Deployment 2025-26 booking season begins

[FamilyCruiserUK]

6 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Meanwhile the average American only gets 11 days of leave and many employers make it difficult to even use them.

Wow i honestly didnt know that. Such crazy work force rules in the states. But yeah short cruises in the uk i think would be more of a explore the ship break and pop across to France, Belgium, Germany and Holland. 

[smokeybandit]

[Saab4444]

33 minutes ago, springaussie said:

I thought Granduer  was in the Alaska deployment? 
Not Serenade.  

They changed it!

[amindu]

4 hours ago, island lady said:

Noticed Alaska 2025 bookings on website early this morning.  Waited for Next Cruise to open here on Wonder, went to sign up, but was told they did not get the "green light" to book them yet.  Whaaaaat??!!   😲

 

Told her, I could book it online myself now if I wanted to, plus I found out the TAs had already been booking it for days now.  How frustrating for her (and me) that their own Next Cruise agents, employed by RCI are the last to be able to book.  IMHO, they should be the first to be able to book.  Yet another strike to RCI in my book.  She did call me 15 minutes later to let me know she got the go ahead.   By then she had a whole page of people waiting to be called to book it.  She told me the Alaska bookings were the most stressful for them as they scramble to book them for their pax signed up on the wait list. 

 

Luckily were on time to book favorite "hump cabin" GS on Radiance B2B.  🥰

 

How do TAs book if the schedule has not been released? I guess how do people even pick before being able to see the itinerary or schedule unless its posted somewhere

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, springaussie said:

I thought Granduer  was in the Alaska deployment? 
Not Serenade.  

 

59 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

They changed it!

Smart thinking on Royal's part, no one wants to take Grandeur to Alaska.

[Saab4444]

4 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

 

Smart thinking on Royal's part, no one wants to take Grandeur to Alaska.

I would. I would also take Grandeur in Europe as she is able to reach smaller nicer ports.

[Jumping Cruiser]

Independence OTS - Southampton 2025 Itineraries

I believe these are the majority of the itineraries for Indy from Southampton in 2025. It’s nice to see them returning to Copenhagen from UK and also calling in Skjolden, Norway. I do think it’s ironic though how they carried out ‘hot’ cruises on Anthem, a cold weather ship, and now are going to run ‘cold’ cruises on Indy, a warm weather ship. But what do we know! 🤔🤷🏼‍♂️

 

12th May 2025: 12-night Canary Islands

Southampton - Cruising - Bilbao - Cruising - Lisbon - Cruising - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria - Santa Cruz, Tenerife - Funchal, Madeira - Cruising - La Coruna - Cruising - Southampton

 

24th May 2025: Spain & Portugal (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon (Overnight) - La Coruna - Cruising - Southampton

 

7th June 2025: Bruges Short Break (2 Nights)

Southampton - Zeebrugge - Southampton 

 

9th June 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

18th June 2025: Bruges Short Break (3 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

21st June 2025: Northern Europe (8 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Oslo, Norway - Copenhagen - Cruising - Hamburg - Rotterdam - Cruising - Southampton

 

29th June 2025: Norwegian Fjords (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Alesund - Molde - Olden - Haugesund - Cruising - Southampton

 

6th July 2025: Spain & Portugal (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

13th July 2025: Norwegian Fjords (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Molde - Skjolden - Olden - Haugesund - Cruising - Southampton

 

20th July 2025: Hamburg & Rotterdam Break (5 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Rotterdam - Cruising - Southampton

 

25th July 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

3rd August 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Bilbao - Cruising - Cadiz - Lisbon - Vigo - La Coruna - Cruising - Southampton

 

12th August 2025: Hamburg & Rotterdam Break

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Rotterdam - Cruising - Southampton

 

17th August 2025: Norwegian Fjords (7 Nights)

Southampton - Zeebrugge - Cruising - Skjolden - olden - Haugesund - Cruising - Southampton

 

24th August 2025: Northern Cities (8 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Cruising - Oslo - Copenhagen - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

1st September 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

10th September 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

19th September 2025: Bruges Short Break (3 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

22nd September 2025: Spain & France (7 Nights)

Southampton - Le Havre - Cruising - Bilbao - La Coruna - Vigo - Cruising - Southampton

 

29th September 2025: Hamburg & Zeebrugge Break (5 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

11th October 2025: Hamburg & Rotterdam Break (5 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Cruising - Rotterdam - Southampton

[Jimbo]

3 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

I would. I would also take Grandeur in Europe as she is able to reach smaller nicer ports.

