Lorraine Williamson
Royal Caribbean’s new Legend of the Seas has begun its maiden voyage from Málaga, giving the Costa del Sol a starring role in the launch of one of the largest and most advanced cruise ships in the world.
The ship departed the Port of Málaga on Monday night, June 29, bound for Rome’s port of Civitavecchia, after a day of institutional events, public attention and a fireworks display over the bay. Málaga Cruise Port said the ship was scheduled to set sail from the city on an exclusive voyage ahead of its official European debut on July 4.
Málaga chosen for first voyage
The Legend of the Seas arrived at Cruise Terminal A in the early hours of Monday before its evening departure. Local and port authorities marked the occasion with a commemorative plaque presentation to the ship’s captain, while technical adjustments were made at the terminal to allow safe and efficient boarding for a vessel of this size.
The four-night inaugural sailing is due to take the ship from Málaga to Civitavecchia, with a technical stop in Tarragona, a call at La Spezia in Italy and a day at sea. During the summer, Royal Caribbean says Legend of the Seas will sail Mediterranean itineraries from Barcelona and Rome before moving to the Caribbean later in the year.
Málaga Cruise Port described the launch as another milestone for the city’s cruise tourism sector, noting that Royal Caribbean has previously chosen Málaga for high-profile events involving ships such as Oasis of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas and Spectrum of the Seas.
One of the biggest ships at sea
Several Spanish reports have described Legend of the Seas as the world’s largest cruise ship. The most precise wording is that it is one of the largest cruise ships afloat and part of Royal Caribbean’s Icon class, alongside Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas. SUR in English notes that it holds the record for size among ships sailing the world’s oceans, except for those two sister ships.
The figures underline the scale. The ship is around 365 metres long and 66 metres wide, with a gross tonnage of almost 249,000 tonnes. It has 20 decks, 2,805 cabins and a crew of around 2,350 people.
Málaga Hoy reported a capacity for up to 7,600 passengers. The ship’s scale also required adjustments to the cruise terminal’s mobile boarding bridges so passengers could embark directly and safely.
A floating resort on 20 decks
Legend of the Seas has been designed less like a traditional cruise ship and more like a floating holiday resort. Royal Caribbean promotes it as a family-focused ship with the largest waterpark at sea, seven pools and 28 dining options.
On board, the ship includes water slides, a surf simulator, an infinity pool, a zip line above the sea, an ice rink, mini-golf, climbing areas, sports courts, entertainment venues and a large open-air garden with tens of thousands of plants.
The ship also features Royal Caribbean’s AquaDome, a glass-domed entertainment and viewing space at the front of the vessel, and multiple themed neighbourhoods designed to spread passengers across different areas rather than concentrate them in one central zone.
Summer season in the Mediterranean
Royal Caribbean says Legend of the Seas begins in the Mediterranean in July 2026 before moving to Fort Lauderdale in November for Caribbean itineraries. Its summer programme includes Mediterranean sailings from Barcelona and Rome, visiting destinations across Spain, France and Italy.
For Spain, the launch adds visibility to Málaga and Barcelona at a time when cruise tourism remains both economically important and publicly debated. Ports highlight visitor spending, international promotion and connectivity, while some cities continue to discuss crowding, emissions and the pressure large cruise calls can place on historic centres.
Málaga’s port authorities have framed the visit as proof that the city is consolidating its place among the leading cruise destinations in the western Mediterranean. The choice of Málaga for the ship’s first sailing also reflects the city’s growing role as more than a simple port of call, with the ability to host major cruise launches and large-scale passenger operations.
Another chance to see the ship
Legend of the Seas is also listed by Royal Caribbean for a later Spanish transatlantic sailing from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale, with calls at Palma de Mallorca, Málaga and Cádiz before crossing the Atlantic.
For now, the image of the ship leaving Málaga under fireworks has given the city one of the most striking cruise moments of the summer. Whether seen as a spectacle, a tourism boost or a sign of the ever-growing scale of the cruise industry, the maiden voyage has placed Málaga firmly on the international cruise map again.