Key Aspects:
If you thought the Caribbean was already packed with cruises, Royal Caribbean is ready to prove there’s more on the way. The cruise line has unveiled its 2027-28 schedule and hints that even more island-hopping options are coming.
The new deployment covers 13 ships sailing from a wide stretch of homeports, including Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, New Orleans, San Juan, Cartagena, and Colon, Panama.
It also confirms how Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Legend of the Seas, will transition into the Caribbean after its European debut.
In announcing the schedule, Royal Caribbean highlighted a range of choices built around its growing portfolio of private destinations, including Perfect Day at CocoCay, the new Royal Beach Clubs in Nassau and Cozumel, and Perfect Day Mexico, scheduled to open in late 2027, with a specific opening date to be announced in 2026.
That destination joins the newly added Port Samaná in the Dominican Republic, which appears throughout the lineup as a gateway to beaches, waterfalls, and inland excursions.
Legend of the Seas, which debuted in July 2026 in the Mediterranean, will make its Caribbean debut from Fort Lauderdale in November 2026, and the new deployment reveals the vessel will continue to provide Caribbean voyages in November 2027 into 2028.
The Icon Class ship will sail 6- and 8-night itineraries to Southern and Western Caribbean ports, including Perfect Day at CocoCay; Royal Beach Club Cozumel; Willemstad, Curacao; and Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic.
Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members are now able to book before reservations open to everyone on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
The 2027-28 Season
Royal Caribbean’s 2027-28 deployment stretches across nearly every major Caribbean gateway, with ships visiting the region’s highest-traffic cruise gateways.
Port Canaveral
Port Canaveral, now the world’s busiest cruise port, serves as a major starting point.
Adventure of the Seas will begin sailing there in April 2027 and will remain throughout both summer and winter with itineraries ranging from short 4- and 5-night trips to longer 9-night routes.
Calls will include Ocho Rios, Jamaica; St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; and Cartagena, Colombia.
PortMiami
PortMiami, the second-busiest cruise port, will welcome Freedom of the Seas in April 2027, offering 4-, 5-, 7-, and 9-night itineraries to Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Cozumel, and Costa Maya, Mexico.
Independence of the Seas joins Miami’s lineup in November 2027, running 4- to 8-night Eastern and Western Caribbean routes that reach George Town, Cayman Islands; Tortola in the British Virgin Islands; Falmouth, Jamaica; and Puerto Plata.
Port Everglades
Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, which smashed its own passenger records, will be home to several Royal Caribbean ships, beginning with Jewel of the Seas in April 2027.
It will sail 3- and 4-night itineraries to Key West and Nassau, Bahamas, through November.
Allure of the Seas will begin its 2027-28 season in Fort Lauderdale in May 2027, offering 6- and 8-night trips to Curacao, Jamaica, and Bonaire, before relocating to PortMiami in November 2027, at which point it will sail 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean routes through ports like Samaná, St, Maarten, and Labadee, Haiti.
Replacing Allure of the Seas in November will be Explorer of the Seas with its own 6- to 8-night sailings to Jamaica, St. Johns, St. Kitts, and Puerto Plata, while Oasis of the Seas joins the same month to provide short itineraries to Key West and Nassau.
Ports Outside of Florida
Outside South Florida, additional homeports support the fleet with both Enchantment of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas scheduled to operate from Tampa in April and November, respectively. Both will enjoy 7-night routes to Belize and Cozumel.
Grandeur of the Seas, meanwhile, will set sail from San Juan in May 2027 to Bridgetown, Barbados; Roseau, Dominica; and St. Maarten before repositioning in December 2027 to Colón and Cartagena for 7-night ABC island itineraries.
The Puerto Rican port will then welcome Rhapsody of the Seas in November 2027 for 6- and 8-night routes that include St. Vincent, Antigua, Castries, St. Lucia; and St. Kitts.
New Orleans will also play a role in the schedule beginning in November 2027 when Mariner of the Seas returns from Europe to operate 6- to 9-night Western Caribbean itineraries.
