Royal Caribbean is going to offer a one-of-a-kind cruise it never usually has.

Typical Royal Caribbean cruises are on right around 7-nights, with longer sailings getting up to two weeks.

However, the cruise line is going to step out of its usual assortment of cruises with an epic, 25-night repositioning cruise aboard Quantum of the Seas.

Sailing from Los Angeles to Brisbane, this isn't your typical cruise. Royal Caribbean sees it as a bucket-list adventure as it combines coastlines, tropical islands, and two continents.

Quantum of the Seas will depart Los Angeles and then visit Catalina Island, California, before making their way to Hawaii. Even better? The itinerary includes an overnight stop in Oahu (Honolulu). 

From there, Quantum will continue its journey across the Pacific Ocean, calling at Raiatea, French Polynesia; Papeete, Tahiti; and Moorea, French Polynesia before finally arriving at her new home — Brisbane. 

This is all part of Australia's new 2026-2027 deployment  that was released today.

Two Quantum Class ships — Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas — sail from Australia, offering guests the opportunity to explore stunning destinations while experiencing the familiar Royal Caribbean standard of service and innovation. 

Itineraries will depart from Sydney and Brisbane, Australia, and sail to Australia, New Zealand, and the sun-soaked South Pacific islands.

Quantum will sail from Brisbane, while Anthem's seasonal homeport will be Sydney

Quantum Class ships aren't new to the South Pacific. As such, it's not a surprise that Royal Caribbean is doubling down with two of its most popular vessels for the 2026-2027 season. 

These ships are some of the most innovative at sea, offering skydiving simulators, robot bars, multi-purpose indoor spaces, enclosed observation capsules, and more. 

While the ships themselves are destinations, they're even more special when combined with a bucket-list-worthy itinerary. 

Read more: I tried my first Australia cruise: here are 7 things that surprised me

Another noteworthy itinerary is Anthem of the Seas' 18-night cruise from Oahu (Honolulu) to Sydney. Many of the ports are the same as Quantum's lengthier Transpacific cruise, making it an appealing option for those who may not have nearly a month to spare on a cruise. 

Prices for Quantum's Transpacific journey start at a staggering $2,292 per person. However, this breaks down to less than $90 per night when sailing in a windowless interior stateroom. Comparatively, Anthem's 18-night cruise starts at $1,896 per person, or roughly $105 per night. 

Of course, those looking to cruise to Australia and beyond will be more interested in the coastal and island-focused sailings from Sydney and Brisbane. 

Sample itineraries include:

• 11-night New Zealand cruise on Anthem of the Seas: Departs Feb. 1, 2027
• 9-night South Pacific cruise on Anthem of the Seas: Multiple departures
• 8-night South Pacific cruise on Quantum of the Seas: Multiple departures
• 8-night Queensland cruise on Anthem of the Seas: Departs Jan 24, 2027
• 4-night Airlie Beach cruise on Quantum of the Seas: Multiple departures 

The new Australia cruises are open for booking now 

Royal Caribbean's 2026-2027 Australia deployment is open for booking. You can either book directly through the cruise line's website or contact your travel agent for assistance. 

Waiting on one more deployment

Royal Caribbean is set to release its October 2026 - March 2027 sailings from Singapore sometime the week of May 12, 2025. 

This is the last deployment for the 2026 - 2027 schedule. 

Royal Caribbean is ready to resume opening up new cruises to book in 2026-2027 in just a few days.

Cruisers can book new California sailings earlier thanks to Royal Caribbean's latest deployment schedule change. 

Royal Caribbean's deployment schedule refers to when the cruise line will open new sailings for booking. Each release is tied to a specific region, such as Short Caribbean, Europe, and California. 

California cruises from April 2026 to April 2027 will be announced during the week of February 10. However, the launch of new European cruises has been delayed to sometime during the week of February 17.

Last week, Royal Caribbean offered a preview of what's to come, including Serenade of the Seas departing from San Diego. Based on these test load sailings, here's what we can likely expect.  Keep in mind the exact line-up might differ, but this is our best guess.

The test load itinerary departs from San Diego on March 28, 2027, and stops in La Paz, Cabo San Lucas, and Ensenada, Mexico. 

