Key Aspects:
- Royal Caribbean is expanding its Asia-Pacific season for 2027-2028 with a total of four ships.
- Anthem, Ovation, Voyager, and Navigator of the Seas will all offer cruises from various Australian and Asian homeports.
- Sailings range from 2-13 nights depending on ship and sailing date, giving guests plenty of options to choose from.
The Asian and Australian cruise markets are sailing full speed ahead and Royal Caribbean is taking advantage of that interest by expanding its 2027-2028 Asia-Pacific season with three ships: Ovation of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, and Navigator of the Seas, in addition to the previously planned season for Anthem of the Seas.
First, Ovation of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas will be offering more sailings from Brisbane and Sydney. Beginning in November 2027, the 4,180-guest Ovation of the Seas will be sailing 3- to 8-night itineraries that will not only visit top destinations in Australia and the South Pacific, but will do so with all the vessel’s newly amplified upgrades from her April 2026 dry dock.
Those updates include renovations to the pool deck and the addition of the Splashaway Bay children’s area, new dining with Izumi Teppanyaki and Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, the new Pesky Parrot tropically-themed cocktail bar, and expanded casino space.
Voyager of the Seas will also be offering sailings from Brisbane from October 2027 through December 2027, before she repositions to Sydney for even more itinerary options, including special holiday sailings to New Zealand.
The 4,180-guest Anthem of the Seas has already been planned to sail from Sydney, offering cruises ranging from 4-13 nights with port visits to destinations in Vanuatu, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and more, including the new private destination on Lelepa Island.
Cruise Hive has previously reported on that new Royal Beach Club Vanuatu location, scheduled to open in October 2027 with emphasis on pristine beach days and connections to nature.
More Sailings in Asia
In January 2028, Voyager of the Seas will reposition to Asia to offer 4- and 5- night departures from Singapore and Hong Kong. Select sailings include overnight stays to give guests the opportunity to really immerse themselves in local nightlife and natural beauty.
Just in time for cherry blossom season, the 3,114-guest ship will then head to Tokyo for a series of four 10- to 12-night sailings that include Osaka, Nagasaki, Kobe, and Shimizu as port destinations.
Navigator of the Seas will also be remaining at her Singapore homeport longer than previously planned following her inaugural season from the city.
Instead of returning to southern California in May 2027, the ship will remain in Singapore through October 2027 with 2- to 5-night sailings to ports in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand.
One special voyage is the 12-night itinerary from Tokyo to Singapore that departs Japan on October 18, 2026 to bring the 3,376-guest ship to her new homeport, stopping at ports in Japan, South Korea, China, and Vietnam along the way.
Return to Asia Not Unexpected
It is not surprising that Royal Caribbean is amping up offerings in Australia and Asia. Following the pandemic and industry-wide cruise shutdown in 2020 and 2021, cruises were dramatically curtailed in both regions due to strict reopening requirements.
In recent years, those requirements have eased and tourism in the region has been renewed. This includes cruising, and many guests are eager to set sail in regions that had previously been much more limited.
Royal Caribbean is especially investing in the sailing region with these new deployments and the development of Royal Beach Club Vanuatu, Royal Caribbean’s first-ever private destination in the South Pacific.
