Itineraries offered by the new Celebrity River Cruises brand will open for sale on September 25, 2025, offering cruises on the Rhine and Danube rivers in 2027.
An earlier promotion, Priority Booking Access, indicated high demand for the river product, with the early access offer selling out in minutes on the day it became available.
The line’s first two ships, Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, will eventually be part of a 10-ship fleet operated by the river brand.
Demand is soaring for voyages aboard the first two ships, Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, in the new Celebrity River Cruises brand, an offshoot of blue-water line Celebrity Cruises.
The river cruise brand will open all remaining inventory on 33 voyages on the Rhine and Danube in 2027 on September 25, 2025, following a Priority Booking Access offer that began on September 3, 2025.
Under that limited offer, guests were invited to place a refundable $500 deposit that could be converted into a reservation once bookings opened on the roster of 7-night sailings.
“We are thrilled to open the remaining inventory on 2027 Celebrity River Cruises sailings, following Priority Booking Access selling out earlier this month in just six minutes,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises.
“The response to the innovative design and unmatched experience Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker will deliver has been overwhelmingly positive,” added Hodges Bethge.
Celebrity River Cruises, a unit of Royal Caribbean Group, which also owns Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Silversea Cruises, ultimately will have a 10-ship fleet.
The ships will initially operate 7-night voyages on the two rivers. Cruises will sail between Vienna and Budapest, and from Budapest to Nuremberg for the Christmas market season in late 2027.
Also, Rhine itineraries will take guests to destinations such as Basel, Switzerland, Strasbourg, France, and Amsterdam.
Detailed itineraries will be available on the line’s website on the day bookings officially open.
The river brand was unveiled in January 2025, after feedback from Celebrity Cruises’ guests revealed that roughly half of them had taken or plan to take a river cruise.
Indeed, the river cruise market has grown at a robust annual rate of between 10% and 15% during the past 10 years, according to Cruise Lines International Association.
The niche market offers small ships, typically topping out at 220 guests, providing an intimate atmosphere and a mostly adult demographic. Also, river ships generally experience calm waters compared to sailing on the open ocean.
Ships’ Design Will Feature Edge-Class Inspirations
Celebrity River Cruises’ ships are poised to set new design standards in the river cruise space, including, for example, open decks, which are currently not seen on river vessels except for the top deck.
Some venues planned for the river ships are inspired by Celebrity Cruises’ popular Edge-class ocean ships, including the cantilevered Magic Carpet space. On the river vessels, a similar cantilevered “dining pod” will be called Magic Edge.
Celebrity Cruises River Ship
The top decks of the river ships will feature an alfresco dining venue and a plunge pool, and guests will have a choice of eight restaurants and bars. This is a big departure from traditional river vessels, which typically have just one main dining room and lounge.
Another pioneering service for the river cruise market is all-day dining, also not found on other river lines. Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker will offer five stateroom categories.
The new river cruise line will mirror existing river brands when it comes to inclusive amenities and services, as its cruise fares will include all meals and drinks, WiFi access, and a shore excursion in each port call.
Itineraries of the Celebrity ships will offer pre- and post-cruise land stays in Prague and Budapest.
Prank ducks hidden aboard Carnival ships promising a free drink are false and will not be honored by bartenders or wait staff.
While Carnival Cruise Line does not ban cruising ducks, it is possible that such bad faith “jokes” could lead to a ban if they get out of control.
The bedazzled Effy ducks that were used for prize giveaways were from the jewelry retailer and not from the cruise line.
Cruising ducks can be a bit of harmless fun onboard, both hiding and searching for the coveted little quackers. But some ducks now being found on Carnival cruisers are causing trouble for guests and crew members.
The issue has come to the attention of John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador. In some cases, it has raised so much concern that he has called out the practice and is urging guests to stop.
But what is wrong with simple duck hide-and-seek? It isn’t the ducks themselves, but a message hidden with them that is the problem.
The problematic ducks come with what appears to be an “official” tag, including the Carnival Cruise Line whale tail logo, and offer guests a prize that doesn’t exist.
“Congratulations! You have found one of our ducks! 1 free drink redeemable at the casino bar! Thank you for sailing with Carnival!”the tag reads.