Other sailings expected to debut include Voyager of the Seas, which will replace Navigator of the Seas. The Ports America Los Angeles website schedule shows Voyager arriving in California on October 5, 2026, with Navigator disappearing from the schedule in November. 

A test load itinerary revealed that Voyager of the Seas will offer an 8-night cruise from Los Angeles on November 5, 2026, with an overnight stay in Cabo. 

The California deployment will also unveil Royal Caribbean's plans for Quantum and Ovation of the Seas, both of which will debut in California in 2025.

The Quantum Class ships are larger than Navigator and Voyager of the Seas. Plus, they offer more modern amenities, including the North Star observation capsule, a skydiving simulator, and an enclosed SeaPlex, which features activities like bumper cars and roller skating.

Like with Voyager, the Ports America Los Angeles schedule shows Oviation on the manifest through December 2026. 

However, effective October 2026, it's hinted that Royal Caribbean will relocate Quantum of the Seas, leaving Ovation as the sole Quantum Class ship offering cruises from California. 

Royal Caribbean returned to Los Angeles after a decade-long break

The company's re-entry into the California market was successful. Executives confirmed that Navigator of the Seas' cruises have performed "exceptionally well." 

As such, Royal Caribbean is strengthening its presence on the West Coast by adding another departure port in California and introducing new ships sailing from Los Angeles.

The latest deployment changes

Royal Caribbean revised its deployment schedule at the end of January, placing new Australia cruises on hold. They eventually updated the schedule to give Australia cruises a new date. Now, they'll be released during the week of June 2. 

Another change affected the Seasonal Caribbean cruises, which were delayed from the week of February 24 to March 3. They were initially slated to launch around Feb. 17.

The newest update swapped Europe 2.0 and California cruises. 

What about Icon 3?

There hasn't been any published news about the third Icon Class ship, which is set to debut in 2026. 

However, Royal Caribbean typically doesn't include new ships as part of its regular deployment schedule. Instead, they usually have their own release. 

So, don't bank on the unnamed ship's release being part of the Europe 2.0, Short Caribbean, or Seasonal Caribbean launches. 

Royal Caribbean will likely release the ship's name and homeport, along with a special date exclusive to the new ship's bookings, separately.

Royal Caribbean has pushed back once again its plans to release new cruises in 2026-2027.

Just two weeks after revising its deployment schedule, the cruise line has done so again and even delayed one deployment until further notice.

The most recent change affects three specific releases: short Caribbean, seasonal Caribbean, and Australia.

Royal Caribbean's deployment schedule is a plan for when it will put new sailings on sale for the first time, with each release tied to a specific region that will take place in 2026 or 2027.

Some new 2026-2027 sailings were announced already in November and December, but there's been a break for Christmas and New Years.

Here's what's changed and what you can expect.

The revised deployment schedule

The new deployment schedule has changes to three regions, with one now paused until a new date can be found.

• Week of February 3, 2025: Singapore
• Week of February 10, 2025: Europe 2.0
• Week of February 17, 2025: West Coast
• Week of February 24, 2025: Short Caribbean
• Week of March 3, 2025: Seasonal Caribbean
• Week of March 10, 2025: China
• TBD: Australia

Revised schedule

First revision

What's changed is short Caribbean has been pushed back to February 24,  and seasonal Caribbean has been pushed back to March 3. 

In addition, Australia has been placed in "TBD" until a new release window can be identified.

Plans to release new Europe, West Coast, China, and Singapore cruises remain unchanged.

Previously released 2026-2027 cruises

Royal Caribbean has released some of its 2026-2027 cruises in fall 2024, and they're available to book immediately.

• Alaska 2026
• Europe 2026
• Summer & Yearlong Caribbean 2026-2027
• Northeast 2026-2027

Expect more changes

As we've seen twice so far, the deployment schedule could be altered again. In fact, it will given the pause on Australia releases.

The release of new sailings is part of the cruise line's annual tradition of systematically putting new cruises on sale in the fall and spring.

It's also important to note that when the schedule says a release will occur during "the week of" a certain date, it could be any day that week and is rarely actually on the exact date.

As an example, when Europe 2.0 comes out during the week of February 10, 2025, it almost certainly will not be available on February 10. Rather, it will be posted at some point during that week.

Usually new sailings start appearing on the website around midnight GMT, and usually fill out the schedule by the next morning.

