Legend of The Seas chooses Málaga for her international
On 29th June 2026, Malaga Cruise Port welcomed one of the most important events of the Mediterranean cruise season: the first European call of Royal Caribbean’s new Legend of the Seas and the departure of her inaugural preview voyage from Málaga. The Icon Class cruise ship arrived at the Port of Málaga early in the morning and berthed at Terminal A. Málaga had been selected as the setting for her international presentation and as the starting point of a special voyage to Civitavecchia, bringing together international media representatives, travel industry professionals
and invited guests.
The event placed Malaga Cruise Port at the centre of international cruise industry attention and represented a significant vote of confidence from one of the world’s leading cruise lines.
Measuring approximately 364 metres in length and close to 249,000 gross tonnes, Legend of the Seas is among the largest cruise ships ever built. Her arrival demonstrated Malaga Cruise Port’s ability to safely and efficiently accommodate the latest generation of large cruise ships, supported by infrastructure designed for complex, high-capacity operations.
The operation was handled at Malaga Cruise Port’s main cruise facilities, where the teams coordinated the embarkation of invited guests, operational services and the different activities organised throughout the day. Recent adaptations to the passenger boarding bridges have further strengthened the terminals’ capacity to serve Icon Class cruise ships, enabling safe, efficient and seamless movements between the terminal and the ship.
The programme included an institutional visit on board and the traditional commemorative plaque exchange marking Legend of the Seas’ first call in Málaga. Local authorities, representatives of the port community and members of the media had the opportunity to discover Royal Caribbean’s newest ship before her departure for Italy.
Legend of the Seas’ visit was particularly significant because Málaga was not simply another port on her itinerary. The city was chosen for her international debut and for the beginning of a landmark Mediterranean journey ahead of the launch of her regular commercial programme from Civitavecchia.
The choice reinforced Málaga and the Costa del Sol’s position as a major Mediterranean cruise destination, while highlighting the close cooperation between Royal Caribbean, the Port of Málaga, Malaga Cruise Port and the Destination.
For Malaga Cruise Port, the call represented much more than the arrival of an extraordinary new cruise ship. It confirmed the port’s readiness to support the industry’s most ambitious vessels and operations, combining modern infrastructure, operational precision and a destination located only a few minutes from the historic city centre.
When the newest generation of cruising arrived in Europe, Málaga was ready to welcome her.