Unfortunately, this is not an official promotion from Carnival Cruise Line, nor are ducks sporting these labels able to offer free drinks in this way.
“Please, whoever is doing this STOP. It is not fair on the guest and it is not fair on the bartenders and bar servers who have to be the ones to say ‘sorry, there is no free drink,'”Heald explained.
It’s understandable that a guest who finds such a duck might be excited at the prospect of a free drink. But this is fake and puts both the guest and the bartender who has to deny the prize into very awkward and unpleasant situations.
“If you find one of these, well, unfortunately, you have been pranked,”Heald confirmed.“We apologize because it isn’t very funny. These ducks were brought on board by other guests and any promotion or offer you may see on them is not valid. For Duck’s sake, please stop doing this.”
It is possible, however, that if such pranks continue, that may change. This could become a case of one-bad-apple-spoils-the-bunch and if inappropriate ducks start flocking to Carnival ships, the entire activity could be discontinued.
Some commenters even think this may be the deliberate intent of the prank ducks.
“Looks like a group or a person who doesn’t like the ducks and wants it canceled through the cruise line. That’s outrageous to do that,”one guest noted.
Another guest thinks it would be a great comeback if Carnival were able to track the person hiding these prank ducks, then charge them for the “free” drinks they’ve offered.
It is possible that official policies could be implemented if ducks start causing problems. On Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Icon-class ships, for example, ducks are now banned in the Central Park area due to damage from over-eager duck seekers.
Are Prize Ducks a Thing?
While Carnival Cruise Line has never offered prize-oriented ducks, it’s an interesting idea and one that has, in fact, been seen onboard Carnival ships, but not from the cruise line itself.
Effy Jewelry has previously hidden blinged-out ducks onboard ships as a prize giveaway. Guests who found the glittery gadwalls (a type of duck!) could return them to the onboard Effy store for a prize.
The jewelry retailer is not, however, owned or operated by Carnival Cruise Line. Their bedazzled ducks were a limited time promotion and independent from cruise operations.
It might be neat if a cruise line were to embrace the duck trend fully and award prizes for special, well-hidden ducks. Free drinks, onboard credit, a free photo, or even a ship-on-a-stick could all be good prizes.
For the time being, however, Carnival guests will have to be mindful that no such official promotions exist. Instead, they may want to watch out for Ducky and have a souvenir selfie with the feathered crew member instead.
Norwegian Escape is experiencing a technical issue impacting her speed and will be several hours late returning to New York on Wednesday, September 24.
This will not only delay debarkation, but also delays embarkation for the next departure, a 5-night Bermuda cruise. Embarkation will now be from 4-8 p.m.
At this time, there is no change to the ship’s next itinerary, but further details may be made available to guests after embarkation.
Norwegian Escape has enjoyed a good visit to Bermuda for her 5-night, September 19 sailing, despite the looming presence of Hurricane Gabrielle (which missed the island by a good margin). Now, however, the ship has encountered different difficulties.
As she returns to New York, a technical issue is impacting the ship’s overall speed and she cannot keep up the appropriate pace for an on-time arrival. This now means the vessel will not be debarking on Wednesday morning as expected.
Satellite tracking currently shows Norwegian Escape making approximately 16 knots (18 miles per hour). The ship’s typical top speed is 23 knots (26 mph).
Norwegian Cruise Line informed guests of the delayed arrival and how it will impact their post-cruise plans.
“Norwegian Escape is now expected to arrive in New York at approximately 2:00 p.m.,”the notification said.“We understand how important timely travel plans are and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Typically, Norwegian Escape would arrive and dock before 7 a.m., with debarkation beginning between 7:30-8:30 a.m. once all customs and security clearances are received.
To help guests adjust how they return home following the now-somewhat-longer sailing, both phone lines and internet access onboard have been opened so guests can adjust their plans.
If guests purchased flights through Norwegian Cruise Line, those plans will be updated for the ship’s new arrival time and confirmed to individual guests. Airport transfers for those flights will be likewise adjusted.
Guests who have independent airfare arrangements will need to contact their airline for rescheduling. The cruise line is advising that guests opt for flights after 7:30 p.m. to ensure plenty of time for debarkation and reaching the airport.