Icon 3 announcement is still forthcoming

Something else probably not included in this latest revision to the deployment schedule is when we can start booking cruises on Royal Caribbean's third Icon Class cruise ship.

We know Icon 3 will start sailing sometime in 2026, but the cruise line has not revealed where in the world the new ship will sail, or any other details about it.

The reason why I believe Icon 3 is not part of this updated deployment schedule is because Royal Caribbean usually puts sailings on a new ship out for sale on its own. It's kind of like its own launch event.

It's likely where Icon 3 gets inserted has an effect on other ships. Deployments tend to have a domino effect, where one ship gets moved to a new homeport and other ships get shifted around as a result.

Make plans now before the new cruises are released

While we all wait just a little bit longer for these new sailings, you'll want to start planning to get a jump start on it.

One of the best ways to get a lower price on a cruise is to book as early as you can, and the day new cruises go on sale is the perfect time.

I recommend alerting your travel agent to your desire to book a new cruise when these deployments go live. That way, your agent can get a hold of a cabin immediately.

Of course, we don't yet know which ships will sail from which ports or when they will depart, but having a plan in place now ensures you'll get a room booked quicker when they do release.

As an example, if you want to cruise during a major holiday, there's bound to be a weeklong cruise offered that week.  So you could tell your travel agent to book a balcony cabin on whichever ship is sailing from a certain port over a given holiday.

The other really good reason to book something immediately is if you want a suite.

Suites are almost always the first category of stateroom to sell out on any sailing because they are the fewest types of rooms on any ship.

You're going to have to wait a little bit longer for new Royal Caribbean cruises to be released for 2026-2027.

The deployment schedule has been quietly updated this week and the cruise line has added new offerings, while pushing everything back.

The deployment schedule refers to when Royal Caribbean will put new sailings on sale for the first time, and each release is tied to a region of the world for sometime between 2026 and 2027.

Royal Caribbean already released some new cruises in the fall, but took a break over the winter holidays.

Here's when that the new deployment schedule looks like and what to expect.

Updated 2026-2027 deployments

According to the updated schedule that has been distributed to travel agents, there's now a new offering for Singapore that will come first, followed by others a bit delayed.

• Week of February 3, 2025: Singapore
• Week of February 10, 2025: Europe 2.0
• Week of February 17, 2025: Short Caribbean & West Coast
• Week of February 24, 2025: Seasonal Caribbean
• Week of March 10, 2025: China
• Week of March 31, 2025: Australia

Updated schedule

Original deployment schedule

What's different is Singapore is now coming up first. Previously Singapore was listed as "TBD".

"Europe 2.0" refers to a follow-up deployment to the European sailings already released for 2026 that occurred in October.

One other change is the addition of China. Like Singapore, it had a "TBD" distinction, but now is added for early March.

Short Caribbean & West Coast, Seasonal Caribbean, and Australia remain unchanged.

What's been released already for 2026-2027

In case you missed it, there have been some cruises already released and ready to book that came out in the fall.

• Alaska 2026
• Europe 2026
• Summer & Yearlong Caribbean 2026-2027
• Northeast 2026-2027

The deployment schedule could change again

Royal Caribbean systematically puts out new cruise sailings each year, and it usually occurs in the fall and spring.

But this schedule could change again if they need more time to align offerings.

Something else to be aware of is that the releases occur at some point during the week specified. It could be any day of that week and is rarely, if ever, the actual day listed.

Cruise fans will commonly mistake that and assume the new sailings come out on February 10, instead of some day that week.

Something else to be aware of is the sailings get loaded into Royal Caribbean's system slowly, so it's not uncommon to start seeing some sailings pop up on the Royal Caribbean website before others.  Or for travel agents to see new sailings in their backend system before the website.

Often new sailings start appearing on the website around midnight GMT, and usually fill out the schedule by the next morning.

What's missing

If you're thinking big picture, you would remember that in 2026 Royal Caribbean is going to launch a new cruise ship and wonder where that fits into this.

Royal Caribbean's third Icon Class cruise ship will launch sometime in 2026 and her arrival will impact where other ships are sailing from too.

We have very few details about Icon 3. We don't even know the ship's name or where it will sail from.

Formal construction of the ship began in October 2024, and you can't book cruises yet for it.

Historically, Royal Caribbean does not include new ships as part of its regular deployments.  New ships typically have their own deployment release that's independent of the others.

