Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas made history on May 28, 2026, when it became the first Oasis-class vessel to successfully tender passengers ashore at La Spezia, Italy, overturning a longstanding assumption in the cruise industry that ships of that size and class were too large to do so efficiently. Harmony was in port from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. as part of a seven-night Mediterranean itinerary that departed Barcelona on May 31.
La Spezia is a key gateway port for Cinque Terre, Florence, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, making it one of the most sought-after stops on Mediterranean itineraries. The fact that an Oasis-class ship can now tender there opens new planning possibilities for the line and the port city. The successful operation is also significant because Royal Caribbean's brand-new Legend of the Seas, the third Icon-class ship and among the largest vessels in the world at 248,663 gross tons, is scheduled to make its inaugural call at La Spezia on July 2, 2026, during its preview voyage, with a return visit on July 10 with paying passengers.
The tender milestone matters for deal hunters because it signals that ports previously thought inaccessible to the industry's largest ships may be reconsidered for future deployments, potentially expanding itinerary options for passengers on Oasis- and Icon-class sailings.