Norwegian Cruise Line will also provide up to $300 (USD) reimbursement for any non-refundable or not-covered airline change or cancellation fees. Receipts must be submitted for reimbursement consideration.
If guests only purchased airport transfers (not along with airfare), those transfers have been automatically cancelled and will be fully refunded. Those guests will need to make alternative arrangements to head for the airport after debarkation on Wednesday afternoon.
Embarkation for Next Cruise Delayed
Because of Norwegian Escape‘s late arrival, it follows that the next cruise will be similarly delayed for embarkation. That is the ship’s September 24, 2025 departure, also a 5-night Bermuda sailing.
The cruise line has alerted booked guests to the change, noting that embarkation will now begin at 4 p.m., more than four hours later than typical.
“To help ensure a smooth embarkation, we kindly ask all guests to arrive between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.,”the cruise line said.“Please note that the terminal will not be open for guest arrivals before 4:00 p.m., and early arrivals will be turned away.”
Norwegian Escape Departing New York (Photo Credit: Mariusz Lopusiewicz)
If arriving guests purchased transfers from the airport to the cruise terminal, those transfers will remain on the original schedule. Porters will be on hand to assist with luggage, then guests will be able to enjoy extra time in Manhattan before check-in begins at 4 p.m.
The Manhattan Cruise Terminal is just a mile from Central Park and there are many, many amazing attractions to explore in the near vicinity, including Rockefeller Center, the Museum of Modern Art, and Times Square.
If guests have booked pre-cruise hotel accommodations through Norwegian Cruise Line, their transfers will now depart at 4 p.m. in line with the new embarkation timing.
To be clear, the “technical issue” is only affecting the ship’s speed. There is no impact to the ship’s safety, navigational systems, or onboard operations.
A similar issue impacted Norwegian Getaway in May 2024, also while sailing from New York. Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Getaway are sister ships in the cruise line’s Breakaway class.
At this time, there is no change to Norwegian Escape‘s next itinerary. If the schedule changes, guests will be notified onboard.
A guest required a medical airlift evacuation from Carnival Venezia on Monday night, September 22, 2025.
The ship was approximately 30 miles offshore when the emergency call was made and the USCG successfully evacuated the guest.
Carnival Venezia has had several notable medical evacuations over the past two years, including incidents on embarkation day as well as long-distance rescue operations.
A guest aboard Carnival Venezia had a much shorter cruise than expected, but thankfully, was able to receive critical help with a Coast Guard evacuation shortly after the ship departed New York on Monday, September 22, 2025.
According to NJ.com, the incident happened at approximately 10 p.m. while the ship was roughly 30 miles off the coast of Atlantic City, New Jersey.
While the nature of the medical emergency has not been disclosed, Carnival Cruise Line did confirm the evacuation.
“Carnival Venezia’s team assisted in the medical evacuation of a guest in need of care on land overnight, following the ship’s Monday afternoon departure from New York,”a statement read.
“The transfer, via helicopter, was completed successfully near Atlantic City, N.J., and the ship resumed sailing with no impact to its nine-day Caribbean cruise itinerary.”
Satellite tracking data also shows how the ship’s route was altered as Carnival Venezia turned back toward the coast to meet up with the rescue team more quickly.
This is a standard operational maneuver when airlifts are underway and can help ensure that those in distress receive medical attention as soon as possible.
NJ | ATLANTIC CITY |**TECHNICAL RESCUE**| ATLANTIC OCEAN | CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP VENEZIA REQUEST MEDEVAC FOR A SERIOUS AIDED WITH MEDICAL ISSUES USCG. ENRTE | NY01
— Nationwide Emergency and Notification Alerts (@NENA_Alerts) September 23, 2025
The US Coast Guard (USCG) medical evacuation team arrived at the ship at approximately 11:35 p.m. The operation was handled with professionalism and care, and the guest was transferred to a hospital in Atlantic City.
The guest’s name and medical condition has not been disclosed in accordance with privacy protections. Undoubtedly, Carnival Cruise Line’s onboard Care Team is offering whatever assistance is possible to family members and traveling companions still aboard Carnival Venezia.
