Deployment 2025-26 booking season begins

[ONECRUISER]

9 hours ago, CaroleSP said:

Boohoo. I am waiting for long Caribbean; those are the most interesting (to me) leaving from NJ. The Bahamas and Bermuda are the primary options out of NJ, otherwise. Looks like the Northeast & long cruises won't be out until Mid-late February. Boohoo. 

Really we are Lucky, in last 10yrs Booked Long Caribbean late as April-June. Only resent yrs was pushed earlier in release order 

[Jack McGowan]

On 10/12/2023 at 10:52 PM, Ourusualbeach said:

Deployment opening schedule

 

Nov 1 - Alaska (OV, AN, RD, GR)

Nov 8 - Europe (AL, OY, ID, EX, VY, BR)

Nov 15 - 7N Caribbean (HM, OA, AD, ID, SR, BR, RD, RH, GR)

Dec 5 - Star (Icon 2)

Feb 14 - Short Caribbean and LAX (UT, WN, AN, LB, FR, MA, NV, AD, JW)

Feb 14 - Northeast (SY, OY, LB, VI)

Feb 21 - Other Caribbean (SY AL, EX, JW)

Any idea on home ports for the Europe ones?

[Polition67]

8 minutes ago, Jack McGowan said:

Any idea on home ports for the Europe ones?

Think Allure is likely to be Barcelona and independence possibly going to Southampton. Not sure if the rest. 

[Ourusualbeach]

17 minutes ago, Jack McGowan said:

Any idea on home ports for the Europe ones?

Odyssey Rome 

[nelblu]

11 hours ago, CaroleSP said:

Looks like the Northeast & long cruises won't be out until Mid-late February. Boohoo. 

Where do you see this data. Recently off Oasis an at the next cruise desk I was told November/December period.

[Jimbo]

Brilliance Amsterdam

[cookooclock]

Explorer and Voyager could go in many directions. Ravenna, Rome, Athens, even Barcelona

[carolerwo]

Explorer Ravenna and Voyager probably copying Rhapsody in ‘22 and Enchantment in ‘23 hopping round Med from Athens to Ravenna to Barcelona and back.

[gallagher123123]

On 10/14/2023 at 10:23 PM, Ourusualbeach said:

Not sure they really consider that as part of North east since it is only for a short time.  Not sure where that fits in 

Good point, it is such a short deployment. Still curious to see what they will send here in 2025. It's nice to be able to board a ship so close to home. Wish they would keep something here more long-term.

[gallagher123123]

On 10/15/2023 at 10:41 AM, RosieRoo said:

Counting on you to keep me posted on anything that has to do with Boston. Your posts have been very helpful in the past. 

Can't wait to see what ship gets deployed here. I would love Voyager to come back, but I know that's not happening. 

[Jumping Cruiser]

On 7/14/2023 at 9:16 PM, Jumping Cruiser said:

Gibraltar, United Kingdom - Port Bookings (Correct as of 14/07/2023)

Only Independence currently booked into Gibraltar, suggesting a Southampton homeport, as expected.

 

9th July 2025 - Independence OTS

10th July 2025 - Independence OTS

17th July 2025 - Independence OTS

30th July 2025 - Independence OTS 

 

Gibraltar Port Bookings - *UPDATE* 

 

All Independence OTS calls in Gibraltar have now been removed for 2025. There is now no RC ship planned to call here throughout the 2025 European season. However, this is not unusual, as there are no scheduled calls in 2024 either.

[FamilyCruiserUK]

1 minute ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

 

Gibraltar Port Bookings - *UPDATE* 

 

All Independence OTS calls in Gibraltar have now been removed for 2025. There is now no RC ship planned to call here throughout the 2025 European season. However, this is not unusual, as there are no scheduled calls in 2024 either.

Its a shame as Gibraltar is a really good port stop. The "rock" and the caves for military enthusiast's is a very good day trip. Also unless you have been through the strait's you do not realise how close Europe and Africa is together. 

[Jumping Cruiser]

On 8/18/2023 at 9:14 PM, Jumping Cruiser said:

Le Havre, France - Port Bookings (Correct as of 18/08/23)

An additional call added for Independence OTS in late September.

 

10th May 2025 - Independence OTS

14th July 2025 - Independence OTS

23rd September 2025 - Independence OTS.  *NEW*

10th October 2025 - Independence OTS

 

Le Havre, France - Port Bookings *UPDATE* (Correct as of 17/10/23)

3 Independence OTS calls have now been removed for 2025, so they definitely seem to be having ‘second thoughts’ with lots of their bookings 🤔. This suggests that there will only be one of the usual ‘France & Spain’ 7-nighters, quite a change compared to what we are used to with Anthem. The only remaining call is:

 

23rd September 2025 - Independence OTS

Edited October 17, 2023 by Jumping Cruiser

[Jumping Cruiser]

3 minutes ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

Its a shame as Gibraltar is a really good port stop. The "rock" and the caves for military enthusiast's is a very good day trip. Also unless you have been through the strait's you do not realise how close Europe and Africa is together. 

 

Visited here in the Summer on Anthem. It was a great stop, just like a hot Britain with lots of picturesque scenery. Not to mention…. TAX FREE! 👀😉😂

[Jack McGowan]

3 minutes ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

 

Le Havre, France - Port Bookings *UPDATE* (Correct as of 17/10/23)

3 Independence OTS calls have now been removed for 2025, so they definitely seem to be having ‘second thoughts’ with lots of their bookings 🤔. This suggests that there will only be one of the usual ‘France & Spain’ 7-nighters, quite a change compared to what we are used to with Anthem. The only remaining call is:

 

23rd September 2025 - Independence OTS

Possibly going to be turning more attention to Spain/Portugal and the Canaries for better weather?

