Legend Of The Seas: My First Look At Europe’s First Icon Class Ship

The Pearl: Your First “Wow” Moment

As soon as you step on board you are greeted by The Pearl: a striking spherical structure that spans decks 5 to 8. It lights up and changes colour throughout the day and is a real focal point of the Royal Promenade.

Tucked just off The Pearl is Pearl Café, open 24/7 and perfect for light bites and coffee on the go. I loved their grab-and-go options: hummus pots, cookies, cakes and sandwiches. Add in familiar favourites like pizza slices from Sorrento’s and endless soft-serve ice cream and you are never far from a snack.

Dining Highlights: From Bowls To Crêpes

Legend Of The Seas has all the Royal Caribbean staples, but what really stood out were the more unique dining spots.

My absolute favourite was AquaDome Market. This food-hall style venue has different stalls including:

• Seoulmate for Korean rice bowls
• La Española for Spanish tapas
• Adobo for Mexican tacos
• Crème de la Crêpe for fresh crêpes as a sweet treat

For an extra charge you can also pick up a freshly pressed juice from Simply Pressed, which became my go-to after a morning stretch on deck.

AquaDome Market sits close to The Overlook Bar in the AquaDome neighbourhood, which quickly became one of my favourite places on the ship. It is right at the front, often lovely and quiet, with floor-to-ceiling windows, incredible ocean views and super comfy pods that are perfect for curling up with a drink and just watching the sea.

My Cabin: Spacious Infinite Ocean View Balcony

I stayed on Deck 10 in a Spacious Infinite Ocean View Balcony Stateroom. The cabin felt very modern, with plenty of storage and more than enough plug and USB points.

The infinite balcony was beautiful and really opened up the space, giving it a lovely indoor–outdoor feel. It was great to experience, but it does come with a couple of trade-offs:

• If one person wakes early, you cannot just quietly slip out onto a traditional balcony. To use the infinite balcony you need to raise the blackout blind and fully open the window, which lights up the whole room.
• As soon as you open the balcony window, the air conditioning switches off. The cabin warms up quite quickly, so you do not get that instant “ahh, cool room” feeling when you come back inside.

Personally, I am a bit torn. I loved the extra space and the open feel, but I did miss the old-style balcony where you can sneak out with a coffee (or a cheeky glass of wine) while everyone else is still asleep.

The good news is that this ship has a huge range of accommodation, so it is easy to find something that works for different travellers: insides, ocean views, traditional balconies, suites and more.

Standout Suites & Family Spaces

While on board I was able to tour lots of different cabin types, including:

• Surfside Family Suites: Perfect for families with younger children, right in the heart of the fun, family-focused Surfside neighbourhood.
• The Ultimate Family Townhouse: This is hands down the most impressive accommodation I have ever seen at sea. It is huge and designed for the ultimate family holiday, with an in-suite slide, wraparound terrace with hot tub, direct access to Surfside from your own patio, a full dining room and kitchen and even a cinema space with a big daybed. It sleeps up to 8 and is certainly a splurge, but it really does deliver a “wow” experience.

I also fell in love with the Central Park Balcony cabins as an alternative to an ocean balcony. Central Park is an open-air garden area, peaceful and green with over 30,000 real plants and some fantastic dining options.

One of my favourite included spots here was Park Café. It is a lovely, quiet place for a lighter breakfast with fresh bagels, breakfast sandwiches, yoghurts and pastries, and at lunchtime they do great made-to-order salads.

Neighbourhoods: Something For Everyone

Legend Of The Seas is divided into different “neighbourhoods”, which is Royal Caribbean’s way of describing the various themed areas around the ship. It really does mean there is something for everyone:

• Central Park: Calm and leafy, perfect for a quieter drink or bite to eat among the greenery.
• AquaDome: Home to AquaDome Market, The Overlook and those incredible high-diving shows. It feels modern, airy and very special.
• Chill Island: Mostly pools, hot tubs and relaxed spaces. Ideal for traditional sunbathing-and-swimming days.
• Thrill Island: The fun, high-energy area with the huge Category 6 waterpark, rock climbing and mini golf. Definitely the place for adrenaline and laughs.
• Surfside: The dedicated family zone, especially for those with younger children. There is a splash park, carousel, play areas, a sweet shop, arcade and lots of family-friendly dining. I particularly liked Surfside Diner, with its cute children’s plates with divided sections.
• The Hideaway: Adults only, with an infinity pool and an Ibiza beach club vibe. Expect a DJ, a great bar and plenty of comfy sunbeds.
• Royal Promenade: The lively heart of the ship, full of bars, shops and entertainment spaces. There is karaoke, live bands, the Royal Parade and my favourite bar on board, Duelling Pianos, which had brilliant live music and a great atmosphere.
• Suite Neighbourhood: A dedicated area for suite guests with its own spaces and Coastal Kitchen as the exclusive dining venue.

Entertainment That Really Raises The Bar

The entertainment on Legend Of The Seas honestly blew me away. I have never seen shows like this at sea:

• Charlie & The Chocolate Factory in the main theatre: a full-scale production with brilliant staging and music.
• Fusion on the ice rink: a high-energy ice show that makes full use of the space and technology.
• Shockwave in the AquaDome: this was simply the best show I have ever seen at sea. It features Olympic-level high divers launching themselves from towering platforms, combined with lights, music and special effects. I sat there open-mouthed for most of it.




Final Thoughts: Quite Simply Legendary

Legend Of The Seas has it all: spaces to chill, spaces to thrill, and spaces that will genuinely wow you. From quiet corners with sea views to huge family suites, from Korean rice bowls to fresh crêpes, from splash parks to world-class shows, it really does feel like a ship designed to offer “something for everyone”.



There is so much included in the price and so many different ways to tailor the experience to how you like to holiday. I could go on and on about the features on board, but the name really does say it all.

Legend Of The Seas is, quite simply, legendary.