So that means if Icon 3 were to sail in Europe in summer 2026, I would not necessarily expect it to be part of the Europe 2.0 release in February.

What I would expect is a special announcement of Icon 3's name, homeport, and what date the public can start booking sailings.

What you should be doing now while you wait for new deployments

With just a few weeks left until Royal Caribbean releases the rest of its deployments, there are some things you could do now to prepare.

My advice is let your travel agent know what sort of sailings you're interested in and the time frame so they can jump on it when it becomes available.

We don't know which ship will sail from a particular port or dates, but you can make educated guesses and then your agent knows what you're looking for so you can book it quickly.

One of the top reasons to book a cruise as soon as they become available is to get one of the highly desirable cruise cabins that sell out quickly.

Plus, booking a cruise as early as possible is one of the best ways to save money on a cruise. 

In general, cruise prices are lowest when they are first put out and then get more expensive as cabins get booked up.

Planning on booking a cruise in 2026-2027? These stories will help:

• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?
• 7 tips for a great Mediterranean cruise
• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?

We now know when Royal Caribbean will open up the first set of new 2026-2027 bookings.

The cruise line posted the dates the public can begin booking new cruises beyond what's currently available.

As is the case once again, Royal Caribbean will releases the new sailings in two parts: in the fall and again in the spring.

The good news is the first deployments will come out a bit earlier than usual, beginning in October.

Week of October 21, 2024

• Region: Alaska
• Sailing Time Frame: April – October 2026

Week of October 28, 2024

• Region: Europe
• Sailing Time Frame: April – October 2026

Week of November 11, 2024

• Region: Summer & Yearlong Caribbean
• Sailing Time Frame: April 2026 – April 2027

Week of November 18, 2024

• Region: Northeast
• Sailing Time Frame: April 2026 – April 2027

Week of January 27, 2025

• Region: Europe Cont.
• Sailing Time Frame: TBD

Week of February 17, 2025

• Region: Short Caribbean & West Coast
• Sailing Time Frame: April 2026 – April 2027

Week of February 24, 2025

• Region: Seasonal Caribbean
• Sailing Time Frame: April 2026 – April 2027

Week of March 31, 2025

• Region: Australia
• Sailing Time Frame: October 2026 – April 2027

TBD

• Region: China & Singapore
• Sailing Time Frame: April 2026 – April 2027

All itineraries are subject to change without notice.

If you need help translating Royal Caribbean's code for each region, here's what you need to know.

• Yearlong Caribbean: Cruise ships that are deployed all year to the Caribbean. Does not include ships that visit the Caribbean part of the year
• Northeast: Cruises that begin from New York, Baltimore, or Boston
• Europe Cont: Expect the European cruises to come in two batches.  No word on which ones will be in which batch.
• Seasonal Caribbean: Cruises that go to the Caribbean (but not from a Northeast port) that sail just part of the year.

What is a deployment schedule?

The deployment schedule is the plan for when Royal Caribbean will open select sailings for sale.

There is no indication of which day in the given week the new sailings will go on sale.  It could happen any day in that week.

Guests will commonly misconstrue the new cruises to come out on the exact day, rather than at some point during the week.

When the new sailings are available, it is common for the new itineraries to be entered into the booking system first, and the website second. This means in some cases cruises are bookable earlier if booked over the phone or with a travel agent, even if they do not appear on the website.

What should you do now to be ready to book a 2026 or 2027 cruise?

If you are in the market for a cruise during one of these new deployments, you will want to keep an eye out for once cruises go on sale.

Royal Caribbean typically allows Crown and Anchor Society members a 24 hour head start on the general public, but since anyone can sign up for Crown and Anchor Society, there is no excuse for waiting.

Talk with your travel agent in the days leading up to the new deployments coming online so you can jump on specific bookings and book them.  

One of the best strategies for the lowest prices is to book a cruise as soon as it goes on sale.  Hard-to-find staterooms are also available during this period, so now is the time to lock in a studio room or a suite.

Planning on booking a cruise in 2026-2027? These stories will help:

• What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?
• 7 tips for a great Mediterranean cruise
• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?

We now know when Royal Caribbean will open up the first set of new 2025-2026 bookings.

Royal Caribbean has posted most of its new sailings and when they will go on sale.

