Royal Caribbean released new 2026-2027 cruises, and there's more Oasis Class ships doing short cruises, but some long-time cruisers don't love it.
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It's going to be even easier to hop on a short cruise, as Royal Caribbean is ready to expand its market reach with these types of cruises.
Royal Caribbean has posted its new 2026-2027 deployments for the Short Caribbean, and there are a lot of cruise ships sailing cruises less than a week.
Short cruises have the advantage of being easier to work into long weekends or simply use up less days off from work.
We spotted eight ships added to the calendar to offer cruises between November 2026 and April 2027, and each has short cruise options.
Here's a breakdown of what's been added and what you can expect with a short cruise.
Across five homeports in Florida and Texas, there's a few different options if you're looking to add a getaway cruise.
Beginning in Port Canaveral, you'll find three ships offering short cruises here.
Utopia of the Seas broke ground when she became the first Royal Caribbean ship to ever enter service with just short sailings.
Utopia will continue that by offering 3- and 4-night cruises to The Bahamas.
Fellow Oasis Class ship Harmony of the Seas moves back to Port Canaveral, and will sail 4- and 5-night cruises.
Harmony's 5-night cruises combine a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay with Cozumel, Mexico. The 4-night cruises will visit Nassau, Bahamas and CocoCay.
That combination of going to either Cozumel or Nassau is no coincidence, as those are two ports where Royal Caribbean will have new beach clubs open to book.
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is set to open December 2025, and Royal Beach Club Cozumel will open in "late 2026 on select Western Caribbean vacations."
There's also one 2-night sailing on Harmony.
Explorer of the Seas will also sail from Port Canaveral, and offer 4- and 5-night cruises.
Explorer's 4-night sailings will remain in The Bahamas, while its 5-night voyages offer different options that can go to the Dominican Republic, Labadee, or Cozumel.
Moving over to Fort Lauderdale, there are new entries to the short game market.
Oasis of the Seas is the latest mega ship to start offering shorter cruises.
Similar to Utopia, Oasis will offer 3- and 4-night cruises out of Port Everglades to The Bahamas, including Royal Caribbean's private island.
With Oasis of the Seas sailing short cruises, that sets Royal Caribbean up with an Oasis Class ship in each of the major 3 ports on Florida's east coast to have this option.
It's clearly a move to dominate the short cruise market by outflanking the competition with the very best ships.
The best budget option for a short cruise might be with Vision of the Seas.
Vision will offer 3- and 4-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale. The difference is Vision will also visit Bimini, Bahamas or Grand Bahama Island.
Grandeur will spend the summer in Fort Lauderdale with 3- and 4-night vacations to destinations across The Bahamas, including Perfect Day at CocoCay, as well as Key West in Florida.
In Miami, you'll find two ships with short cruises from this capital of cruising.
Wonder of the Seas remains in Miami to sail short cruises.
Later in 2025, Wonder will begin the shift from 7-night cruises to short sailings, and Wonder will remain doing that into at least early 2027.
Wonder's itineraries match Utopia and Oasis, with visits to CocoCay or Nassau.
In addition, Freedom of the Seas will depart Miami on 4- and 5-night cruises.
Freedom's destinations include Grand Cayman, Falmouth, Labadee, Cozumel, Dominican Republic, and The Bahamas.
In Galveston, there's a familiar face returning to this port.
Liberty of the Seas is going back to Texas, and will sail 4- and 5-night cruises.
Both itineraries visit Cozumel, while the extra night gets you a visit to Costa Maya.
Mariner of the Seas has 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean sailings to Costa Maya and Cozumel.
Tampa has one ship sailing short cruises, with Rhapsody of the Seas from that port with new 4- and 5-night adventures.
With Harmony and Oasis of the Seas moving to the short cruise market, it's clear Royal Caribbean sees a market need.
Ever since they announced Utopia of the Seas would enter service with short cruises, it's flipped the industry script on its head.
By offering short cruises on really impressive ships with lots to do, Royal Caribbean is hoping to entice the vast pool of people that have never cruised to try a cruise.
The new to cruise market is single handedly the lowest hanging fruit of potential new customers, and it's who Royal Caribbean wants to target to grow their business.
Weekend cruises in particular are very attractive to new cruisers because it's just a few days on the ship, lower cost than a week (with less PTO time needed), and most importantly, is less daunting as a way to try a cruise vacation.
The coup de grâce for this plan is by late 2026, Royal Caribbean should have two beach clubs open in Nassau and Cozumel.
