Royal Caribbean has announced plans for what it intends to be its “biggest launch ever” when Legend of the Seas debuts in Europe next July. The update was shared during a showcase hosted at Fulham Pier on 24 November, which brought together 80 media and trade partners.

During the event, the line’s EMEA vice-president and managing director, Gerard Nolan, said through third-party reporting that the team was extremely excited about the upcoming launch and aimed to welcome the new Icon Class ship in a way that the company had never done before in Europe.

He added that the first sailing in July was already being prepared and that the line was working to ensure a strong showcase with as many partners on board as possible.

Nolan also highlighted that this would be the first Royal Caribbean ship to launch in Europe since 2022. He said the company saw this as a major opportunity because the ship would be the largest in the world and was expected to offer what he described as the best holiday experience.

The cruise line also announced its ongoing investment in European terminal infrastructure. Nolan said that Royal Caribbean was not only building ships and private destinations but also focusing on developing “new homes” for its fleet.

He confirmed that the company was working on sizeable projects in Barcelona, Ravenna, and Fiumicino, which would support operations for all three brands under the Royal Caribbean Group.

Ravenna and Barcelona will both feature zero-emission terminals equipped with shore power. Regarding Fiumicino, Nolan said that the project was smaller and further away on the development timeline but was aimed at reducing travel difficulty for guests. He said that while Civitavecchia remained a strong port, it was located farther from the airport than preferred for passengers flying in.

The company also revealed plans to introduce more immersive training and marketing tools for the trade, including virtual reality experiences that showcase ship spaces typically used by designers and engineers during the construction process.

Speaking from Miami, virtual design and construction director Alix Loiseau said via third-party reporting that VR technology was improving and the aim was to make virtual environments more mobile, collaborative and accessible globally.

Attendees at the Fulham Pier showcase were shown an on-screen demonstration of the virtual reality system used for Icon of the Seas and were able to try Apple Vision Pro headsets. Nolan said the company wanted to expand such content, particularly for those who had never sold cruises before, to help them better understand ship features.

Reference: travelweekly