As per usual for Royal Caribbean, they will post new sailings in the fall and again in the spring.

The deployment schedule will cover Alaska, Europe, Caribbean, and West Coast sailings.

• Week of October 30, 2023: Alaska
• Week of November 6, 2023: Europe
• Week of November 13, 2023: 7-night Caribbean (Phase 1)
• Week of December 4, 2023: 7-night Caribbean (Phase 2)
• Week of February 12, 2024: Short Caribbean, Los Angeles & Northeast 
• Week of February 19, 2024: Long Caribbean

Keep in mind the sailings could be released at any point within that week, and not necessarily on the first day of the listed week.

Australia, China, Singapore and other deployments will be forthcoming at a later date.

This is in addition to the Icon of the Seas sailings already released for 2025-2026.

All itineraries are subject to change without notice.

Rumored Star of the Seas release date

In case you're wondering when Royal Caribbean will open up new bookings for Star of the Seas, there's a rumor of when that might occur.

Star of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean's second Icon Class cruise ship.

When a new cruise ship goes on sale, it's not usually included in other deployments. Rather, it gets posted as its own deployment.

A travel agent posted on Cruise Critic's message boards that Star of the Seas will go on sale December 5, 2023. This has not been officially announced or confirmed by Royal Caribbean.

This travel agent also indicated it looks as though Star of the Seas could be homeported from Port Canaveral.

Other rumored deployments posted by the same person include:

• Wonder of the Seas will offer short Caribbean cruises, in addition to Utopia of the Seas
• Alaska's cruise season will have four ships: Grandeur of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas & Anthem of the Seas.
• Anthem of the Seas is listed as well under the "Short Caribbean and Los Angeles" deployment.

Keep in mind none of this has been officially announced by Royal Caribbean.

What is a deployment schedule?

The deployment schedule is the plan for when Royal Caribbean will open select sailings for sale.

There is no indication of which day, just the week the new itineraries will become available to book, but it could be on any day of the noted week.

Guests will commonly misconstrue the new cruises to come out on the exact day, rather than at some point during the week.

When the new sailings are available, it is common for the new itineraries to be entered into the booking system first, and the website second. This means in some cases cruises are bookable earlier if booked over the phone or with a travel agent, even if they do not appear on the website.

What can you do now before the new bookings are posted?

If you are in the market for a cruise during one of these new deployments, you will want to keep an eye out for once cruises go on sale.

Royal Caribbean typically allows Crown and Anchor Society members a 24 hour head start on the general public, but since anyone can sign up for Crown and Anchor Society, there is no excuse for waiting.

Talk with your travel agent in the days leading up to the new deployments coming online so you can jump on specific bookings and book them.  

One of the best strategies for the lowest prices is to book a cruise as soon as it goes on sale.  Hard-to-find staterooms are also available during this period, so now is the time to lock in a studio room or a suite.

Planning on booking a cruise in 2024-2025? These stories will help:

• What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?
• 7 tips for a great Mediterranean cruise
• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?

Royal Caribbean has released its deployment schedule of when it will put new summer 2024 - 2025 cruises on sale.

In a follow up to Royal Caribbean's new itineraries that were released in November and December of 2022, more sailings will go on sale between February and July.

Royal Caribbean posted the new deployment schedule for a variety of itineraries, such as Short Caribbean, Australia and more.

While the schedule is out, most sailing windows are still to be determined.

• Week of February 13, 2023: Short Caribbean
• Week of February 20, 2023: Winter Caribbean
• Week of May 1, 2023: Australia
• Week of July 24, 2023: Singapore
• TBD: China

Keep in mind this deployment schedule is subject to change, and may end up being del

If you missed it, here is a look at the 2024-2025 cruises already available to book now:

• Alaska & Hawaii
• Europe
• Year-round/Summer Caribbean

What is a deployment schedule?

Essentially, the deployment schedule is when Royal Caribbean releases its new sailings to the public.

During a given week, at some point in that week, the new cruises go on sale. Usually, this happens in the evening of one day and then by morning of the next day all of the itineraries are fully available for booking.

It's important not to interpret the date as meaning that this is when the sailings will first become bookable – rather, between Monday and Friday of any given week is when you'll find out what new cruises have been released and be able to start your journey toward an unforgettable trip.