These beach clubs are a brand new endeavor, which are paid excursions available only to Royal Caribbean customers.
Each will be an all-inclusive private enclave, where Royal Caribbean guests can book a spot and enjoy a day splashing in the pool or beach at a place that adheres to the same standards of a Royal Caribbean ship.
There are still more cruises to be announced in 2026-2027.
Seasonal Caribbean cruises will come out sometime next week, which represent primarily ships that move back to North America after spending the summer somewhere else.
Then we'll get China cruises during the week of March 10, 2025, followed by Singapore the week after that.
The final deployment will be Australia during the week of June 2, 2025.
Royal Caribbean could be adding a new California homeport to its plans.
Test loads for the upcoming West Coast deployment schedule to be released around February 17 reveal that Serenade of the Seas won't offer cruises out of Los Angeles. Instead, the 90,090 gross registered ton (GRT) ship will sail from San Diego, California.
Royal Caribbean prepares for a new deployment with test loads, where they upload a few select sailings to their website. They aren't bookable, but they give passengers a preview of what to expect.
Screenshots shared by Southern Dan on Royal Caribbean Blog's discussion board show Serenade offering a 7-night Mexican Riveria cruise on March 28, 2027, from San Diego.
The test itinerary also reveals that Serenade will call at Laz Paz, Mexico, which is known for beautiful beaches teeming with marine life and a vibrant downtown with a 3-mile-long waterfront promenade.
Cruises from San Diego aren't necessarily new. Royal Caribbean sometimes begins or ends Panama Canal voyages from the Southern California port. However, Royal doesn't offer regular sailings from San Diego.
It's more commonly used by lines like Disney, Holland America, Princess Cruises, and Norwegian.
Voyager of the Seas will supposedly replace Navigator as the year-round ship based in Los Angeles, though Royal Caribbean hasn't made an official announcement yet.
The Ports America Los Angeles website schedule shows Voyager of the Seas arriving in California on October 5, 2026.
Test loads seem to confirm Voyager's takeover with an 8-night cruise scheduled on Nov. 5, 2026, including an overnight stay in Cabo.
Navigator of the Seas is on the schedule through Nov. 5, 2026. After that, the Voyager Class ship disappears from the manifest, whereas Voyager has departures listed through at least December 2026, along with Ovation of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean already announced they're bringing Quantum Class ships to Los Angeles, with Ovation of the Seas offering regular voyages starting in June 2025. Quantum will join Ovation in October 2025.
These cruise ships are larger than Voyager Class vessels and offer more modern amenities, including an enclosed SeaPlex, North Star observation capsule, and sky diving simulator. Plus, they're designed to operate in warm and cool climates.
Effective October 2026, however, it appears Royal Caribbean will reduce to just one Quantum Class ship in Los Angeles, phasing out Quantum of the Seas.
Another test itinerary shows Ovation making a short 3-night cruise to Ensenada on October 16, 2026.
After a decade-long hiatus from Los Angeles, Royal Caribbean's re-entry into the California market has proved to be worthwhile, with executives confirming that Navigator has performed "exceptionally well."
The itineraries to popular destinations in the Mexican Riveria have resonated with seasoned cruisers and newcomers who might not be interested in another typical Caribbean or Bahamian voyage.
Plus, adding newer ships, like Ovation and Quantum of the Seas, will further strengthen Royal Caribbean’s position in the market.
There's a lot of exciting stuff forthcoming with Royal Caribbean's new deployments in the next few weeks. Already, they've announced their 2026 Alaska cruises, some of their 2026 European voyages, and Summer & Yearlong Caribbean Northeast cruises.
Here's an updated list of the upcoming deployment schedule:
Royal Caribbean just dropped new cruises you can book from the Northeast United States in 2026 and 2027.
Instead of flying to Florida, there are a variety of new cruises to consider from New Jersey, and Baltimore, Maryland.
These new cruises are on top of the Caribbean cruises that were also released today, which include the world's largest cruise ships.
Royal Caribbean want to offer convenient choices of where you cruise from, whether you head to the Sunshine State or Empire State.
"With easy departures from the Northeast, to enjoying sun-soaked beaches across the eastern, western and southern Caribbean –and of course the thrill and chill at Perfect Day at CocoCay – Royal Caribbean vacations deliver options for everyone," said Vicki Freed, Senior Vice President, Sales and Trade Support & Service.
Here's a breakdown of what's new and how to best take advantage of it all.
Royal Caribbean will base three different ships in the New York/New Jersey area in 2026-2027.
In Summer 2026, Oasis of the Seas returns to Cape Liberty, New Jersey to offer 7- and 9-night cruises.