Probably best to look at other lines with much smaller ships then Royal has if you want new and exciting smaller ports in Europe.

[Shocked91]

I worked at the same company for 26 years. After 10 years we got 7 weeks holiday. The company shut down this October after nearly 100 years. I start a new job soon and will get 5 weeks to start with then after one years full service I will get 33 days.

[Saab4444]

1 minute ago, Jimbo said:

Probably best to look at other lines with much smaller ships then Royal has if you want new and exciting smaller ports in Europe.

We have done this already, only one final cruise on Serenade in Europe next August left! For us cruising is still about seeing nice and new places. If I want just a monster resort or fun park I can have this on land.

[springaussie]

10 hours ago, geoff2802 said:

Anthem to repo via Japan?

With how recent the port booking appeared in Hong Kong I would say via Japan.

Anthem is booked in Hong Kong and Honolulu the same day. 

[PompeySailor]

2 minutes ago, Shocked91 said:

I worked at the same company for 26 years. After 10 years we got 7 weeks holiday. The company shut down this October after nearly 100 years. I start a new job soon and will get 5 weeks to start with then after one years full service I will get 33 days.

When I moved to 🇺🇸 in 2002 one of the stipulations in my contract was to keep my 4 weeks PTO (at a bear minimum)

”Work to live” ✅

 

I would not have accepted the job if it was only 5 days PTO and 10days after 7 years service 🤯

”Live to work” ❌

 

European model of 4 weeks PTO and 34hr week makes for a happier workforce IMO

 

Happy days!

 

 

 

[Saab4444]

45 minutes ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

Independence OTS - Southampton 2025 Itineraries

I believe these are the majority of the itineraries for Indy from Southampton in 2025. It’s nice to see them returning to Copenhagen from UK and also calling in Skjolden, Norway. I do think it’s ironic though how they carried out ‘hot’ cruises on Anthem, a cold weather ship, and now are going to run ‘cold’ cruises on Indy, a warm weather ship. But what do we know! 🤔🤷🏼‍♂️

 

12th May 2025: 12-night Canary Islands

Southampton - Cruising - Bilbao - Cruising - Lisbon - Cruising - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria - Santa Cruz, Tenerife - Funchal, Madeira - Cruising - La Coruna - Cruising - Southampton

 

24th May 2025: Spain & Portugal (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon (Overnight) - La Coruna - Cruising - Southampton

 

7th June 2025: Bruges Short Break (2 Nights)

Southampton - Zeebrugge - Southampton 

 

9th June 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

18th June 2025: Bruges Short Break (3 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

21st June 2025: Northern Europe (8 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Oslo, Norway - Copenhagen - Cruising - Hamburg - Rotterdam - Cruising - Southampton

 

29th June 2025: Norwegian Fjords (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Alesund - Molde - Olden - Haugesund - Cruising - Southampton

 

6th July 2025: Spain & Portugal (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

13th July 2025: Norwegian Fjords (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Molde - Skjolden - Olden - Haugesund - Cruising - Southampton

 

20th July 2025: Hamburg & Rotterdam Break (5 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Rotterdam - Cruising - Southampton

 

25th July 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

3rd August 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Bilbao - Cruising - Cadiz - Lisbon - Vigo - La Coruna - Cruising - Southampton

 

12th August 2025: Hamburg & Rotterdam Break

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Rotterdam - Cruising - Southampton

 

17th August 2025: Norwegian Fjords (7 Nights)

Southampton - Zeebrugge - Cruising - Skjolden - olden - Haugesund - Cruising - Southampton

 

