Deployment 2026-27 Booking Season Begins

[FamilyCruiserUK]

With the amount of ships royal have surely they should look at putting ships in europe all year around. The private island semi Caribbean/mexico ports must be saturated now. 

Europe is soo good from.october through to end of april. Good weather not too hot not freezing, less crowds around the popular destinations, rome, Vatican, barcelona, athens etc. Lots of festivals to enjoy. So much more culture to enjoy. Also lots of europens have much more holiday leave then the average american so no trouble filling the ships. 

Got to be worth a trial surley

[little britain]

8 hours ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

I would love a Vision Class ship or Radiance to come to Europe in 2026. 

 

Surely we are getting more than 5 ships (Harmony, Odyessy, Liberty, Explorer and Brilliance) for the Summer Season?  

 

Also - how often do they swap out the Vision Class ship in Balitimore?  By April 2026 Vision will have been in Baltimore for 3 years.

Do you remember the good old days when we had Jewel or Brilliance out of Harwich doing the northern itinerary.. perfect ships for cold weather cruises 

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

1 hour ago, little britain said:

Do you remember the good old days when we had Jewel or Brilliance out of Harwich doing the northern itinerary.. perfect ships for cold weather cruises 

I would love a Northern Europe sailing on a Radiance or Vision  Class ship.

 

My daughter now lives in Copenhagen so I could visit without having to stay with her! 🤣

[Fairsailing]

On 10/17/2024 at 5:30 AM, pyrateslife4me84 said:

I’m skeptical that they’d have Harmony and Icon 3 go the same places. Also skeptical that they’d send Harmony back to the USA mid-summer new ships can charge much higher fares sailing from Florida. 

Looks like Harmony could be doing 3/4 night booze cruises to Mallorca (that would be new).  That would leave Icon 3 to do the traditional 7 night run from Barcelona.  

[ONECRUISER]

11 hours ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

I would love a Vision Class ship or Radiance to come to Europe in 2026. 

 

Surely we are getting more than 5 ships (Harmony, Odyessy, Liberty, Explorer and Brilliance) for the Summer Season?  

 

Also - how often do they swap out the Vision Class ship in Balitimore?  By April 2026 Vision will have been in Baltimore for 3 years.

Agree, will keep enjoying the Radiance and Vision Classes until they are Retired. Us looking at it seems to be no rhyme or reason, when Royal has 4 Ships out of Tampa at same time total 6 different Ships sailing from there within 12 months. They havent returned to the 10 & 11 nite Caribbean Cruises that was regular thing for 3+ Decades, everything's about short Cruises with Majority stopping at Coco Cay. We want Variety, they want profits and keep costs down. Only way been I've been able take long Cruises at reasonable price is Panama Canal sailings, typing this from onboard my 4th of these in a row 

[shipfriend_max]

2 hours ago, Nettee said:

Were there ever two from Southampton and one from Copenhagen/Amsterdam or was it just the two from Southampton before they started sailing from Northern Europe?

Some years ago there were two ships from Southampton (one Freedom, one Voyager class ship) and one from Copenhagen, and 2017-19 and 2022: one from Southampton, one from Amsterdam, one from Copenhagen. 

[Saab4444]

21 minutes ago, shipfriend_max said:

Some years ago there were two ships from Southampton (one Freedom, one Voyager class ship) and one from Copenhagen, and 2017-19 and 2022: one from Southampton, one from Amsterdam, one from Copenhagen. 

And also Serenade from Stockholm and even Legend from Hamburg.

[little britain]

3 hours ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

With the amount of ships royal have surely they should look at putting ships in europe all year around. The private island semi Caribbean/mexico ports must be saturated now. 

Europe is soo good from.october through to end of april. Good weather not too hot not freezing, less crowds around the popular destinations, rome, Vatican, barcelona, athens etc. Lots of festivals to enjoy. So much more culture to enjoy. Also lots of europens have much more holiday leave then the average american so no trouble filling the ships. 

Got to be worth a trial surley

That’s why we’re all going on X Infinity which is in Europe this winter at some fabulous prices and great itineraries 

[sgmn]

3 hours ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

With the amount of ships royal have surely they should look at putting ships in europe all year around. The private island semi Caribbean/mexico ports must be saturated now. 