Bayonne is a great place to sail from because it's just minutes from New York City. Whether you want to extend your cruise with a jam-packed pre- or post-cruise stay, there are endless ways to customize your cruise vacation while also budgeting time to visit the Big Apple.
Oasis will head to The Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay private island, as well as Port Canaveral (Orlando).
In Winter 2026, Odyssey of the Seas heads to Cape Liberty to take over and offer 7- and 8-night cruises to The Bahamas.
During the summer, Odyssey will offer 11- and 12-night vacations around the Caribbean to spots like Basseterre; Castries, Lucia; Bridgetown, Barbados, and more.
Finally, Independence of the Seas will also sail from Cape Liberty and offer Bermuda and the eastern Caribbean on 5- and 9-night cruises.
There will also be 4-night shorts to Canada and longer 9-night vacations to the Caribbean, as well as New England. Stops there include Boston, Massachusetts, and Portland, Maine.
Vision of the Seas returns for another season in Baltimore, Maryland.
Cruising from Baltimore is perfect for those who prefer a more intimate cruising experience and don't want to deal with the hassle of sailing out of Port Canaveral or Miami, two of the busiest ports in the world.
Vision will offer 5- and 9-night vacations to explore Bermuda and The Bahamas. There will also be 9-night fall adventures to Bar Harbor, Maine, and Halifax.
The new Northeast cruises and year-round Caribbean cruises coincide with the launch of Royal Caribbean's early Black Friday sale.
Royal Caribbean's Black Friday Early Access, is active now and runs through November 21, offering up to $750 off base fares.
That's combinable with BOGO 60% off a second guest and Kids Sail Free offer.
It's expected Royal Caribbean will continue its Black Friday offers through Thanksgiving, Black Friday and into Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday as well.
Royal Caribbean also revealed new cruises from its traditional warm water homeports earlier today.
These include cruises on the biggest cruise ships in the world, such as Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas.
Star of the Seas will continue sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida in 2026.
The new ship officially launches in August 2025, and will offer alternating 7-night eastern and western Caribbean cruises. Most of its sailings include a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Icon of the Seas will remain in Miami and offer 7-night eastern and western Caribbean cruises. Destinations include CocoCay, Philipsburg, St. Marteen; Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, and more.
Allure of the Seas will undergo more than $100 million in amplifications in 2025 and then offer 6- and 8-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Symphony of the Seas will call Galveston, Texas home for the first time.
Symphony will sail 6- to 8-night western Caribbean adventures with 8-night itineraries including stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Plus, in late 2026, sailings will include visits at the ultimate beach day at Cozumel, Mexico, at the newly opened Royal Beach Club Cozumel.
You can book new cruises for the biggest cruise ships in the world, including Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean opened up bookings for its 2026-2027 Summer & Yearlong Caribbean cruises, which include some of its biggest ships.
There are new cruises to book on Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, and more.
The new itineraries are loaded into Royal Caribbean's website and available for immediate booking.
Here's a breakdown of what's been released.
The biggest cruise ship in the world, Icon of the Seas, will remain homeported year-round in Miami, Florida.
Icon will continue to offer alternating 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.
With a gross tonnage of 250,800 gross tons, the ship is 365 meters long, and it features a total of 20 decks and 2,805 staterooms to accommodate up to 5,610 guests at double occupancy.
Icon of the Seas will be home to seven pools, a 55-foot indoor waterfall, the largest waterpark at sea and much more.
The other giant Icon Class ship, Star of the Seas, will be sailing again from Port Canaveral and also be offering 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.
Star of the Seas will enter service in August 2025, and its placement less than an hour away from the theme park capital of the world in Orlando is no coincidence.
Royal Caribbean has deliberately built this class of cruise ship to appeal to the family vacation market, including as many attractions as they've ever thought of in one ship. You'll find a water park, thrill attractions, multiple shows, more pools than ever, and plenty more.
Another mega cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, will sail from Galveston, Texas for the first time.
Symphony will offer 6, 7, and 8-night Western Caribbean cruises.
Royal Caribbean's focus on the Western Caribbean will come into full force later in 2027 when Perfect Day Mexico opens in Costa Maya. There's no timeline yet when that may occur, but the cruise line has big plans to open its biggest Perfect Day private beach experience yet.
Allure of the Seas is another mega Oasis Class ship, will sail from Fort Lauderdale through October 2026.
It remains to be seen where Allure will go go beyond that, as Royal Caribbean has not released more information yet.