24th August 2025: Northern Cities (8 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Cruising - Oslo - Copenhagen - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

1st September 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

10th September 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

19th September 2025: Bruges Short Break (3 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

22nd September 2025: Spain & France (7 Nights)

Southampton - Le Havre - Cruising - Bilbao - La Coruna - Vigo - Cruising - Southampton

 

29th September 2025: Hamburg & Zeebrugge Break (5 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

11th October 2025: Hamburg & Rotterdam Break (5 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Cruising - Rotterdam - Southampton

Regarding Norway as expected. Flam,Geiranger, Bergen and even Stavanger all gone. Molde might also not happen, they just canceled this nice stop for Anthem in June 24. 

[danv3]

6 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

Regarding Norway as expected. Flam,Geiranger, Bergen and even Stavanger all gone. Molde might also not happen, they just canceled this nice stop for Anthem in June 24. 

 

Many other mainstream lines have those ports scheduled for 2025.  Why would Royal be avoiding them?

 

Fingers crossed for some better fjords itineraries out of Amsterdam.

Edited November 1, 2023 by danv3

[Jumping Cruiser]

8 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

Regarding Norway as expected. Flam,Geiranger, Bergen and even Stavanger all gone. Molde might also not happen, they just canceled this nice stop for Anthem in June 24. 

 

I know, I am scheduled on this cruise! Not too disappointed, but would have been nice.

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Jumping Cruiser

[Saab4444]

34 minutes ago, danv3 said:

 

Many other mainstream lines have those ports scheduled for 2025.  Why would Royal be avoiding them?

 

Fingers crossed for some better fjords itineraries out of Amsterdam.

Only ships with cleaner fuel will go there in 25 and from 26 only zero emission ships.

[danv3]

12 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

Only ships with cleaner fuel will go there in 25 and from 26 only zero emission ships.

 

Oh, OK.  I thought those limitations started in 2026.  Surprising that so many other lines remain willing and able to visit those ports in 2025.  

[sgmn]

2 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

I would. I would also take Grandeur in Europe as she is able to reach smaller nicer ports.

Our first Royal Caribbean cruise,  around the Balearics and mainland Spain, was on Grandeur

[ONECRUISER]

5 hours ago, Scoobydobe7 said:

Sunset Balocnies🤣

Just did a mock booking on the Radiance - July 18, 2025 Alaska

2 people. D+

 

Sunset Balcony (aft)  $10,798

JS Aft (110 or 1602)    $ 7, 352.

Grand Suite               $10,550

 

So, a JS including aft is $3,000+ cheaper than a sunset balcony 😆😆😆

and a Grand Suite is $200.00 cheaper than a Sunset Balcony. 😆😆😆

 

WOW...makes no sense to me....

Not say is here but lot times Pricing is messed up first couple days, inc online cant apply all Discounts. Hoping its same here, hate think this is correct pricing. Haven't seen them this high since 80's

[little britain]

5 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Glad we went to Alaska years ago and got that off our bucket list with the way prices are now.

Glad we did Alaska in the coveted #9256 a few years ago too!! 

[mac_tlc]

5 hours ago, Scoobydobe7 said:

Sunset Balocnies🤣

Just did a mock booking on the Radiance - July 18, 2025 Alaska

2 people. D+

 

Sunset Balcony (aft)  $10,798

JS Aft (110 or 1602)    $ 7, 352.

Grand Suite               $10,550

 

So, a JS including aft is $3,000+ cheaper than a sunset balcony 😆😆😆

and a Grand Suite is $200.00 cheaper than a Sunset Balcony. 😆😆😆

 

WOW...makes no sense to me....

Wow. 

 

We are on the Celebrity Edge in a sunset verandah in August 2024 for about $4,500 for two. And that includes basic WiFi (which I just upgraded for $4/day), classic beverage package (which I upgraded for $7/day), gratuities and $200 OBC. 

 

mac_tlc

[eel]

11 hours ago, RedOaks said:

Radiance and Serenade WB Panama Canal are available for booking 2025.

When will the EB Panama Canal cruises be released for Fall 2025?

