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 nicely 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 big and revolutionary glass dome that’s positioned 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 rigorously (and efficiently) lifted it into place.
“The AquaDome is a single-piece glass and metal construction positioned on the bow of the ship, providing huge 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 a press release.
The shipyard continued: “Lifting and putting in a construction of this dimension 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 will likely be proper again to work to verify 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 great distance since her metal slicing 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 ultimately passing her sea trials.
As soon as she floats out, crews will probably flip to perfecting the inside of the cruise ship in a moist dock and finishing vital duties like putting in and adorning the two,805 staterooms.
How Large is the AquaDome?
With Legend of the Seas anticipated to affix her two older sisters as the biggest cruise ships on the earth, 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 rigorously constructed out with 673 glass panels and 712 aluminum panels.
Now that the dome itself is accomplished, the ultimate measurements are available at an awe-inspiring 82 ft tall and 164 ft tall. It weighs a staggering 367 tons.
Learn Additionally: Icon of the Seas AquaDome: Design, Options and Details
Now that the AquaDome is hooked up to the mega-ship, crews can begin ending the inside of the “neighborhood,” which is able to supply 220-degree ocean views, a 55-foot-tall waterfall, and be a hub for nightlife.
It’ll even be residence to the AquaTheater, the place friends can take pleasure in adrenalin-inducing stunt exhibits, and several other bars, lounges, and eating places.
Whereas many particulars concerning the new-build haven’t been launched but, she is anticipated to proceed to enhance upon her older sisters with additional tweaks and upgrades – which is able to probably apply to the AquaDome’s choices as nicely.
After an preliminary season in Europe, Royal Caribbean’s subsequent addition will likely be based mostly out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, providing 6-night Western Caribbean itineraries and 8-night Southern Caribbean itineraries year-round.
I, for one, will likely be very wanting to pay her a go to and see all the pieces she has to supply in individual as soon as she is nearer to me within the US.
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