Over in Tampa, Enchantment of the Seas will sail 7-night cruises to the Western Caribbean.
Enchantment is one of the line's oldest and smallest cruise ships, but she has tremendous value.
Two Royal Caribbean ships will sail from San Juan, Puerto Rico at different points in 2026-2027.
Radiance of the Seas will start off by offering 7-night cruises to the Southern Caribbean.
In late November, Brilliance of the Seas will join in and start service there as well with 7-night voyages.
Adventure of the Seas will split her time in 2026 and 2027 in two homeports. She'll begin in Port Canaveral, but by November 2026, she shifts south to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to offer weeklong cruises from there.
Oasis of the Seas – From Cape Liberty
In Summer 2026, Oasis of the Seas will head to The Bahamas on 7- and 9- night sailings to The Bahamas and Port Canaveral, Florida.
Odyssey of the Seas – From Cape Liberty
Odyssey of the Seas will be based in Cape Liberty for the winter season. You'll find 7- and 8-night cruises to Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
There are also summer 11- and 12-night sailings around the Caribbean to spots like Basseterre; Castries, Lucia; Bridgetown, Barbados, and more.
Independence of the Seas – From Cape Liberty
A third Royal Caribbean ship will sail from the New York area, and offer cruises in the summer to Bermuda and the eastern Caribbean on 5- and 9-night voyages.
The winter introduces another combination of adventures with 4-night shorts to Canada and longer 9-night vacations to the Caribbean, as well as to the Northeast’s historical landmarks and famed fall foliage in Boston, Massachusetts, and Portland, Maine.
Vision of the Seas – From Baltimore
Vision of the Seas wil offer various of 5- and 9-night cruises from Baltimore, Maryland to Bermuda and The Bahamas, including getaways to Perfect Day at CocoCay.
During the fall season, there are cruises to Bar Harbor, Maine, and Halifax on 9-night sailings.
More Royal Caribbean cruises will be posted in the coming months.
It might seem crazy to book a cruise today for over two years from now, but it's one of the best money-saving strategies out there.
Cruise ships book quickly, and the more cabins that sell out, the higher prices go. So booking a cruise now can lock in a better fare than you might find next year.
Moreover, booking early gives you the choice of almost any cabin on the ship.
Certain highly desirable cabins, such as suites, get booked faster than others. You could get the perfect room now that satisfies what you're looking for in cabin location, category, or size.
Read more: Royal Caribbean suites guide
Combine the lower prices with bargain hunters looking for suites, and you'll find a lot of veteran cruise fans booking up highly sought after cabins on popular sailings, such as holidays.
Planning on booking a 2026 cruise? These stories will help:
The first half of Royal Caribbean's deployment plan for a summer European cruise in 2026 is now available to book.
A week after the cruise line revealed its Alaska 2026 cruises, a new batch of sailings for Europe are out as well.
Royal Caribbean is splitting its European deployment into two segments, so expect more ships to be posted in January 2025.
UPDATE: The cruises are now available to book.
A variety of different itineraries will be offered throughout the region. You can cruise to Northern Europe, Norway, the Mediterranean, Greek Isles, and more!
So far five cruise ships will sail around Europe between April and October 2026, including Harmony of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas.
Here's a breakdown of which ships will be deployed to Europe and where they will be sailing from:
Harmony of the Seas will arrive in Europe in May, offering cruises from Barcelona, Spain around the Western Mediterranean on 7-night voyages.
Harmony will visit destinations in France, Spain & Italy.
Liberty of the Seas will call Southampton, England home in 2026 and offer cruises of varying lengths that visit Spain, Portugal, Northern Europe, Norway and more.
There are even a couple of 2-night cruises for quick getaways. Most of Liberty's sailings will focus on Northern and Western Europe.
Of particular interest is a 9-Night Solar Eclipse sailing that will put visitors right in the path of a solar eclipse. The total solar eclipse will take place on August 12, 2026.
Odyssey of the Seas is back in Europe again for summer 2026, based out of Civitavecchia, Italy.
The ship will visit destinations in Greece, Italy, and Turkey.
Royal Caribbean will bounce Brilliance of the Seas around Europe, homeporting her in Civitavecchia, Italy, Ravenna, Italy, Barcelona, Spain, and Athens, Greece.
There are a wide variety of itineraries to consider on Brilliance, including visits to the Greek Isles, Adriatic, French Riviera, and more.
Explorer of the Seas will homeport in Ravenna, Italy and sail primarily 7-night Greece & Adriatic cruises.
Phase two of the deployment will be coming in a few weeks.