The 9-night sailing is an Eastern Caribbean itinerary with visits to St. Thomas (Friday, September 26), San Juan (Saturday, September 27), and Grand Turk (Sunday, September 28). Carnival Venezia will return to the Big Apple on Wednesday, October 1.
Medical Evacuations for Many Reasons
While cruise ships are equipped with updated Medical Centers, the limited space and possible need for specialist care means that more severe medical episodes cannot always be handled onboard.
This might include incidents such as a severely broken leg or other accidental injury as well as emergency situations such as heart attacks, strokes, or seizures.
In some cases, a patient’s other health concerns might make it inadvisable to continue care onboard in case of further complications, and a transfer to a full medical facility is essential.
Coast Guard helicopter (Photo Credit: Trevor Howard Jones)
This is not the first time a medical evacuation has happened from Carnival Venezia just hours after the ship set sail. In August 2024, an elderly guest experienced a medical emergency at roughly 8 p.m. on embarkation day, necessitating a USCG airlift evacuation.
In October 2024, there was another medical evacuation from the ship. This event was two days into the Eastern Caribbean sailing from New York when the ship was almost 100 miles offshore of North Carolina.
In that incident, the ship was more than 400 miles from shore, requiring special response aircraft that could accommodate that distance for the rescue operation.
That particular emergency rescue involved 12-year-old Aiden Parker, who ultimately spent a month in the hospital recovering. Several months later, he was able to reunite via video call with the ship’s physician who saved his life.
All cruise guests should be grateful for the unflinching and unwavering service of emergency rescue personnel who step up so bravely whenever assistance is necessary.
Unlike other forms of research, reviews are largely subjective. They are based on opinions of how good or bad the experience was, rather than irrefutable facts.
For example, one cruiser may love the standard fare in the main dining room while another guest despises the menu.
As a third example, people are always mixed on cruise ship waterslides and if they are too thrilling, not thrilling enough, or just right.
Even what someone considers as too big or too small of a space, such as when speaking to cruise cabins, is a matter of opinion.
While I could go on forever with listing different examples of where cruisers might disagree, the key takeaway here is that reviews are subjective and not everyone will like or dislike the same things.
Everyone is Looking for Something Different
Related to being subjective, every cruiser and travel party is different and will therefore be looking for something different onboard.
For example, an adult couple embarking on a romantic getaway may be looking for a more relaxing experience onboard with spa treatments and no shortage of fine dining.
Because of what this couple is looking for, they may have a better time on an adults-only cruise line like Virgin Voyages than on a more family-friendly ship from brands like Disney Cruise Line or Carnival Cruise Line.
Meanwhile, families will likely have a better time on cruise ships that feature amenities for kids, such as water parks and big kids’ clubs.
Kids Pool on Oasis of the Seas (Photo Credit: Solarisys)
When I cruised with my parents as a kid, I was always happiest when we sailed with Disney Cruise Line.
I felt there was the most for me to do onboard Disney’s fleet between waterslides, the interactive kids’ clubs, the family-friendly Broadway-style shows, and character meet-and-greets.
Of course, another child could have disagreed with me and preferred the family-oriented amenities on another cruise line.
But when they return home, their instinct won’t be to go post about their vacation online.
The people who do write cruise ship reviews usually do so out of extreme anger or extreme joy, and the former are more likely to start typing first.
Photo Credit: GSPhotography / Shutterstock.com
And as unhappy cruisers are more likely to try to spread the word, it’s possible that you may find an abundance of bad reviews that make the experience onboard look worse than it is.
For example, titling a video with something like, “I went on the worst cruise ship in America” will get a lot more engagement than a video titled, “here is my perfectly enjoyable cruise experience.”
There are Two Sides to Every Story
Cruise reviewers can sometimes be unreliable narrators.
They will tell you their side of the story, while the cruise line may have a different version of the story, and the truth is usually somewhere in the middle.
Of course, there are sometimes situations where things don’t go to plan or an interaction with a crew member rubs a guest the wrong way – and it’s okay to feel disappointed.
However, some people will take their stories to social media, Reddit, or other review sites to complain and look for sympathy, often leaving out key reasons for why they didn’t get their way.