Europe is soo good from.october through to end of april. Good weather not too hot not freezing, less crowds around the popular destinations, rome, Vatican, barcelona, athens etc. Lots of festivals to enjoy. So much more culture to enjoy. Also lots of europens have much more holiday leave then the average american so no trouble filling the ships. 

Got to be worth a trial surley

I think a ship based in Lisbon would be good over winter doing Canaries/Madeira/Morocco or eastern Europe from Athens such as Celebrity does 

Edited October 18 by sgmn

[sgmn]

13 minutes ago, little britain said:

That’s why we’re all going on X Infinity which is in Europe this winter at some fabulous prices and great itineraries 

Snap!!

We're just three points away from D+, would like to get it ticked off but there's nothing I fancy to book 

Edited October 18 by sgmn

[little britain]

29 minutes ago, sgmn said:

Snap!!

We're just three points away from D+, would like to get it ticked off but there's nothing I fancy to book 

My friend is doing 3n on Indie purely to get her D+ - however it’s turned into an Eurovision 🪩 cruise so every cloud!!! lol!  For every pain there is a gain! 💃

[FionaMG]

47 minutes ago, sgmn said:

I think a ship based in Lisbon would be good over winter doing Canaries/Madeira/Morocco or eastern Europe from Athens such as Celebrity does 

 

Yes, please! 😁

[FionaMG]

47 minutes ago, sgmn said:

Snap!!

We're just three points away from D+, would like to get it ticked off but there's nothing I fancy to book 

 

Allure's first sailing after dry dock (11 April out of Barcelona, 4 nights to Marseille and Palma) is very reasonably priced at the moment...

[cublet]

9 hours ago, little britain said:

My friend is doing 3n on Indie purely to get her D+ - however it’s turned into an Eurovision 🪩 cruise so every cloud!!! lol!  For every pain there is a gain! 💃

Hello,

 

I'm doing three on Indy in 2025 just to get my second Pinnacle freebie cruise.

 

I've already filled my 2026 schedule with Celebrity & MSC - Royal?, you're too late!

 

So adding the above points together, I'll be taking my next freebie in 2027 in the hope that it will be on something a little better than a duck-pond pedalo or Maori War canoe that I'm sure Royal would send if they could.

 

Regards.

 

Cublet

[vjmatty]

5 hours ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

I'm doing three on Indy in 2025 just to get my second Pinnacle freebie cruise.

 

I've already filled my 2026 schedule with Celebrity & MSC - Royal?, you're too late!

 

So adding the above points together, I'll be taking my next freebie in 2027 in the hope that it will be on something a little better than a duck-pond pedalo or Maori War canoe that I'm sure Royal would send if they could.

 

Regards.

 

Cublet

I don’t get why Royal not only releases their itineraries last, but in the meantime does all this secret squirrel nonsense while other cruise lines have had their sailings listed and on sale for months earlier. I already have 2026 booked as well, and looking at this thread I can’t say there’s anything even remotely making me want to change my current schedule. Oh well, their loss 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

 

 

 

Edited October 19 by vjmatty
Typo

[ONECRUISER]

3 hours ago, vjmatty said:

I don’t get why Royal not only releases their itineraries last, but in the meantime does all this secret squirrel nonsense while other cruise lines have had their sailings listed and on sale for months earlier. I already have 2026 booked as well, and looking at this thread I can’t say there’s anything even remotely making me want to change my current schedule. Oh well, their loss 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

 

 

 

Until few years ago Royal didn't release them for another 6 Months, over decade ago wasn't until sailings were 1-1.5 yrs out they were available to Book. But now even this early typically 50+ sailings are later changed/canceled later due to many reasons, if they did even further out likely more changes would happen. I'd rather they wait and stick to the dates, as is now when Book Cruise 550-580 days out when they are released I still get at least one my ships Changed/canceled each year. Makes me wait to confirm Flight/Hotel and even then always have cancel/refundable for those

Edited October 19 by ONECRUISER

[Tree_skier]

So my plan for 2026 has been to book a TA followed by two or three more cruises (B3B or B4B), depending on the length and itinerary, subsequently.  