Expect the remaining ships sailing to Europe in 2026 to be revealed the week of January 27, 2025.
Cruise fans may want more exotic itineraries and/or newer ships in Europe, so it's possible Royal Caribbean will mix things up with its remaining deployment plans.
There's been a change in Royal Caribbean's deployment schedule for its next release.
Instead of a release next week, they will combine Summer & Yearlong Caribbean and Northeast cruises and post all of them during the week of November 18, 2024.
Don't read too much into this change. The deployment schedule usually gets altered a couple of times each year.
In general, the best months to cruise the Mediterranean and Greek Isles are May, June, September, and October. While outside of the peak summer season, these months see more favorable weather. Plus, you'll find fewer land-based tourists at popular attractions.
You are more likely to spend time visiting cities, rather than lounging on the beach like you would if you were taking a cruise to The Bahamas or Caribbean. Walking around ports Rome, Athens, and Barcelona can be uncomfortable in July and August.
Because of the cooler climate, the summer months see lower temperatures in Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Iceland. You'll also have the most daylight.
Related: When is the best time to go on a cruise?
More about European cruises:
A lot of cruises go to the usual places, but Royal Caribbean just added eight cruises with fascinating itineraries.
These one-off wonders are the cruise line's unique twist on repositioning cruises for its ships.
Repositioning cruises, nicknamed "repos" by veterans, are one-way itineraries taken when ships sail across the oceans to change their seasonal homeports.
Cruise ships tend to relocate depending on the season and weather, which requires them to travel across oceans for a longer sailing.
For example, ships sailing in Alaska for the summer cruise season have to relocate for warmer weather in the fall.
Read more: A giant cruise ship will sail deeper into Alaska than ever before on one-way voyages
In the spring, you'll also see cruise ships returning to Alaska from all over the world.
Fans of cheaper and longer cruises love repositioning sailings for the unique opportunities these sailings offer.
They provide cruisers with the chance to sail a new and unique route, usually at a lower price.
The 2026 repositioning cruises include a wide variety of ship types and will visit a number of exceptional ports.
The first Voyager-Class ship is scheduled for two repositioning cruises in the spring of 2026.
First, it will cruise a round-trip, 8-night South Pacific cruise departing on April 6th, 2026.
She will sail from Brisbane, Australia, with the following itinerary:
After returning to Brisbane, Voyager will embark on a stunning 25-night Transpacific cruise on April 14th. She will sail from Australia to homeport in Seattle, Washington for the Alaska cruise season.
Read more: Australia & South Pacific cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do
Voyager's Transpacific itinerary is as follows:
Anthem will take two cruises to complete its repositioning from Sydney, Australia, to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for the 2026 Alaska cruise season.
First, she embarks on April 14th for her 18-night Transpacific voyage.
The itinerary includes:
Instead of sailing directly to Vancouver from Australia, Royal Caribbean wanted to add a unique twist and allow cruisers the chance to vacation in Hawaii.
Anthem of the Seas' second cruise leaves on May 1st, 2026. She will sail from Hawaii to Vancouver on an 8-night sailing:
Cruisers uninterested in a long Transpacific cruise could still book this second sailing and experience Hawaii and Canada at the lower prices of a repositioning cruise.
Two unique cruises will also be available on Ovation of the Seas, a Quantum Class ship.
First, Ovation departs from Singapore on April 17th, sailing a 14-night cruise to Tokyo, Japan.
The unique itinerary will call upon countless exciting ports in Asia:
After arriving in Tokyo, Ovation will embark on her repositioning cruise to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
She departs on May 1st, 2026, for a 15-night voyage. On her way to begin the Alaska cruise season, Ovation will call at:
Royal Caribbean recently re-started sailings to Los Angeles, California, after a decade spent taking a break from the area.
Serenade of the Seas will spend the spring of 2026 in Los Angeles, California before repositioning for the Alaska cruise season.
On May 5th, 2026, she will sail a unique, 5-night Pacific Coastal cruise. This sailing includes:
When the Alaska weather gets colder, and cruise ships begin to leave the area, Serenade will return to California with another repositioning cruise.
On September 27th, she cruises for 5-nights along the Pacific Coast.
Serenade's itinerary is as follows:
Repo cruises allow passengers to visit multiple ports and a lot of the world on a single sailing.
You could cross the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean, or visit the coastal cities of Japan. All of these unique port stops take place on one longer cruise, rather than spending more time and money traveling to see different locations.
Plus, repositioning cruises often include many sea days, creating a more laidback schedule even with the frequent ports of call.