Norwegian Aqua Hallway (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)
For example, I once saw a former guest (who shall remain nameless) complain on Facebook that she was unjustly confined to her cruise cabin with no compensation.
About two hours later, I returned to the thread and saw that another passenger had posted a video of the woman appearing heavily intoxicated and climbing deck railings while insulting security team members who were asking her to stop for her own safety.
In her post, she failed to mention how her behavior led the crew members to take action to protect her and others onboard. Instead, she wrote that the crew members just “didn’t want her to have fun.”
Of course, this is an extreme example. But I have seen countless posts where former passengers were upset about not getting their way and the reason was due to a very valid policy.
Not All Complaints are the Same
Before making a decision about cruise ship reviews, and particularly negative reviews, consider the importance of the complaint.
No cruise ship is perfect, and there are times when things do go wrong.
Someone who is frustrated because a crew member was legitimately rude to them or because their cruise cabin flooded definitely has a right to feel upset.
Cruise Ship’s Guest Services Desk (Photo Credit: steve estvanik)
However, we see a lot of ridiculous complaints in the cruise news industry, such as raging over the type of butter in the main dining rooms to wanting everyone to stop hunting for cruising ducks because one person doesn’t like the game.
I’ve also seen plenty of people rate a cruise ship poorly because they encountered bad weather during their sailing, which, believe it or not, the cruise line has no control over.
People like this may bring down a vessel’s star rating on review sites, but not always for the most valid of reasons.
Things Change All the Time
Especially when you are looking at older reviews, keep in mind that things may have changed onboard.
Cruise ships go to dry dock at least once every two to five years, which is when big refurbishments can be completed.
The cruise lines are constantly looking for ways to innovate and enhance the experience onboard, so amenities that might have previously been missing or problematic may now be available and/or fixed by the time you would be sailing.
For example, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Pearl will be going to dry dock near the end of 2025 and will be returning to service with a whole new venue: The popular Vibe Beach Club.
Similarly, Carnival Liberty returned from its 2025 dry dock visit with a whole new bar and aqua park onboard, as well as a redesigned mini golf course.
The Research You Should Be Doing
If you are going to read cruise ship reviews, they should only be a small part of your research.
Try to read a lot of reviews from different sources so that you can look for overall patterns and trends in the responses rather than relying on what may just be a couple of outliers.
But as an avid cruiser who has been on more than a dozen sailings, I sometimes don’t even read reviews at all. Shocking, I know!
Instead, I like to focus on the facts to see if a specific cruise ship is the right choice or not for my next vacation.
For example, I like to look at different cabin types and configurations to see what would suit my group best.
I also look into the entertainment and amenities onboard. I like a little extra thrill, so I prefer ships that don’t just have swimming pools and spas, but also waterslides and other experiences.
These days, some cruise ships have rock walls, ice skating rinks, escape rooms, ziplines, and even rollercoasters at sea.
Families may also want to look into kid-specific venues, such as if a ship has onboard kids’ clubs, its hours, if reservations are required, and what activities their child might do there.
You can also look into a ship’s statistics, such as when it was built and its size, including gross tons, the number of passenger decks, and guest capacity.
And perhaps most importantly, I do the math to see if the experience I would want to have onboard fits into my budget.
I factor in the cruise fare along with add-ons like specialty dining, onboard packages, and spa treatments to see if a specific ship or cruise line makes sense for me to book from a financial standpoint.
But as long as you focus on factual research while keeping your specific travel party’s needs and wants and mind, your next cruise vacation will surely be one to remember.
A Carnival guest has complained that crew members would not carry their mobility scooter onto a tender boat in Belize – while they were sitting on it.
Safety and liability restrictions prohibit crew members from lifting guests for any reason but they can help with getting equipment on and off water shuttles.
Not all tender ports may be accessible to all guests and weather conditions and wave movements can create further accessibility complications.
As travelers get older and may develop mobility issues, there’s no reason to stop cruising. Cruise guests are welcome to bring canes, walkers, wheelchairs, and scooters onboard and crew members will be as accommodating as possible for everyone to fully enjoy their cruise vacation.
