Many locals seem to have doubts about the need for more cruise ships in the city, but the growth of these sea monsters does not stop, and now a ship that really deserves such an appellation is about to set sail in Barcelona: the Legend of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world.
The ship is, as I said, a beast. 365 meters (3 blocks of the Eixample, bigger than the Camp Nou, as long as the Parc de la Ciutadella…) and can accommodate up to 7,600 passengers in its 2,814 cabins.
Currently under construction at the Finnish shipyard in Turku, the Legend of The Seas will have 20 decks, swimming pools, water slides, water parks, theaters and a gastronomic offer spread over eight themed areas, the ship will function as a real floating city. The crew will also be able to accommodate up to 3,000 people.
When can the world’s largest ship be seen in Barcelona?
The ship will set sail for the first time in Barcelona on August 30, 2026, on a Mediterranean cruise that will make stops in Palma, Marseille, La Spezia, Rome (Civitavecchia) and Naples.
Royal Caribbean has already put tickets on sale for its maiden voyage with prices starting at €1,410 per person.
After this first voyage, the company plans to move the Legend of the Seas to the Caribbean, where it will sail itineraries from Florida with stops in destinations such as Aruba, Jamaica and Curaçao.
The arrival of this ship reactivates the debate on cruise tourism in the city, one of the most polluting and most impactful in the city center. With the arrival of the world’s largest cruise ship in Barcelona, the people of Barcelona are once again asking themselves, is it necessary?