Mariner of the Seas will no longer sail from Southampton, England, in 2027.
Originally, the Voyager Class cruise ship was supposed to offer an impressive lineup of sailings from England. However, Royal Caribbean decided to swap the ship.
Now, Freedom of the Seas will sail from Southampton, while the updated Mariner itineraries have yet to be announced.
Royal Caribbean informed guests and travel advisors about the sudden deployment change in an email, which was shared with Royal Caribbean Blog.
"As part of our ongoing itinerary planning process - which sometimes requires flexibility due to scheduling, port agreements, or operational needs, Mariner of the Seas will be redeployed for our Summer 2027 season. As a result, your clients' sailing has been redeployed," it begins.
"We know how much effort goes into planning their vacation and apologize for the inconvenience. We've put together some alternative options that we hope will work for your clients and those in their party."
Passengers who were looking forward to their European adventure on Mariner of the Seas have three options:
- Automatically move to a new sailing onboard Freedom of the Seas departing on the same day as their original reservation
- Re-book any other Royal Caribbean International sailing
- Receive a full refund of any paid portion of the cruise fare
Guests don't have to take any action if they decide to stick with the same sail date aboard Freedom of the Seas. Royal Caribbean will automatically move them to a like-for-like stateroom, and the original stateroom category price will be protected. If the booking was already paid in full, the company will refund any price difference between the two sailings.
Additionally, Royal Caribbean will waive non-refundable deposit change fees for those who want to re-book another cruise. Guests, however, are responsible for the difference between the cruise fare and taxes, fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise fare items (such as shore excursions, specialty dining reservations, drink packages, and Wi-Fi).
Finally, if there's no good replacement option, impacted guests can request a full refund of any paid portion of the cruise fare, along with non-refundable deposits and prepaid amenities. The email adds that all airfare booked through Royal Caribbean's Air2Sea program will also be automatically refunded.
If a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) was used to pay for the sailing aboard Mariner of the Seas, Royal Caribbean will refund any new funds paid above the FCC's amount and reinstate the original certificate.
Passengers have until April 14, 2026, to let Royal Caribbean know of their decision. However, those who wish to remain on the same sailing date aboard Freedom do not need to take any action; the switch will automatically happen.
"Thank you for your understanding and support. We hope your clients find another cruise with us. Whether they are celebrating a special occasion or looking to explore, relax, and recharge - we have no doubt their time with us will be nothing short of amazing," the email concludes.
Last month, Royal Caribbean canceled over 20 cruises on the Freedom of the Seas cruise ship from Florida
In March, Royal Caribbean canceled the entirety of Freedom's 2027 summer schedule from Miami, impacting sailings from 5-night cruises to the Dominican Republic and Perfect Day at CocoCay to 4-night Bahamian getaways, as well as 9-night itineraries that include stops in Aruba and Curaçao.
At the time, the cruise line did not provide a specific reason for the cancellations beyond citing the line's "ongoing itinerary planning process."
A few weeks later, they revealed plans to redeploy the 3,926-passenger Freedom of the Seas to Europe, as reported by Cruise Critic.
"The UK & Ireland is an incredibly important market for Royal Caribbean, and as a result, we’re excited to announce that we'll be upsizing our Southampton deployment in 2027 with Freedom of the Seas, following our long-standing success here with this class of ship," said Aaron Langford, Senior Sales Director UK & Ireland, Royal Caribbean.
"Freedom Class has consistently resonated strongly with British and Irish guests, and following a recent amplification, Freedom of the Seas offers a fantastic mix of scale, innovation, and guest-favourite features that deliver the ultimate family holiday," he added.
It's not really a huge surprise that Royal Caribbean decided to send one of its most popular ships to Southampton, especially with demand for Northern European cruises, particularly to destinations like Norway, Denmark, and the United Kingdom, at an all-time high.
Freedom of the Seas measures 156,271 gross tons, is 1,111 feet long, and can accommodate 3,926 passengers at double occupancy, making her a desirable mid-sized cruise ship that offers a solid balance of amenities at a reasonable price point.
Onboard, guests will find everything from a Caribbean-themed pool deck to a kid-friendly Splashaway Bay aqua zone, Perfect Storm water slides, FlowRider surf simulator, Lime and Coconut Bar, Social 003 teen hangout, a non-smoking casino, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, and Izumi Hibachi.
Still, passengers are upset with the abrupt change
Those who had already invested time and money into planning a European cruise on Mariner of the Seas feel cheated, especially since the new Freedom itineraries do not match what they originally booked.
"[M]y transatlantic [cruise] is MUCH less interesting now. 12 nights instead of 17, ending in Miami instead of NOLA. Bummer. We had La Coruna, Vigo, Lisbon, Madeira, Nassau, and New Orleans. I even got a decent Royal Beach Club price. Now it's just La Coruna, Vigo, and Ponta Delgada," KristiZ shared on the Royal Caribbean Blog Discussion Forum.
Mel added, "Our June itinerary is changed also. No Porto and no Mariner."
"Honestly, this kind of last-minute redeployment is pretty frustrating. I specifically chose Mariner of the Seas because I wanted to try something different, especially since I’ve already sailed on Freedom of the Seas before. Even though the replacement itinerary still looks solid, the overall experience won’t feel the same," senpaistream said.
"The lack of clarity about where Mariner is going also makes it more confusing, since it feels like we’re missing part of the picture... At this point, I’m still undecided—leaning toward rebooking just to get a new ship experience."