There are some things that crew members simply cannot do, however. What is more astonishing is that one guest might have expected this type of service: being carried while in their scooter.
The frustrated guest shared their complaint with John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador. While Heald is not without compassion for the guest’s needs, some steps aren’t possible.
“I was responding to a complaint from someone today. They were disappointed and upset that the crew would not carry the mobility scooter down the steps into the tender to get to Belize,”he explained.
“While the wonderful crewmembers will carry the scooter into the tender we cannot do so for obvious liability and safety reasons if the person is still sitting on it.”
Heald goes on to note that he would have thought such a restriction to be obvious, but apparently it was not, at least to that particular guest.
To other commenters, the situation was clearly obvious.
“The fact that you even have to address this is ridiculous but I guess it goes right along with the labels we have to put on things like caution contents may be hot and don’t eat the laundry detergent pods,”one guest colorfully noted.
The ship or the date of the port visit to Belize was not revealed, but several Carnival cruise ships have visited the Western Caribbean nation recently. Carnival Magic, Carnival Dream, Carnival Paradise, and Carnival Liberty have all visited just this month.
Crew members are happy to assist guests as much as possible, but lifting a scooter with a person still sitting on it is simply not an option.
Depending on the individual and the type of scooter, this could be a combined weight of several hundred pounds, which would require several crew members to safely lift.
Between the potential weight, narrow gangways, and the bobbing motion of a tender boat against the side of the cruise ship, it would be impossible for such a maneuver to be managed without unacceptable risks.
Carnival Cruise Line Scooter Policy (Photo Credits: sallystap & Veja)
Carnival Cruise Line’s policy on water shuttles is very explicit that crew members cannot carry guests.
“Safety restrictions prohibit crew from carrying individuals on or off water shuttles,”the cruise line states.
Crew members will certainly extend a helping hand to assist anyone on a moving gangway, and they are close by to react to any emergency situations immediately.
Are Tender Ports Accessible for Mobility Scooters?
Carnival does note that not every tender port may be fully accessible for guests with mobility limitations.
“Whether guests with mobility limitations can board a water shuttle is subject to numerous factors, including weather and tidal conditions, which may affect the transfer from one moving vessel to another,”the policy explains.
“Also, facilities in ports vary and, therefore, certain water shuttles may not be accessible to individuals using wheelchairs, scooters and other mobility devices.”
Ultimately, the ship’s captain makes the final decision about whether or not any guest, with or without a mobility scooter, may board a water shuttle.
Guests should also be aware that Carnival Cruise Line ships are not registered in the United States, and therefore are not obligated to follow every provision of the Americans With Disabilities (ADA) Act.
While the cruise line certainly does take tremendous steps to minimize barriers and ensure the best accessibility onboard their ships, cruise ports are foreign ports of call and are also not bound to US legislation and guidelines.
Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas has revised the itinerary of one of her earliest voyages, departing on August 2, 2026, to swap out Florence, Italy, for Marseille, France.
One of the first itineraries that Royal Caribbean’s new-build Legend of the Seas will sail after she debuts in July 2026 has been altered, booked guests have learned, and while the revision is limited, it removes an extremely popular port call — Florence, Italy.
The altered voyage sails roundtrip from Barcelona on August 2, 2026. In its notice to guests, the cruise line revealed that the ship will call at Marseille, France, rather than La Spezia, the port for Florence and Pisa, on Day 3 of the cruise.
“Our ship will be unable to safely dock in Florence/Piza (La Spezia); so as a result we’ll now enjoy a Sea Day instead,” the notice to booked guests explained.
“While we won’t be able to visit [Florence] on this sailing, we’ve added a new destination to our itinerary! We’ll now visit Provence (Marseille), France, on Day 3 instead,” it added.
Additionally, the cruise line stated that the time in port at Palma de Mallorca, Spain, would be adjusted to a 7 a.m. arrival and a 5 p.m. departure.
The new itinerary currently has the ship calling at Palma de Mallorca on Day 2, followed by Marseille on Day 3. After the new at-sea day, the ship will visit Rome and Naples, and enjoy another sea day before returning to Barcelona.
These changes followed an earlier, major announcement that the 250,800-gross-ton ship would enter service early, three weeks before her original launch date.
