Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas squeezes under Danish bridge and begins inaugural Mediterranean cruise

Royal Caribbean’s third Icon‑class vessel, Legend of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, cleared Denmark’s Great Belt Bridge with only about 12 inches (30 cm) of clearance. The transit was achieved by taking on ballast water, retracting its funnels and carefully controlling speed, allowing the 364‑metre, 250,800‑GT ship to pass under the bridge that normally has a 213‑ft navigational clearance.

The ship then embarked on its inaugural sail from Málaga, marked by a fireworks display. The cruise showcases the ship’s extensive amenities: 20 decks, 2,805 cabins and suites, 28 dining venues, a Category 6 waterpark, a Central Park area with 30,000 plants, multiple pools, and high‑tech entertainment options. Royal Caribbean’s CEOs highlighted a shift from merely building larger vessels to creating a complete vacation ecosystem, announcing a future Discovery‑class line slated for 2029 and 2032, and underscoring Europe’s strategic importance with Barcelona and Civitavecia as key ports.

The launch signals confidence in the recovery of the cruise sector after pandemic‑related disruptions and demonstrates the operational challenges of deploying ultra‑large ships in existing maritime infrastructure.