Deployment 2025-26 booking season begins

[Biker19]

I assume RCI wouldn't do something as drastic as cancel a whole deployment because they rather not go around the Red Sea issue:

Virgin Voyages Cancels 2024-25 Australia Program - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News

 

Biker, who thinks Virgin used that as an excuse and redeployed because they can make more/easier money in the Carib.

[cruiseboy89130]

3 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

I assume RCI wouldn't do something as drastic as cancel a whole deployment because they rather not go around the Red Sea issue:

Virgin Voyages Cancels 2024-25 Australia Program - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News

 

Biker, who thinks Virgin used that as an excuse and redeployed because they can make more/easier money in the Carib.

I still think they will cancel Anthem in Asia!

[cruisin from florida]

6 minutes ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

I still think they will cancel Anthem in Asia!

I hope not! That said, we are double booked right now on the Anthem Singapore-Tokyo-Seattle and a 12 night best of Japan X cruise. We're waiting to see who blinks first.

[pyrateslife4me84]

All of this redeployment talk makes me fearful of ever booking one of the unique itineraries…much safer to book an itinerary that runs again and again 30 times in a row. 

[Garyjames220]

Hi

 

does anyone know when I can book the utopia of the seas

[firefly333]

6 minutes ago, Garyjames220 said:

Hi

 

does anyone know when I can book the utopia of the seas

Now. I've been booked for quite some time. .. maybe you mean a particular date is missing? 

 

I'm going feb 2025. Booked.

[OCSC Mike]

11 minutes ago, Garyjames220 said:

Hi

 

does anyone know when I can book the utopia of the seas

 

New bookings (May 2025-April 2026) are currently scheduled to be released this week (likely tonight) so keep an eye out. You'll also likely see plenty of posts when they're released.

 

EDIT: Just noticed you're in Scotland... so change tonight to possibly more like the middle of the night or early AM for you.

Edited February 27 by OCSC Mike

[Scoobydobe7]

10 minutes ago, Garyjames220 said:

Hi

 

does anyone know when I can book the utopia of the seas

You can book now up to April 2025, hopefully after tonigh/tomorrow you can book up till April 2026

[smokeybandit]

27 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

New bookings (May 2025-April 2026) are currently scheduled to be released this week (likely tonight) so keep an eye out. You'll also likely see plenty of posts when they're released.

 

EDIT: Just noticed you're in Scotland... so change tonight to possibly more like the middle of the night or early AM for you.

Schedule updates have come out about 2-3am GMT, so Scots would be in the middle of the night.

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

6 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Schedule updates have come out about 2-3am GMT, so Scots would be in the middle of the night.

I am in the North of Ireland  so same time zone as Scotland.

 

I will check before bed in 3 hrs and when I get up for my 4am bathroom break!! 🤪 ☘️⚓️

[Tree_skier]

Me waiting for LA departures to be released...

 

[Jumping Cruiser]

Short Caribbean Deployment 2025/26

Some itineraries ahead of tomorrow’s release.

 

Galveston, Texas

Mariner OTS - 4/5 Night Western Caribbean

 

Miami, Florida

Freedom OTS - 3/4/5/6 Night Caribbean

 

 

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Liberty OTS - 3/4 Night Bahamas & PDCC

 

Jewel OTS - 3/4 Night Key West & Bahamas

 

 

Port Canaveral, Florida

Utopia OTS - 3/4 Night Bahamas & PDCC

Edited February 27 by Jumping Cruiser

[andreasfcb]

Your images are broken @Jumping Cruiser. Probably because you dared posting Jewel.

[Jumping Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, andreasfcb said:

Your images are broken @Jumping Cruiser. Probably because you dared posting Jewel.

 

They look fine my end, but should be embedded links anyway. When the image is displayed in large screen, click again and it should take you to the pdf, or at least it does for me.

Edited February 27 by Jumping Cruiser

[Jumping Cruiser]

Los Angeles Deployment 2025/26

As expected, Quantum and Navigator in LA.

 

Navigator OTS - 3 to 8 Night Mexico, Ensenada & Catalina

 

Quantum OTS - 2 to 6 Night Ensenada and Cabo (inc Overnight)

[FionaMG]

12 minutes ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

 

They look fine my end, but should be embedded links anyway. When the image is displayed in large screen, click again and it should take you to the pdf, or at least it does for me.

They look broken to me too but when I click on the black screen that comes up where the image should be it does take me to the pdf.

[Aaron3]

Unfortunately the LA 1st and 15th April 6 night doesn't quite work for us (uk school holidays) so looks like we'll be doing the 4 night to catalina and ensenada and the 5 night overnight to cabo switching between navigator and quantum 

Edited February 27 by Aaron3

[smokeybandit]

No 7+ nights on Quantum is a bummer.

[andreasfcb]

Time to summarize. Can't deny that I'm disappointed about the European ports:

- No longer cruises anymore

- Only large ships that can only stop in same Mediterranean ports

- No cruises starting from Amsterdam, Copenhagen or Stockholm anymore

- No regular Iceland, British Isles, Arctic Circle or Baltics anymore

 

The only interesting we have left is Independence with some select Northern ports from Southampton. And even those cruises are mostly short, which is nonsense if you need longer to reach the starting port. 