On September 18, 2025, Royal Caribbean introduced three new 7-night preview sailings — on July 11, 18, and 25, 2026, that Legend of the Seas will operate thanks to her ahead-of-schedule construction process. It means that the maiden cruise is now departing on July 11, 2026.
New Inaugural Voyage to Sail Roundtrip From Rome
The new maiden voyage aboard Legend of the Seas operates roundtrip from Rome on July 11, 2026, with port calls to Naples, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and Marseille.
As a courtesy, guests who were booked on the original maiden voyage, August 2, 2026, were invited to switch their reservation to one of the earlier cruises.
Suite guests have until September 24, 2025 to move their reservation to July 11, 2026 and receive price protection on the cruise fare they paid. Guests booked in non-suite accommodations can transfer their reservation, but at prevailing cruise rates.
Legend of the Seas at Meyer Turku
All guests who move their booking to either the July 18 or 25, 2026 departures will pay a cruise fare at prevailing rates for the added voyages, and reservations are subject to stateroom or suite availability.
The ship’s July 18, 2026 itinerary visits the same ports as the July 11, 2026 cruise, but the July 25, 2026 sailing is 8 nights, with calls to Naples, and Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, and Malaga, Spain.
Legend of the Seas, which has a capacity for up to 7,600 guests, is under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. The ship reached a construction milestone on August 29, 2025, when she was floated out of her construction bay and touched water for the first time.
The ship, fourth in Royal Caribbean’s Icon class, has entered the outfitting stage, when interior spaces such as accommodations and restaurants are installed, along with technical systems like plumbing and electrical.
Margaritaville at Sea’s newest ship, Beachcomber, will homeport at PortMiami when she begins sailing for the brand in January 2027.
Beachcomber will offer 6- to 8-night Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean voyages from the South Florida port, and sailings are now open for booking.
The ship will join two vessels already operating for the brand: Islander, based at Tampa, and Paradise, homeported in Palm Beach.
The wait is over for Margaritaville at Sea fans eager to learn where the cruise brand’s newest ship will be based when she debuts in 2027: It’s PortMiami, the cruise capital of the world.
The 3,450-guest Beachcomber will begin sailing from the South Florida port in January 2027, joining the cruise line’s two existing ships, Islander and Paradise, operating in the Sunshine State and homeporting in Tampa and Palm Beach, respectively.
The Margaritaville brand, inspired by Jimmy Buffett’s Caribbean-vibe lifestyle, announced in May 2025 that it planned to expand its fleet to three vessels. It intends to buy Beachcomber from Costa Cruises, where the vessel currently sails as Costa Fortuna, in September 2026.
After a renovation to add various Margaritaville elements, the ship will begin sailing on January 9, 2027 — the date of Beachcomber’s first published cruise, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean voyage.
“In just a few short years, we’ve gone from one ship and one itinerary to three homeports, three distinct ships, and over 25 amazing Ports of Indecision throughout the Caribbean,“ said Christopher Ivy, Chief Executive Officer of Margaritaville at Sea Cruise Line.
“The arrival of Beachcomber in PortMiami is the next big chapter in our growth, giving our guests greater accessibility, more horizons to explore, and more time to unwind,” added Ivy.
Beachcomber’s cruises scheduled through September 2027 are open for booking. The ship will sail 6 to 8—night itineraries to the Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean.
Six-night Bahamas and Western Caribbean cruises call at Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and Freeport, Grand Bahama, while 8-night Southern Caribbean voyages will visit Oranjestad, Aruba, Kralendijk, Bonaire, and Willemstad, Curacao, for example.
Seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises will call at Philipsburg, St. Maarten, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
Another Ship Chooses Cruise Capital of the World
The cruise line chose PortMiami for its easy access from major airports and its reputation as a “traveler-friendly” destination. The port, which handles seven million-plus cruise arrivals each year and hosts ships from every major cruise line, welcomed the deployment of Beachcomber.
“Beachcomber is a fantastic addition to our port, bringing longer itineraries and the brand’s signature spirit of fun and escapism to the Cruise Capital of the World,” said Hydi Webb, Director and CEO of PortMiami.
