NIT Naval Interior Team has successfully delivered its latest projects on the Legend of the Seas in May 2026, and the shipyard officially handed over the vessel to Royal Caribbean on June 10th. NIT delivered two very different project areas, completing both on time and according to customer’s specifications.
Managing Director Ilkka Hiekkanen expressed great satisfaction with NIT’s delivery and the seamless collaboration between the shipyard and the shipowner: “Compared to earlier Icon series ships, we were able to enhance our own work processes even further. It’s hard to get much better than this.” He highlighted that the customer was highly satisfied with the final result and quality, and that collaboration is built on mutual trust.
Legend’s crew areas
Crew areas (ca. 10 000 m²) include offices, boarding and luggage zones, crew breakrooms and various facilities, and service corridors. NIT remained on schedule for the final inspections that started in January, ensuring all areas were inspected before the sea trials, closing the project on time.
Crew areas are by far the most technically demanding zones on the ship. “If the engine rooms are the heart of the ship, crew staircases and corridors are the veins,” Hiekkanen explained. “Success in these areas is critical for the entire vessel, as all the technical infrastructure is distributed through these. Without our flawless completion, no other area would succeed.”
Project Manager Emil Granberg is certain the success was driven by experienced teams. “NIT site team and our subcontractors were extremely committed to the project, which allowed us to stay on schedule and within budget.” He also appreciated the cooperation with both the shipyard and the owner: “Our cooperation has developed to an even deeper level, with constructive feedback being actively embraced by both sides.” NIT looks forward to continuing the good work together moving to the new alliance contract model for crew areas on Icon 5.
The Royal Promenade
The Promenade area (ca. 7 000 m²) is packed with brilliance, glamour, and the ultimate “wow” factor. It features multiple restaurants, cafes, bars, and shopping areas, showcasing fresh variations in colours and styles compared to previous ships. It also introduces major thematic updates, including a completely new concept for this ship series: Dining Train.
Final inspections on the Promenade were carried out all the way from December until the very end of the project in May. Even with a completely new and intricate area, Legend Station (Dining Train), the team successfully maintained the schedule and delivered all spaces flawlessly.
Teemu Veikkolainen, Project Manager of public areas, also emphasized the power of teamwork: “Our team has continued to grow together, and we have a well-functioning group with a great team spirit.” In addition, he noted the importance of a good network of partners and close alignment with subcontractors. “The cooperation is on a very high level and the success of our projects would not be possible without them.“
Building a series of ships enables developing the collaboration to the highest level with supplier teams as well as with customers. “Mutual trust runs very deep, further evolving with each successful project together. The feedback from both the shipyard and the owner has been incredibly positive and encouraging,“ Veikkolainen added.
The secret to success?
It can be seen that creating these legendary vessels relies on smooth collaboration. Is this the secret to NIT success? Everything starts with good team work, but our teams also bring up a couple of more factors.
“Our competitive advantage lies in our ability to deliver massive areas, with such complex interior design and under tight schedules. And of course, we have the best teams building the greatest spaces,“ stated Hiekkanen.
From the crew project team, the message is clear: “NIT’s super power is our ability to adapt to any situation, resolving all surprises and unexpected events that emerge,“ Granberg said. “Most importantly, it’s the ability to work under extreme pressure while still brining humour to our daily work and keeping up the good team spirit.”
Managing the complex Promenade area is always a tough challenge, but the teams continue to succeed. “Even with two sister vessels already delivered, an area like the Promenade is never easy, especially with all the design adjustments and tight schedules. But our strength as a team is our ability to find a way to make even the biggest challenges and surprises look plausible,” Veikkolainen shared. “We find excitement in challenges and execute them with a smile on our faces.”
NIT Naval Interior Team continues working at Turku Shipyard with the Hero of the Seas, and the upcoming fifth vessel of the series. The Legend of the Seas will start sailing 4th of July in the Mediterranean Sea, before heading toward the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea for the winter season. She stands as one of the largest cruise vessels in the world, with gross tonnage of 248,663, a length of 365 meters and a width of 65 meters.
Photo: Legend Station entrance, credit: Royal Caribbean International
