While fielding press questions aboard Legend of the Seas during its inaugural European season, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty described Europe as an "incredibly important" source market, and International President Michael Bayley went a step further. Bayley said Legend is "selling at great rates" and that the line's plan is to put more of its newest hardware into the European market, adding "fingers crossed" for a return in 2028.
Legend, the third Icon Class ship, opened revenue service on July 4 sailing seven-night Western Mediterranean round-trips from Civitavecchia and Barcelona. It is the first Icon Class vessel to open its debut season in Europe rather than the Caribbean. Royal Caribbean's EMEA chief Gerard Nolan told media on board that having Legend in the Mediterranean had lifted interest across the entire cruise sector in the region.
Bayley also noted that new-to-cruise guests who sail any of the three Royal Caribbean Group brands are five times more likely to book again, a figure Liberty cited as justification for continued fleet investment in high-demand regions. If a second Icon Class deployment to Europe materialises in 2028, it would represent a significant expansion of the line's European footprint beyond the six ships currently deployed there each summer.