Not all repo cruises are long ones. In 2026, Royal Caribbean will offer multiple 5-night repositioning cruises. This allows guests to get a feel for a new cruise line, or for the concept of a repo sailing.
These cruises aren't appealing to everyone. Some passengers despise the idea of spending multiple sea days in the middle of the ocean. Since many of them are multiple weeks long, those who work or attend school have a limited timeline.
Read more: I crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a cheap cruise. Here’s what it's really like to spend 10 days at sea
Additionally, these sailings are always one-way, forcing travelers to book one-way flights rather than roundtrip airfare, which is often more expensive.
Due to these constraints, repositioning cruises have cheaper prices than regular sailings. The rate per day will be much lower than typical Royal Caribbean cruises.
Serenade of the Seas will sail from Cartagena, Colombia and Colón, Panama in 2025 and 2026.
The Radiance Class vessel is set to conclude Royal Caribbean's first-ever world cruise on September 10, 2024. Afterward, the 90,090 gross registered ton ship will remain in Tampa through March 2025, offering 5- to 9-night cruises to the Caribbean, before relocating to the West Coast for a summer season in Alaska.
Then, Serenade of the Seas will embark on a 13-night Panama Canal cruise from San Diego to Miami on September 19, marking the last time the ship will visit Florida through at least April 2026.
Effective October 5, Serenade will offer cruises to the Southern Caribbean from Cartagena, Colombia and Colón, Panama.
Similar to many European cruises, all voyages on Serenade of the Seas from Colombia and Panama are "interport" sailings, meaning that guests may choose their embarkation city.
Unlike Caribbean sailings that depart solely from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or Port Canaveral, interport cruises offer flexibility and a broader choice for travelers, allowing guests to determine which city is most convenient or appealing for their departure.
Currently, Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas is sailing interport cruises, where passengers may embark in Barcelona, Spain or Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy.
Read more: I sailed on a Radiance Class ship
On October 5, 2025, Serenade will depart from Cartagena, Colombia on a 7-night cruise to Willemstad, Curaçao; Oranjestad, Aruba; and Colón, Panama before returning to Colombia on October 12.
Though all itineraries visit at least two of the ABC (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) islands, each voyage offers a blend of destinations and experiences. Some, for example, may only visit Bonaire and Curaçao, while others call at Curaçao and Aruba or Aruba and Bonaire.
Select sailings visit all three:
On sailings with three ports of call, including Panama or Colombia, the ship will spend three days at sea.
Colón, Panama sits at the entrance to the Panama Canal and is a significant port city for maritime trade. However, it's not located inside the canal. Instead, it serves as a gateway to the canal's operations.
Sailing through the Panama Canal is a bucket list cruise for many, as it offers a unique opportunity to traverse one of the world's most famous engineering marvels.
Do not book a sailing to the Southern Caribbean on Serenade of the Seas in hopes of seeing the canal in person—you'll end up disappointed.
Royal Caribbean offers repositioning cruises through the canal throughout the year, typically in the fall and spring. In 2025, guests may choose from four sailings on two Radiance Class ships: Serenade of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas.
WAAAYTOOO took to Royal Caribbean Blog's discussion forum to share an update they received in their recent Crown & Anchor newsletter.
"Starting August 1, Pinnacle Club and Diamond Plus members with more than 340 points will enjoy a reduced single supplement cruise fare of 125% on all Transatlantic, Transpacific, and Panama Canal sailings," the post reads.
"We want to make booking these popular voyages even easier. For all other sailings, you will continue to enjoy a reduced single supplement fare of 150%."
Read more: Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program info, tips & secrets
This means, for example, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, Pinnacle Club and Diamond Plus cruisers would only pay $1,250. Before this update, the fare would have cost $1,500.
The change only applies to Pinnacle Club and Diamond Plus sailors with 340+ cruise points. There's no single supplement benefit for Gold, Platinum, Emerald, or Diamond Crown & Anchor members.
Royal Caribbean has posted its new 2025-2026 deployments for the Short Caribbean and Los Angeles cruise markets.
Short Caribbean cruises, as well as those departing from Los Angeles, in 2025 and 2026 are now available to book.
For the first time in recent memory, two Royal Caribbean ships will offer sailings from California to Mexico, ranging from 3 to 8 nights:
Additionally, the following ships will make short Caribbean sailings to the Eastern and/or Western Caribbean:
The new sailings are available to book immediately.
If you're ready to begin planning your next vacation, here's a breakdown of what is offered.
The second largest cruise ship in the world, Wonder of the Seas, will begin offering short cruises on September 1, 2025.
