October 31, 2026 — Royal Caribbean International has started telling booked guests that Labadee, its private destination in Haiti, will stay off itineraries at least through April 2028, about 10 months longer than the previous closure. The line also confirmed that Icon of the Seas will move to Galveston, Texas, in 2027, and three of its ships have now reached their new Asia-Pacific homeports.
Labadee closure extended
The earlier closure, announced in July 2026, ran through June 2027. Cruise Hive reports that dozens of sailings on nine ships are affected: Adventure, Allure, Explorer, Freedom, Harmony, Independence, Serenade, Star and Symphony of the Seas. Replacement ports depend on berth availability, route and sailing length. Two examples from guest notices:
| Ship and sailing | Change |
|---|---|
| Allure of the Seas, July 18, 2027, 6-night Caribbean from Miami | Nassau, Bahamas replaces Labadee; a sea day moves |
| Allure of the Seas, February 6, 2028, 7-night voyage | San Juan, Puerto Rico replaces Labadee; the Samana call moves a day later |
Guests posting online have mentioned Grand Turk, Amber Cove, Cozumel, Samana and extra sea days as substitutes, but Cruise Hive did not confirm those reports. No compensation or refund policy was given in the coverage (TBA).
Icon of the Seas to Galveston
On Royal Caribbean Group’s third-quarter earnings call, Michael Bayley said Icon of the Seas will become the first Icon-class ship based in Galveston. It moves from Miami in 2027, when Hero of the Seas takes over the seven-night Miami program; an exact date is TBA. Bayley tied the move to future Western Caribbean plans in Mahahual and Cozumel, Mexico (dates TBA). He also said groundbreaking for the Royal Beach Club at Lelepa, Vanuatu is set for November, and that the line will have three ships in Australia in 2027 and four in 2028.
Three ships reach new homeports
| Ship | Arrived | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Quantum of the Seas | Brisbane, October 22, 2026 (26-night transpacific from Los Angeles) | 28 sailings of 3–9 nights; leaves Australia April 11, 2027 for Seattle and Alaska, then sails from Singapore at least until March 2028 |
| Anthem of the Seas | Sydney, October 30, 2026 (via Vancouver and Honolulu) | 21 sailings of 3–9 nights plus some 12-night New Zealand trips; back to North America in May 2027 and to Sydney in October 2027 |
| Navigator of the Seas | Singapore, October 29, 2026 | 2–12 nights to Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam through October 2027; a 12-night Singapore–Tokyo trip on October 15, 2027, then 17 nights to Los Angeles, where it will sail Mexico cruises |
What it means for airline travelers
- Booked on one of the nine ships? Check your reservation for a revised itinerary, and cancel or rebook any Labadee excursions. The line has not said whether compensation applies, so ask the line or your travel advisor.
- Galveston gets the biggest ship class in 2027. Galveston cruises are served by Houston’s two airports, Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and Hobby (HOU). Plan to fly in the day before, especially if you are flying standby.
- Australia and Singapore sailings mean long-haul flights. For Brisbane (BNE), Sydney (SYD) or Singapore (SIN), arrive at least a day or two early; standby seats on long-haul routes can be hard to get.
- Navigator’s 2027 move: the Tokyo–Los Angeles crossing ends in LA, so plan a one-way flight home.
- No travel-industry or interline rates were mentioned.
Sources
- Cruise Hive — Royal Caribbean Extends Labadee Closure Through April 2028
- Cruise Industry News — Bayley Expects the Icon of the Seas to Thrive in Galveston
- Cruise Hive — Three Royal Caribbean Ships Reach Homeports After Long Repositioning Voyages
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