[ONECRUISER]

20 minutes ago, eel said:

When will the EB Panama Canal cruises be released for Fall 2025?

Unknown. Last 2yrs I Booked Feb and March when they opened up

[cublet]

11 hours ago, PompeySailor said:

When I moved to 🇺🇸 in 2002 one of the stipulations in my contract was to keep my 4 weeks PTO (at a bear minimum)

”Work to live” ✅

 

I would not have accepted the job if it was only 5 days PTO and 10days after 7 years service 🤯

”Live to work” ❌

 

European model of 4 weeks PTO and 34hr week makes for a happier workforce IMO

 

Happy days!

 

 

 

Hello,

 

I worked for two American petro-chemical companies years ago. The yanks looked enviously at our 4 weeks plus annual holidays (and plus public holidays).

 

However whilst we would book a half-day holiday from our entitlement on a Friday for a get-away, taking a half day on a Friday in the US was an accepted norm and did not come from their holiday entitlement.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[FamilyCruiserUK]

12 hours ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

Independence OTS - Southampton 2025 Itineraries

I believe these are the majority of the itineraries for Indy from Southampton in 2025. It’s nice to see them returning to Copenhagen from UK and also calling in Skjolden, Norway. I do think it’s ironic though how they carried out ‘hot’ cruises on Anthem, a cold weather ship, and now are going to run ‘cold’ cruises on Indy, a warm weather ship. But what do we know! 🤔🤷🏼‍♂️

 

12th May 2025: 12-night Canary Islands

Southampton - Cruising - Bilbao - Cruising - Lisbon - Cruising - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria - Santa Cruz, Tenerife - Funchal, Madeira - Cruising - La Coruna - Cruising - Southampton

 

24th May 2025: Spain & Portugal (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon (Overnight) - La Coruna - Cruising - Southampton

 

7th June 2025: Bruges Short Break (2 Nights)

Southampton - Zeebrugge - Southampton 

 

9th June 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

18th June 2025: Bruges Short Break (3 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

21st June 2025: Northern Europe (8 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Oslo, Norway - Copenhagen - Cruising - Hamburg - Rotterdam - Cruising - Southampton

 

29th June 2025: Norwegian Fjords (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Alesund - Molde - Olden - Haugesund - Cruising - Southampton

 

6th July 2025: Spain & Portugal (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

13th July 2025: Norwegian Fjords (7 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Molde - Skjolden - Olden - Haugesund - Cruising - Southampton

 

20th July 2025: Hamburg & Rotterdam Break (5 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Rotterdam - Cruising - Southampton

 

25th July 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

3rd August 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Bilbao - Cruising - Cadiz - Lisbon - Vigo - La Coruna - Cruising - Southampton

 

12th August 2025: Hamburg & Rotterdam Break

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Rotterdam - Cruising - Southampton

 

17th August 2025: Norwegian Fjords (7 Nights)

Southampton - Zeebrugge - Cruising - Skjolden - olden - Haugesund - Cruising - Southampton

 

24th August 2025: Northern Cities (8 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Cruising - Oslo - Copenhagen - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

1st September 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

10th September 2025: Spanish Flair (9 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Vigo - Lisbon - Cadiz - Cruising - La Coruna - Bilbao - Cruising - Southampton

 

19th September 2025: Bruges Short Break (3 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

22nd September 2025: Spain & France (7 Nights)

Southampton - Le Havre - Cruising - Bilbao - La Coruna - Vigo - Cruising - Southampton

 

29th September 2025: Hamburg & Zeebrugge Break (5 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Cruising - Zeebrugge - Southampton

 

11th October 2025: Hamburg & Rotterdam Break (5 Nights)

Southampton - Cruising - Hamburg - Cruising - Rotterdam - Southampton

A little disappointed with the locations but the spanish flair ones will be good. 

 

Looked at the iceberg website yest and had the two spanish flair ones as £856 pp for an inside room. At one point it said no Graturites required (like MSC & P&O) but now not showing that at the mo.  Will wait to see the released bookings around the 8th.