October 1, 2026 — Royal Caribbean opened its summer 2028 Alaska season to the general public today and announced a spring 2028 Japan program for Voyager of the Seas. Two maintenance problems on board its biggest ships this week also affected guests.
Alaska 2028: four ships, public bookings open today
Royal Caribbean will run four ships in Alaska from April through September 2028, mostly on 7-night cruises. Ports include Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka and Victoria, BC, with glacier viewing at Hubbard, Mendenhall and Dawes. Cruisetour extensions to Denali are also available. Crown & Anchor Society members got early access, and bookings opened to everyone on October 1, 2026.
| Ship | Homeport(s) |
|---|---|
| Anthem of the Seas | Seward and Vancouver |
| Ovation of the Seas | Seattle |
| Serenade of the Seas | Vancouver |
| Voyager of the Seas | Seattle |
Royal Caribbean says the new 2028–29 sailings in Alaska, Hawaii, the Pacific coast and the transpacific already use its revised cancellation-penalty rules. Those rules apply to all new and existing North America bookings from October 11, 2026. The changes merge cruise lengths into 1–4, 5–9 and 10+ night tiers, drop the 25% penalty tier, and stop waiving penalties for third and fourth guests on a case-by-case basis.
Japan spring 2028 with Voyager of the Seas
Before heading to Alaska, Voyager of the Seas will spend late February through April 2028 in Japan. Booking open date: TBA.
- 10-night Hong Kong to Tokyo (one-way): Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Kobe (overnight), Osaka
- Three 11–12-night round trips from Tokyo: a mix of Kobe, Osaka, Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Sasebo, Shimizu (for Mount Fuji) and an overnight in Okinawa, with some sailings adding Jeju and Busan, South Korea
- 16-night Tokyo to Seattle Pacific crossing: includes an overnight at Muroran (for Sapporo) in Hokkaido and crosses the International Date Line
Onboard maintenance problems this week
- Oasis of the Seas: On September 30, while the ship was docked in Nassau, guests were told the vacuum toilet system would be shut down from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 3 p.m. for plumbing work. The same shutdown happened in Nassau on July 29, 2026.
- Harmony of the Seas: Early on September 29, during a five-night Western Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral, a suspected broken pipe sent steaming hot water down a carpeted passenger corridor near Cozumel. About two staterooms were affected and no injuries were reported. Crew had removed the carpet and set up drying equipment within about two hours. The itinerary was not changed.
What it means for airline travelers
- Alaska 2028 gateways: Seattle sailings use SEA, and Vancouver sailings use YVR, which requires a passport. Seward has no major airline service, so you’ll fly into Anchorage (ANC) and take a transfer or the train. Anthem cruises between Seward and Vancouver are one-way, so book open-jaw air and list on both legs.
- Peak Alaska season fills planes. Summer flights into Seattle, Vancouver and Anchorage run full. Nonrev travelers should plan to arrive at least a day early.
- Japan and transpacific sailings are one-way, starting or ending in Hong Kong, Tokyo or Seattle. Check visa and passport requirements for each country before you book.
- New cancellation rules from October 11: Read the new penalty schedule before you book North America sailings, especially if you’re adding a third or fourth guest or holding a cabin while you wait to see whether standby flights will work.
- Interline and industry fares: No change to travel-industry rates or eligibility has been announced.
Sources
- Cruise Industry News — Royal Caribbean to Deploy Four Ships to Alaska in Summer 2028
- Cruise Industry News — Royal Caribbean Announces Japan Spring 2028 Cruises with Voyager
- Cruise Hive — Royal Caribbean Cancellation Penalties Are Changing Next Month
- Cruise Hive — Royal Caribbean Guests Warned Toilets Will Be Out of Action
- Cruise Hive — Steaming Water Floods Hallway on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas
