October 15, 2026 — Royal Caribbean will sail in Europe all year for the first time in 2028-29, with seven ships based in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, England, Denmark and Sweden. Bookings open to everyone today, October 15. Separately, Royal Caribbean Group’s chief executive gave the first details of what its new Sandals Resorts partnership will mean for cruisers.
Seven ships, 2028-29 Europe season
Crown & Anchor Society members could book from October 14; general sale opens Thursday, October 15, 2026. Rhapsody of the Seas leads the year-round program, switching in November 2028 to longer winter sailings to the Canary Islands, Portugal, Morocco, Cyprus, Malta and Greece.
| Ship | Homeport(s) | Season | Cruises |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhapsody of the Seas | Athens (Piraeus), Barcelona, Lisbon | May–Oct 2028; winter from Nov 2028 | 7 nights to Greece, Turkey and Egypt (overnights in Alexandria and Istanbul on select sailings); then 9–12 nights to the Canaries, Portugal, Morocco, Cyprus, Malta and Greece |
| Explorer of the Seas | Ravenna (for Venice) | May–Oct 2028 | 7 nights, Greek Isles and Croatia; select sailings to Kotor, Montenegro |
| Freedom of the Seas | Southampton, England | May–Oct 2028 | 3–9 nights: Norwegian fjords, Copenhagen, Zeebrugge, Bilbao, Le Havre, Lisbon |
| Jewel of the Seas | Copenhagen and Stockholm | May–Aug 2028 | 7–11 night Baltic: Helsinki, Visby, Gdynia (Gdansk), Klaipeda |
| Liberty of the Seas | Barcelona, Athens (Piraeus), Civitavecchia (Rome) | May–Oct 2028 | 7–8 nights, Greek Isles and Mediterranean |
| Mariner of the Seas | Barcelona, Lisbon, Athens (Piraeus), Ravenna | TBA | 7 nights: Palma de Mallorca, Porto (Leixões), Dubrovnik |
| Odyssey of the Seas | Civitavecchia (Rome) | Apr–Oct 2028 | 7-night Greek Isles: Ephesus, Mykonos |
Highlights include Royal Caribbean’s return to Copenhagen and Stockholm, first calls in more than a decade at Heraklion (Crete) and Cagliari (Sardinia), and an “Ultimate Santorini Day” option with access to Royal Beach Club Santorini.
Sandals partnership: what’s coming, and what isn’t
On a webinar on October 14, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty and Sandals Resorts International executive chairman Adam Stewart said both companies’ brands will stay separate. According to the Royal Caribbean Blog:
- Pre- and post-cruise resort stays and land-and-sea packages are being developed; no dates given.
- Royal Caribbean plans to let guests book Sandals and Beaches stays through its NextCruise desk on board, eventually.
- The companies are exploring linking their loyalty programs so status is recognized on both sides; no details or dates yet.
- Resorts will not become cruise-ship beach clubs, and cruise passengers will not be tendered in for day visits.
What it means for airline travelers
- Year-round sailings from Barcelona, Lisbon, Athens and Rome open up off-season European cruises from late 2028, when transatlantic flights are often less full — useful for anyone flying standby to the embarkation port.
- For European departures, plan to arrive at least one day early, and more if you are traveling standby on long-haul flights where loads can change quickly.
- Two homeports here, Ravenna (for Venice) and Civitavecchia (for Rome), are an hour or more from the nearest major airports, so leave time for ground transfers.
- No travel-industry or interline rates were mentioned. The Sandals packages and loyalty link have no dates yet.
Sources
- Cruise Critic: Royal Caribbean Adds Year-Round Europe Cruises for 2028-29
- Cruise Industry News: Royal Caribbean Going Year-Round in Europe in 2028-29
- Royal Caribbean Blog: Royal Caribbean CEO reveals what’s coming from its Sandals partnership
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