Royal Caribbean shook up the short cruise market when it announced Utopia of the Seas would enter service with just short cruises. Both Utopia and Wonder are Oasis Class cruise ships and among the largest ships in the world.
Typically, big new cruise ships sail 7-night cruises, but Royal Caribbean wants to dominate the short cruise market by offering weekend sailings on its best ships in a bid to attract new cruisers.
Wonder will continue offering 7-night cruisers from Port Canaveral until the end of August, and then moves to Miami to start the 3- and 4-night cruises.
Utopia of the Seas will continue offering short cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida.
Select sailings include stops at Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Short Caribbean voyages are ideal for those seeking a shorter getaway or who might be new to cruising and cannot commit to the idea of spending a week on a ship.
It's not just Royal Caribbean's big ships getting into the weekend cruise market, as Jewel of the Seas will also offer 3- and 4-night Bahamas cruises.
Jewel will sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida between April 2025 and October 2025 to offer weekend cruises. This means Jewel will remain in the United States instead of going to Europe for the summer of 2025.
When Jewel of the Seas concludes her short cruise sailings, Liberty of the Seas will pick them up.
Liberty will offer cruises from Port Everglades between October 2025 and March 2026. Sailings will visit Nassau, Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
If you'd like to take a short Caribbean cruise from Galveston, Mariner of the Seas has sailings for you.
Mariner will offer primarily 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises that visit ports in Mexico. There's also a few holiday cruises in December that are 7-nights for Mariner.
With Mariner of the Seas making short sailings to the Western Caribbean from Galveston, it's also convenient for those who live nearby and don't want to have to pay for airfare.
5-night cruises will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, while 4-night voyages will only visit Cozumel.
In addition to Wonder of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas will offer short cruises from Miami.
In April 2025, Freedom wraps up her tenure in Fort Lauderdale before shifting back to Miami.
Freedom will sail 3-6-night cruises, with a 9-night sailing over New Years 2026.
Short cruises from Tampa will be available on Enchantment of the Seas for the entire year. There's a mix of 4- and 5-night getaways to the western Caribbean and The Bahamas.
Highlights of the destinations in store include Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Costa Maya, Nassau and Roatan, plus a lineup of vacations that visit Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Quantum of the Seas will be homeported in Los Angeles year-round offering cruises to Mexico and Catalina Island. She will be the biggest cruise ship Royal Caribbean has ever based on the west coast.
Rumors had been swirling about a second ship being added to the LA market, and it turns out the rumors were true.
Taking a cruise from the West Coast promises stunning coastal landscapes, world-class cuisine, and vibrant ports of call, such as Cabo San Lucas, which is a popular cruise port as well as a land-based vacation spot. It's known for having a party atmosphere, wildlife, and unique rock formations.
Note that when visiting via cruise ship, you'll have to tender from the ship to shore. You'll have to wake up early to collect your ticket, so you do not waste the day onboard.
On longer sailings from Los Angeles, you'll visit Cabo San Lucas, whereas on shorter ones you will sail to the nearby Ensenada, Mexico and/or Catalina Island.
Read more: Guide to weekend cruises: Tips for taking a 3-night Royal Caribbean cruise
Navigator of the Seas returns to Los Angeles for another season to split the Mexican Riviera sailings with Quantum.
Navigator will still offer short 3- and 4-night cruises, but lean more into the longer sailings that go further south down the Baja Peninsula.
Navigator has been in the LA market since cruises restarted in 2021.
The remainder of the posted deployment schedule covers cruises to China, Australia, and Singapore through April 2026. They're set to be released the weeks of March 11, April 8, and May 13, respectively.
It's important to remember that the sailings could be released at any point within that week; they're not bound to be published on the first day of the listed week.
For example, Singapore cruises are set to launch the week of May 13; however, they could be released on May 16 or 17.
Additionally, all itineraries are subject to change without notice.
Royal Caribbean has officially released 2025 and 2026 voyages from the Northeast and Long Caribbean cruises.
You can visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's award-winning private island in the Bahamas, Canada/New England, Bermuda, and more from cities like New York, Baltimore, and Boston on five different ships:
If you're looking to take a port-intensive Southern Caribbean cruise, you'll want to look at sailings onboard Brilliance of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas from San Juan in November and December.
Allure of the Seas will be returning to Galveston, Texas after a stint in Florida making longer voyages to the Caribbean following her Royal Amplification in early 2025.
And, finally, Serenade of the Seas will spend late 2025 and early 2026 making 7- to 11-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members are able to book on Royal Caribbean’s website starting today, while the official opening for the general public is Thursday, February 15.
