Royal Caribbean is giving its newest ship a cultural heartbeat.
The vacation brand has announced the latest group of artists selected for its Artist Discovery Program, and their work will be featured aboard Legend of the Seas, the newest Icon Class vacation debuting in July 2026 in Europe. This fresh cohort includes six artists from the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, each chosen to create original, destination-inspired artwork for high-profile spaces across the ship.
The result will be more than décor. It will be a floating gallery at sea, filled with color, memory, texture, and stories from the places Royal Caribbean visits.
Since debuting on Icon of the Seas, the Artist Discovery Program has helped connect local artists with a global audience. Now, Royal Caribbean is expanding the program beyond the Caribbean to include voices from Mexico and Central America. The program also reaches shore-side experiences, including Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau, The Bahamas, where 11 Bahamian artists will be featured across 25 locations.
Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean’s chief product innovation officer, said the program helps connect guests with the places they visit while giving emerging artists a worldwide stage. For Legend of the Seas, the brand received 250 applications from artists across the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. Six artists were selected and awarded grants to bring their concepts to life.
Their work will appear in six visible areas onboard, including the embarkation and welcome area, the Royal Promenade, the Suite Sundeck, the Suite Sundeck Lobby, the Royal Promenade entrance on deck six, and the guest boarding area on deck two.
The featured artists include Giovanni Abath of Curaçao, who will create a large-scale mural and stainless-steel sculpture for the Royal Promenade entrance. His work blends industrial materials with Caribbean landscapes, culture, and community traditions.
Vanessa Dalla Costa of Trinidad and Tobago will bring ceramic artistry to the Suite Sundeck with a mosaic sculpture made from hand-cut and hand-painted clay. Her work explores light, texture, and transformation.
Porschia Denning of the U.S. Virgin Islands will create a custom mural for the Suite Sundeck Lobby. Her paintings and sculptures are inspired by nature, island rhythm, and the beauty of slowing down.
Rafeal Vega Feliciano of Puerto Rico will design an expressive mural for the boarding area on deck two. His work draws from ancestral symbolism and the history of pre-colonial Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
Rodrigo Macias Maldonado of Mexico will create a large-scale mural in the Royal Promenade, exploring geometry, resilience, and the built environment.
Alexander Lopez Ryliouk of Costa Rica will design a vibrant mural for the embarkation area, giving guests a striking first impression as they begin their vacation.
Legend of the Seas will feature eight neighborhoods filled with dining, entertainment, thrills, and family-friendly experiences. Beginning July 2026, the ship will sail 7-night Western Mediterranean itineraries from Barcelona, Spain, and Rome, Italy. In November 2026, Legend will move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean vacations, with stops including Roatan, Honduras; Willemstad, Curaçao; and Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.
For travelers, Legend of the Seas promises a vacation filled with adventure. For these artists, it offers something equally powerful: a global canvas.