Royal Caribbean has announced its first year-round European season, covering 2028 and 2029 with seven ships. General bookings opened on October 15, with Crown & Anchor Society members getting early access. Until now the line has treated Europe mainly as a summer market.
Rhapsody of the Seas anchors the winter side, starting in May 2028 from Piraeus, Barcelona and Lisbon. In summer she sails seven-night Greece and Turkey-Egypt itineraries, and from November she shifts to 9-to-12-night voyages to the Canary Islands, Portugal, Morocco, Cyprus, Malta and Greece.
The rest of the fleet fills out the warm months. Explorer of the Seas homeports in Ravenna for Greek Isles and Croatia, Freedom of the Seas in Southampton for fjords and northern ports, and Liberty of the Seas in Barcelona, Piraeus and Civitavecchia, so Freedom and Liberty will sail Europe together for the first time. Jewel of the Seas covers the Baltic, Mariner of the Seas works the western Mediterranean, and Odyssey of the Seas sails from Civitavecchia from April to October 2028.
Oasis Class ships and Legend of the Seas are not part of the plan, though Legend is set to return to Europe in 2027. The line has not said whether more European deployments will follow.
Sources: Cruise Hive, Cruise Industry News
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