Ready to begin planning your next vacation? Here's a breakdown of new offerings in 2025 and 2026.
Three ships will offer cruises from Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey in 2025, the largest being Symphony of the Seas.
Symphony will sail from Cape Liberty from April to October, similar to 2024. Afterward, the ship will return to Miami. Guests have numerous different voyages to choose from, with the shortest being 7 nights and the longest 9. Examples of itineraries include:
Odyssey of the Seas will sail on cruises ranging from 7 to 14 nights in January, February, March, April, November, and December 2025. There will be 7- and 8-night sailings to The Bahamas, including Perfect Day at CocoCay, as well as longer cruises to the Southern and Eastern Caribbean.
Odyssey will also make a single transatlantic cruise from Bayonne visiting Ponta Delgada, Azores; Málaga, Spain; Cartagena, Spain; Valencia, Spain; and Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy.
Finally, Liberty of the Seas will be the only ship to sail from Cape Liberty in 2025 to Bermuda on 4-, 5-, 6, and 9-night cruises. Like Odyssey, you can also choose to sail to the Eastern Caribbean; however, what sets Liberty of the Seas apart is her offerings to Canada and New England:
Bayonne is an exciting embarkation port because it's located just miles from New York City. Whether you want to extend your cruise with a jam-packed pre- or post-cruise stay, there are endless ways to customize your cruise vacation while also budgeting time to visit the Big Apple.
Read more: Bahamas cruise guide
Since Baltimore is a much smaller port, you won't find any mega-ships like Symphony of the Seas sailing from Maryland.
Instead, Vision of the Seas will offer a variety of different cruises to guests visiting places like Bermuda, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and the Southeast Coast of the United States that range from 5 nights to 12 nights.
It's perfect for those who prefer a more intimate cruising experience and don't want to deal with the hassle of sailing out of Port Canaveral or Miami, two of the busiest ports in the world:
Read more: What to do in Bermuda on a cruise
If sipping on craft brews, indulging in fresh seafood, and enjoying the beautiful fall foliage of New England and Canada is more your vibe, look no further than the offerings from Boston.
Brilliance of the Seas, a Radiance Class ship that launched in 2002, will be the only Royal Caribbean sailing from Boston in the fall of 2025. The majority of her sailings will be 7-night cruises to Canada and New England; however, there will be one unique cruise from Boston to San Juan in November.
Prior to arriving, passengers will visit Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda; St. John's, Antigua; and Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
After spending the fall up north, Brilliance of the Seas will sail from San Juan in November and December 2025, as well as January, February, March, and April 2026. She'll be joined by Jewel of the Seas.
Both vessels will primarily sail on 7-night cruises to the Southern Caribbean to ports such as Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; Roseau, Dominica; and Bridgetown, Barbados.
Allure of the Seas will (finally) be undergoing her Royal Amplification in early 2025, so if you've been waiting to book a cruise on Allure, 2025/2026 is the perfect time!
In March 2026, she'll return to Galveston for 5- and 7-night cruises to the Western Caribbean, visiting ports like Costa Maya, Mexico; Cozumel, Mexico; and Roatán, Honduras.
Before then, however, she'll sail from Fort Lauderdale on 6- and 8-night voyages to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. This means that if you want to take a short cruise onboard, you shouldn't push it off for long.
In late 2025, you can find longer itineraries onboard Serenade of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale to exotic places in the Southern Caribbean, as well as shorter voyages to the Western Caribbean:
Not only does booking early ensure that you have access to the lowest prices, but it's also smart if you're hoping to score a specific cabin. Inventory is selling out further in advance, so if you decide to wait until the last minute, you might be disappointed with your options.
Prices seem to be increasing from week to week, meaning that if you want to lock in the lowest possible rate, your best bet is to go ahead and place the deposit on your 2025 cruise as soon as possible.
When I went to book a sailing onboard Icon of the Seas for June 2025 in mid-January, I paid $5,125.60, including gratuities, for two in an interior room. At the time of writing roughly one month later, Royal Caribbean's website was advertising the same sailing starting at $5,716.72 before tips. While a cruise onboard Royal's newest vessel, the pricing trend is being seen on ships of all ages.
If you happen to notice that the price has decreased before final payment, you'll be able to contact Royal Caribbean (or your travel agent) to have the new price honored on your reservation.
Additionally, if you aren't able to commit to a sailing that far in advance, you can always place a refundable deposit, which will ensure that you don't lose any money in the event that your schedule changes before final payment is due.