Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas, described by officials as the world’s largest cruise ship, will make two port calls in Ponce as part of its inaugural itinerary, on March 31 and April 14, 2027, Puerto Rico tourism officials announced. The Icon-class vessel, set to enter service this year, can carry up to 7,000 passengers and about 2,350 crew members.
On both dates it will arrive at the Port of Ponce at 10 a.m. and depart at 6 p.m., giving passengers an eight-hour window to visit historical, cultural, culinary and natural attractions in Ponce and neighboring southern municipalities. The Puerto Rico Tourism Company estimated the two visits will generate about $1 million in economic activity for restaurants, retailers, tour operators, and small and midsize businesses in Ponce and southern Puerto Rico.
Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón said the stops reflect the tourism potential of the southern region and government efforts to expand cruise activity beyond the island’s main ports, calling the ship’s arrival "an important vote of confidence in Puerto Rico." Tourism Company Executive Director Willianette Robles-Cancel said the calls support the agency’s strategy of diversifying tourism and developing regional ports, and resulted from work with cruise-industry partners to bring activity beyond the San Juan metro area.