 

I've followed this thread since the beginning and if I'm reading the prognostications correctly my only options will be Odyssey, Independence or Brilliance.  Since Harmony is going over early and into dry dock and Explorer has a dry dock scheduled immediately after her TA.  Am I reading this correctly?  

 

EDIT: I now see Odyssey has nothing after February so this might mean she is going over early as well and would be going into dry dock, leaving me with just Independence and Brilliance as options.  Is this correct?

Edited October 19 by Tree_skier

[mycalpal]

28 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

So my plan for 2026 has been to book a TA followed by two or three more cruises (B3B or B4B), depending on the length and itinerary, subsequently.  

 

I've followed this thread since the beginning and if I'm reading the prognostications correctly my only options will be Odyssey, Independence or Brilliance.  Since Harmony is going over early and into dry dock and Explorer has a dry dock scheduled immediately after her TA.  Am I reading this correctly?  

 

EDIT: I now see Odyssey has nothing after February so this might mean she is going over early as well and would be going into dry dock, leaving me with just Independence and Brilliance as options.  Is this correct?

From reading online info, it sounded like Independence is not going in 2026, but Liberty is going over instead possibly for a dry dock/amplification?  Any more info available?  

[Tree_skier]

9 minutes ago, mycalpal said:

From reading online info, it sounded like Independence is not going in 2026, but Liberty is going over instead possibly for a dry dock/amplification?  Any more info available?  

Lovely so the only option I will have is Brilliance!!!!

[little britain]

On 10/18/2024 at 7:07 PM, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

I would love a Northern Europe sailing on a Radiance or Vision  Class ship.

 

My daughter now lives in Copenhagen so I could visit without having to stay with her! 🤣

Love Copenhagen… we could all visit her lol 

[blt23]

2 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

So my plan for 2026 has been to book a TA followed by two or three more cruises (B3B or B4B), depending on the length and itinerary, subsequently.  

 

I've followed this thread since the beginning and if I'm reading the prognostications correctly my only options will be Odyssey, Independence or Brilliance.  Since Harmony is going over early and into dry dock and Explorer has a dry dock scheduled immediately after her TA.  Am I reading this correctly?  

 

EDIT: I now see Odyssey has nothing after February so this might mean she is going over early as well and would be going into dry dock, leaving me with just Independence and Brilliance as options.  Is this correct?

I'm pretty sure Explorer doesn't have a drydock in 2026 so both her and Brilliance should be options.

 

Odyssey, Harmony, and Liberty all appear likely to have drydocks upon arriving in Europe.

[Tree_skier]

39 minutes ago, blt23 said:

I'm pretty sure Explorer doesn't have a drydock in 2026 so both her and Brilliance should be options.

 

Odyssey, Harmony, and Liberty all appear likely to have drydocks upon arriving in Europe.

 

I was basing the thought Explorer having a short dry dock on this post and subsequent discussion. Her last booking has her debarking April 23... 

 

On 9/27/2024 at 1:15 PM, pyrateslife4me84 said:

Well, Explorer seems to be getting a dry dock with the rest of its amplification next year, so it should be in good shape. Do you want to sail from Rome (Civi) or Venice (Ravenna)? We had been leaning toward Odyssey, but our kids want water slides and we want to go to Venice, so Explorer it is! I also like that Explorer goes to Athens. Can’t imagine going to Greece without Athens. 

 

[pyrateslife4me84]

4 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

 

I was basing the thought Explorer having a short dry dock on this post and subsequent discussion. Her last booking has her debarking April 23... 

 

 

Her dry dock is September-October 2025. 

[Tree_skier]

3 minutes ago, pyrateslife4me84 said:

Her dry dock is September-October 2025. 

 

Oh perfect!!! Thank you.

 

Hope has been restored...

[Norwich Cruiser]

On 10/18/2024 at 5:59 PM, little britain said:

Do you remember the good old days when we had Jewel or Brilliance out of Harwich doing the northern itinerary.. perfect ships for cold weather cruises 

Remember those days very well one of our first cruises from memory Splendour of the Seas.