Why do new deployments matter?

The deployment schedule offers up so many exciting opportunities for those who love cruising with Royal Caribbean. Newly added options mean more choices when it comes time to plan your vacation: destinations ranging from Central America to Europe and Asia await you! Whether you're looking for a shorter itinerary or something longer-term, you're sure to find plenty of options within Royal Caribbean's ever-expanding selection of voyages. 

Cruising is one of the best ways to take a vacation, and it's always exciting when a new sailing is released. When you book at this time, you can lock in a low price and have first pick of all the best cabins–especially if you're looking for something special! 

Cruise ship pricing follows a supply and demand model that works similarly to airfare. At the start of each sailing, all cabins are available, meaning prices will be lower than usual. As more people book their stay on the cruise ship, supply decreases which causes the price to rise.

Booking early is essential if you want the best room; especially if you're interested in suites or cabins in popular areas like the aft. 

Royal Caribbean ships offer plenty of balcony and interior cabins, but suites tend to be most sought-after due to their luxurious amenities and spaciousness. Suites also often boast stellar views from large picture windows or balconies that overlook some of the world's most breathtaking destinations. Additionally, cabin selections located near popular areas like pools or lounges tend to fill up quickly – so make sure to reserve yours as soon as possible! 

What you can do now while you wait

Now is a great time to start planning for your next journey. With this announcement of new bookings coming soon, it's time to get excited - and start preparing! 

The best way to be proactive about this exciting development is to begin by talking to a trusted travel agent about your interests. Letting them know what type of cabin you are considering and what type of itinerary you are interested in will give you an edge over those who wait until the sailings open up. Exploring different options before any bookings go live can help make the decision-making process much quicker, easier, and less stressful. 

When researching possible cabins and itineraries, there are many aspects to consider. Think about how long you want to stay, where you would like to go, what type of activities interest you most, and which amenities are important for your group.

Speaking of booking plans, once the new Royal Caribbean sailings are released and ready for booking there will likely be high demand so it's important to have a plan in place in advance.

Start by looking into different payment options including installment plans if needed - this can help make budgeting easier on everyone involved. Also consider if deposits or onboard credits may be offered that could help stretch your dollar further during your vacation. 

Taking just a few steps ahead of time can save a lot of stress later on as well as help ensure that all aspects of the trip match up perfectly with what you had in mind from the very beginning!

We now know when Royal Caribbean will open up the first set of new 2024-2025 bookings.

While not complete, we have our first look at when Royal Caribbean will release new sailings to book.

Royal Caribbean typically releases new sailings twice per year: in the fall and again in the spring.

The partial deployment schedule will cover Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, and Caribbean sailings.

• Week of November 7, 2022: Alaska & Hawaii
• Week of November 14, 2022: Europe
• Week of December 12, 2022: Year-round/Summer Caribbean

This is in addition to the Icon of the Seas sailings already released for 2024-2025.

Royal Caribbean promises more release dates will be announced soon for other Fall 2024 - Winter 2025 sailings.

All itineraries are subject to change without notice.

What is a deployment schedule?

The deployment schedule is the plan for when Royal Caribbean will open select sailings for sale.

There is no indication of which day, just the week the new itineraries will become available to book, but it could be on any day of the noted week.

Guests will commonly misconstrue the new cruises to come out on the exact day, rather than at some point during the week.

When the new sailings are available, it is common for the new itineraries to be entered into the booking system first, and the website second. This means in some cases cruises are bookable earlier if booked over the phone or with a travel agent, even if they do not appear on the website.

What should you do now to prepare?

If you are in the market for a cruise during one of these new deployments, you will want to keep an eye out for once cruises go on sale.

Royal Caribbean typically allows Crown and Anchor Society members a 24 hour head start on the general public, but since anyone can sign up for Crown and Anchor Society, there is no excuse for waiting.

Talk with your travel agent in the days leading up to the new deployments coming online so you can jump on specific bookings and book them.  

One of the best strategies for the lowest prices is to book a cruise as soon as it goes on sale.  Hard-to-find staterooms are also available during this period, so now is the time to lock in a studio room or a suite.

Planning on booking a cruise in 2024-2025? These stories will help:

• What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?
• 7 tips for a great Mediterranean cruise
• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?

