing. “And the ability, obviously, now that we have more than just one or two of them, to be able to bring an Icon Class (vessel) here generates a tremendous amount of interest and demand and allows us to live our mission.”
Legend is the third vessel in the class, following Icon of the Seas’ launch in 2024 and Star of the Seas’ debut last year. While Royal Caribbean is based in Miami, the ship itself hails from Europe, constructed by Meyer Turku in Finland.
What’s it like to sail on a big ship in Europe?
AAA spokesperson Matthew Cox told USA TODAY that a key difference between visiting Europe on different-sized ships is in the regions they visit. Smaller ships tend to offer more immersive itineraries and can reach destinations larger vessels cannot.
“So, a 2,000 to 3,000-passenger vessel is going to visit places like Norway; they'll do Scotland and Ireland, and places like that,” he said. “A large ship that holds 5,000 and more is still going to focus on the Mediterranean, you know, the coast of Spain, France, Italy.”
The ports may not always be able to accommodate them equally either. During my visit to La Spezia, passengers sailing on Legend – which can carry just over 5,600 guests at double occupancy – had to take tender boats to and from shore while another ship, Princess Cruises’ 4,300-guest Sun Princess, was docked at the pier.
Royal Caribbean told USA TODAY that La Spezia “is one of several destinations where local port conditions determine how guests come ashore.”
“Due to current water-depth limitations, Legend of the Seas uses tender operations, a standard and well-established practice that enables guests to enjoy the destination safely and comfortably,” the cruise line said in an email. My tender rides to shore only took about 10 minutes each way, and the shuttle buses for excursions were located a short walk from where they dropped us off.
The port wasn't crowded that morning, either, and getting where I needed to go felt easy. Travelers should note that accessibility at tender ports for guests with mobility limitations can vary, and guests can contact their cruise line to discuss their needs and potential accommodations.
"In order to safely board most tenders, guests must be able to take steps and use a collapsible manual wheelchair. In addition, motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters can not be taken on tenders, unless roll-on capability is available," Royal Caribbean said on its website. "Inquire about tender roll-on capability at Guest Relations Desk while on board."
Cox said mega-ships offer an “introductory level” experience ideal for first-time visitors to Europe. “They’re these beautiful, grandiose ships that have the destination within itself, but also touch upon many cities in those regions, have great on-land excursions to help you experience the cultures and bring that back on board,” he said.
They’re also particularly well-suited for families. Legend has an entire area – one of eight onboard “neighborhoods” – designed with young children in mind, along with the adults-only Hideaway overlooking the water from the ship’s aft or the Swim & Tonic swim-up bar.
“With the ship being part of the destination, people who want to stay on board and experience more of that in select cities can, while other parts of the family are going to be able to get off, they can go into the city and everyone comes back at the end and shares their story over dinner,” Cox said.
As some communities have pushed back on overcrowding and implemented new limits on ships, he also said Legend’s myriad amenities could help alleviate the problem by enticing some guests to stay behind.
“We’re committed to delivering vacations responsibly for our guests in partnership with the ports and local communities we visit and operate in,” Royal Caribbean added in the email. “We intentionally partner with each destination we visit to deliver experiences for every vacationer, whether on land or at sea.”
After guests visit on a mega-ship, they can always come back for a different type of trip. Cox noted that Royal Caribbean guests can apply points across its parent company's other brands such as Silversea Cruises, which may offer deeper exploration and less-visited ports.
Where in Europe does Legend of the Seas sail?
Legend is currently sailing Mediterranean cruises visiting destinations including Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca in Spain; Marseille, France; Naples and Civitavecchia in Italy and more. The ship will operate there through late October, when it will reposition to the Caribbean.
Liberty added that “not only is the ship built here, but you know, we source millions of guests a year out of these marketplaces, and so why not provide them the latest and greatest?”
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What it's like to cruise Europe on Royal Caribbean's newest ship