Margaritaville at Sea (Photo Credit: Margaritaville at Sea)
Following the ship’s refit, Beachcomber will feature 15 new venues along with Margaritaville at Sea favorites, such as the 5 o’Clock Somewhere bar, Hemisphere Dancer, Cheeseburger in Paradise, and License to Chill, all currently offered on Islander and Paradise.
Staterooms will be upgraded, and dining options reimagined, the cruise line’s announcement said, although no details were provided yet.
From Tampa, Islander operates 4- and 7-night Mexico and Western Caribbean cruises while Paradise, in Palm Beach, offers 2- to 4-night getaway cruises to the Bahamas and Key West.
Both ships are currently operating “Sail the Haunted Seas” cruises in September and October 2025, with Halloween-themed activities and venues.
Royal Caribbean confirmed an order for Icon 5, scheduled for delivery in 2028.
The cruise line also extended its partnership with Meyer Turku shipyard through 2036.
The announcement hinted at a possible new class of ship beyond Icon.
Royal Caribbean has locked in the future of its Icon Class fleet, confirming on September 23, 2026, an order for Icon 5 to be delivered in 2028 and extending its partnership with Finland’s Meyer Turku shipyard for another decade.
The announcement means Meyer Turku will be constructing new ships for the Miami-based cruise giant through 2036.
Along with the Icon 5 order, Royal Caribbean revealed it added an option for a seventh Icon ship, building on an existing option for Icon 6.
The Icon Class is the cruise line’s newest and largest series of ships, each carrying more than 5,600 passengers and offering a mix of neighborhoods, entertainment, and technology.
The first vessel, the 248,663-gross-ton Icon of the Seas, debuted in January 2024 and was billed as the world’s largest cruise ship. Star of the Seas, at the same tonnage, joined the fleet in August 2025, and will be followed by Legend of the Seas in the summer of 2026.
The yet-to-be-named Icon 4 is scheduled to arrive in 2027 and with Icon 5, the lineup extends into 2028.
All Icon Class ships have been or will be constructed at Meyer Turku. The shipbuilders have delivered 25 ships to Royal Caribbean since the mid-1990s.
“As we continue to reimagine the future of vacations, we are excited to continue collaborating with Meyer Turku to grow the Icon Class – a first-of-its-kind series that delivers exceptional vacation experiences – and position us to usher in a new era of innovation that will disrupt the vacation sector through 2036,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group.
Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm called the agreement a “common plan for the next decade” and highlighted the recognition it brings to Finland’s shipbuilders.
The agreement paves the way for a new class of ship beyond Icon, although no details have been released.
Orders for Icon 6 and 7 remain conditional on financing, but Royal Caribbean’s plans include nine new ships, as well as seven land-based destinations by 2028.
“This is an exciting time for our company, and we are proud to launch this new stage in our history with our esteemed partners, Meyer Turku, the Finnish government, and the Finnish maritime cluster,” added Liberty.
Royal Caribbean Expanding at Land and Sea
Included in Royal Caribbean’s expansion plans are to grow its land-based destinations. In the Bahamas, the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is scheduled to open in December 2025, transforming a 17-acre site in Nassau into a beach destination.
A second beach club is planned for Cozumel, Mexico, with an opening slated for 2026. Also in Mexico, the company is building Perfect Day Mexico, featuring a massive waterpark and the world’s longest lazy river. That project is scheduled to be complete by fall 2027.
Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas at Meyer Turku
The cruise line is also pushing into the South Pacific with a destination on Lelepa, Vanuatu, expected to open in 2027.
In the meantime, Meyer Turku is busy finishing up Legend of the Seas. On August 29, 2025, Legend of the Seasfloated out of dry dock for the first time.
In fact, construction is moving so quickly on the next Icon Class ship that Royal Caribbean has added earlier sailings into her inaugural season. The first of those will depart July 11, 2026, from Civitavecchia (Rome).
Legend of the Seas’ float out also allowed Meyer Turku to begin keel-laying for Icon 4.
Royal Caribbean is also developing a new Discovery Class. This in-design concept is expected to introduce smaller ships that can reach more intimate ports and will replace the fleet’s aging Vision and Radiance Class vessels.