Royal Caribbean has released its deployment schedule of when it will put new summer 2023 - winter 2024 cruises on sale.

While some new itineraries were released in November and December, the bulk of the new itineraries are set to be released between February and April 2022.

Royal Caribbean posted the new deployment schedule for a variety of itineraries, such as Long and Short Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, cruises from the Northeast and more.

• Week of February 21, 2022: Northeast
• Week of February 28, 2022: Long Caribbean
• Week of March 7, 2022: Short Caribbean
• Week of March 14, 2022: Los Angeles
• Week of March 28, 2022: Barbados & Panama
• Week of April 4, 2022: Australia
• Week of April 11, 2022: China
• Week of April 18, 2022: 7-night Caribbean
• Week of Singapore: Week of June 6

Keep in mind this deployment schedule is subject to change, and may end up being delayed.

If you missed it, here is a look at the 2023-2024 cruises already available to book now:

• World Cruise
• Alaska
• 7-night Caribbean
• Europe

What is a deployment schedule?

The deployment schedule is when Royal Caribbean plans to release new cruises to book by the public.

At some point in that week, the new itineraries will go on sale.

This means at some point between Monday and Friday of that week, the new cruises will be loaded into Royal Caribbean's system to become bookable.

Typically, the new sailings start getting loaded into the system in the evening, and then fully available by morning of the next day.

A common mistake is for guests to read the date, and assume that will be the first day the sailings on on sale.

Why does it matter when Royal Caribbean releases new sailings?

Generally speaking, when a new sailing is released, this is one of the best times to book a cruise to lock in a low price.

Cruise ship pricing follows a supply and demand model, similar to airfare. When a new sailing opens up, all the cabins are available and that means price is low. As more and more people book cabins, supply goes down and that can drive the price up.

Booking first is also super important if you care about being in a specific cabin, especially suites.

While there are plenty of balcony and interior cabins on Royal Caribbean ships, suites and cabins in special areas (like the aft) are always in high demand. Securing one of these rooms early is important.

What you can do now while you wait

While you wait the weeks and months until Royal Caribbean releases the new bookings, there are a few things you can do to prepare for when they become available.

It's a good idea to talk to your travel agent now to let them know you're interested in pricing something out when it becomes available.

By telling your travel agent now what you are considering, you might be able to get a head start on everyone else.

Researching the type of cabin you want, as well as what each type of itinerary offers can make the decision-making process later when the sailings open up much easier.

Planning on booking a cruise in 2023-2024? These posts will help:

• What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?
• Tips for taking a 3-night Royal Caribbean cruise
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
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You are going to have wait an extra week for the 2023 European itineraries to be released by Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean updated its 2023-2024 opening deployment schedule by one week for Europe Summer 2023 cruises.

Originally, Europe Summer 2023 was set to open the week of December 6, 2021, but will now open on the week of December 13, 2021.

It is not unusual for the deployment schedule to be altered, and the challenges of planning cruises for almost two years from now with all the upheaval in the cruise industry is no simple feat.

The rest of the deployment schedule will remain as previously scheduled, with 7-night Caribbean also scheduled to be released during the week of December 13.

More changes are possible, and the deployment schedule notes the remainder of the deployment is "coming soon."

What is a deployment schedule?

The deployment schedule is the plan for when Royal Caribbean will open select sailings for sale.

There is no indication of which day, just the week the new itineraries will become available to book, but it could be on any day of the noted week.

Guests will commonly misconstrue the new cruises to come out on the exact day, rather than at some point during the week.

When the new sailings are available, it is common for the new itineraries to be entered into the booking system first, and the website second. This means in some cases cruises are bookable earlier if booked over the phone or with a travel agent, even if they do not appear on the website.

What can you do now while you wait?

If you think you might book one of these cruise when they are released, you will want to monitor Royal Caribbean's website for when they are available to book.

Royal Caribbean typically allows Crown and Anchor Society members a 24 hour head start on the general public, but since anyone can sign up for Crown and Anchor Society, there is no excuse for waiting.

It is a good idea to speak with your travel agent soon to discuss which types of cruises you might be interested in to expedite the process of booking the right booking for you.

Booking your cruise as early as you can is a great way to save money in the long term, as prices tend to be lowest when they first become available to book.  In addition, if you are looking for a hard-to-find cabin, such as certain suites, this is a great time to book.

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