[Jumping Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, Jack McGowan said:

Possibly going to be turning more attention to Spain/Portugal and the Canaries for better weather?

 

Possibly, but that does limit 7-night options, especially with Norwegian Fjords likely off the table. I would understand Indy being the ‘Hot’ ship if there were two, but not when she’s the only one. Surely they won’t just commit to longer and warmer cruises?

 

 

Edited October 17, 2023 by Jumping Cruiser

[Saab4444]

5 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Brilliance Amsterdam

This might chance to Rotterdam similar to many other ships.

[Jumping Cruiser]

On 9/6/2023 at 9:15 PM, Jumping Cruiser said:

Leixoes, Portugal - Port Bookings (Correct as of 06/09/23)

An additional port call has been made for Brilliance OTS.

 

27th April 2025 - Brilliance OTS

16th May 2025 - Brilliance OTS.  *NEW*

 

Leixoes, Portugal - Port Bookings (Correct as of 17/10/23)

2 additional port calls have been made for Brilliance OTS, while one has had the date updated.

 

24th April 2025 - Brilliance OTS.  *NEW*

27th April 2025 - Brilliance OTS

19th May 2025 - Brilliance OTS.  *UPDATED*

27th August 2025 - Brilliance OTS.  *NEW*

 

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, MarkedAngel said:

Dates are slightly different wanted to update this!

Same thing.  I had the actual date, you have the week of

[Jimbo]

10 minutes ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

 

 

Leixoes, Portugal - Port Bookings (Correct as of 17/10/23)

2 additional port calls have been made for Brilliance OTS, while one has had the date updated.

 

24th April 2025 - Brilliance OTS.  *NEW*

27th April 2025 - Brilliance OTS

19th May 2025 - Brilliance OTS.  *UPDATED*

27th August 2025 - Brilliance OTS.  *NEW*

 

Brilliance still seems up in the air they have secured some dates in Amsterdam also. So all this is speculation so far and I guess nothing has been decided yet.

[amindu]

3 hours ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

 

Independence - Southampton

Brilliance - Amsterdam

Allure - Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome)

Explorer - Ravenna & Western Med Homeport Late Summer TBD (Lisbon, Malaga, Barcelona???)

Voyager - Barcelona, Athens, Ravenna, Civitavecchia (Rome)

Odyssey - Civitavecchia (Rome)

 

 

Which Route would be better with a then 4 and almost 6 year old? For ship i know Allure being Oasis is the best and prob Odyssey 2nd in line.  Not sure of the others.

Edited October 17, 2023 by amindu

[firefly333]

11 minutes ago, amindu said:

 

Which Route would be better with a then 4 and almost 6 year old? For ship i know Allure being Oasis is the best and prob Odyssey 2nd in line.  Not sure of the others.

I think independence has playmakers, so I would pick it. Oasis has it too, but not most I cruise on. It's a treat. Independence has been amped. I'd check prices and decide in the end.

[Jumping Cruiser]

21 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Brilliance still seems up in the air they have secured some dates in Amsterdam also. So all this is speculation so far and I guess nothing has been decided yet.

 

I agree. The late August call could possibly be part of a repositioning between Northern Europe and Israel, similar to what is being offered on Jewel next August.

[rockmom]

23 minutes ago, amindu said:

 

Which Route would be better with a then 4 and almost 6 year old? For ship i know Allure being Oasis is the best and prob Odyssey 2nd in line.  Not sure of the others.

Allure hasn't been updated--so there are not any slides like on the other Oasis class ships.  If that is important to you and your kids.  I just got off Independence and it's a great ship.  Take a look at port stops and decide, since those are young kids and some stops might be more fun for them (and easier on you) than others.  Factor in flights as well as pre-cruise hotel stays, if you're managing a budget. Both Southampton and Civitavecchia require quite a drive to get to the port, which adds to the cost of course.  

[FionaMG]

16 minutes ago, amindu said:

 

Which Route would be better with a then 4 and almost 6 year old? For ship i know Allure being Oasis is the best and prob Odyssey 2nd in line.  Not sure of the others.

 

Allure will almost certainly be doing the standard 7-night Western Med route, with embarkation available in both Barcelona (main port) and Civitavecchia (Rome, secondary port), with calls in Palma de Majorca, Marseille, Naples and La Spezia (for Florence, Pisa and Cinque Terre).

 

With kids that young, I'd be more inclined to look for an itinerary that starts from a port you can get to with a minimum of fuss, and which also has at least a couple of ports of call that don't require you to spend the day traipsing through crowds at busy monuments. Not only will the kids get ratty really fast but you'll also be exhausted having to constantly keep your eyes on them.

 

As far as the ship itself is concerned, when we started cruising back in 2001, our kids were 4 and 12. There weren't any mega-ships back then. We were in awe on our second cruise, which was on Explorer of the Seas. That was as big as they got back then and I can honestly say that our kids were never bored. Neither were we and we still enjoy that class of ship. There's still plenty to do on board and you're not paying through the nose for a ton of bells and whistles you'll probably not get the chance to use. I definitely don't think it's necessary to do a mega-ship with kids that young so in my case, I would be basing my decision on itinerary and price.