 

This might be it for us with Royal Caribbean. At the moment, a cruise outside of Europe is not an option for us. We have already visited every Mediterranean port 2, 3 or even 4 times with Royal because they always visit the same ports.

Edited February 27 by andreasfcb

[ShazM]

4 hours ago, Biker19 said:

I assume RCI wouldn't do something as drastic as cancel a whole deployment because they rather not go around the Red Sea issue:

Virgin Voyages Cancels 2024-25 Australia Program - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News

 

Biker, who thinks Virgin used that as an excuse and redeployed because they can make more/easier money in the Carib.

Totally agree, it's just an excuse. Branson wanted more slots in Sydney and couldn't get them because they are booked so far in advance, plus Melbourne also put up port fees. He can't just expect to rock up and demand extra slots in Sydney Harbour which seems to be what has happened.

[Jumping Cruiser]

11 minutes ago, andreasfcb said:

Time to summarize. Can't deny that I'm disappointed about the European ports:

- No longer cruises anymore

- Only large ships that can only stop in same Mediterranean ports

- No cruises starting from Amsterdam, Copenhagen or Stockholm anymore

- No regular Iceland, British Isles, Arctic Circle or Baltics anymore

 

The only interesting we have left is Independence with some select Northern ports from Southampton. And even those cruises are mostly short, which is nonsense if you need longer to reach the starting port. 

 

This might be it for us with Royal Caribbean. At the moment, a cruise outside of Europe is not an option for us. We have already visited every Mediterranean port 2, 3 or even 4 times with Royal because they always visit the same ports.

 

We are also disappointed with the lack of longer cruises, newer ships and unusual destinations in Europe.

 

Couldn’t find anything of any value over the next couple of years, so have booked a couple with Celebrity instead.

 

It’s like Royal are completely giving up and abandoning the European market, especially ex-UK and Northern Europe.

 

Even when they have the opportunity to do something good, such as longer cruises on Quantum out of LA, they do the opposite and offer virtually the same short itineraries but just on two different ships. I see 2 ships being a ‘one season wonder’ to be honest.

Edited February 27 by Jumping Cruiser

[firefly333]

1 minute ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

 

We are also disappointed with the lack of longer cruises, newer ships and unusual destinations in Europe.

 

Couldn’t find anything of any value over the next couple of years, so have booked a couple with Celebrity instead.

 

It’s like Royal are completely giving up and abandoning the European market, especially ex-UK and Northern Europe.

I am disappointed too in the lack of different routes being offered by royal. I have the 2nd half of 2025 open and was hoping for something after I get moved. Right now I'm too busy. Panama  Bermuda...Jewel used to do 11 days out of Tampa. I just dont see anything interesting. I assume short and sweet to save fuel costs. Getting royal cruises so they cost royal less to do. Cost cutting. Just same ole over and over. I hoped to move and have more choices. Wouldnt be with royal. 

[andreasfcb]

6 minutes ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

 

We are also disappointed with the lack of longer cruises, newer ships and unusual destinations in Europe.

 

Couldn’t find anything of any value over the next couple of years, so have booked a couple with Celebrity instead.

 

It’s like Royal are completely giving up and abandoning the European market, especially ex-UK and Northern Europe.

 

Even when they have the opportunity to do something good, such as longer cruises on Quantum out of LA, they do the opposite and offer virtually the same short itineraries but just on two different ships. I see 2 ships being a ‘one season wonder’ to be honest.

 

If I look at Celebrity cruises it looks like they have taken over all of the Northern destinations. I don't know if they already had those destinations before, but I have to admit that their decision is in line with our observations over the last years:

 

The European crowd of cruisers in the Meds are younger (families, younger couples) than in Northern Europea (mostly older couples). The brand of Royal Caribbean shifts more and more towards action and consumation (bigger ships). Even though we are young, we don't welcome the latest changes. We cruise for the destinations, not for the ship. If I want to party or go to a beach, I don't need a ship. I just go to a nice beach in the Meds.

 

My conclusion is that they just decided for the traditional Celebrity to take over the Northern ports that are popular only with experienced and older cruisers. They don't need the big party ships that Royal offers these days.

 

It's probably time for us to check out Celebrity.

[Tree_skier]

40 minutes ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

Even when they have the opportunity to do something good, such as longer cruises on Quantum out of LA, they do the opposite and offer virtually the same short itineraries but just on two different ships. I see 2 ships being a ‘one season wonder’ to be honest.

Yeah, I'm pretty disappointed with these LA itineraries on Quantum... Cabo and Ensenada.  I don't even get off the ship anymore in Ensenada.  I was hoping for a some California coastal cruises or a Hawaii or just anything but what they offered.  

 

I feel like the kid who just opened all his presents on Christmas morning and all he got was clothes! 😞 

Edited February 27 by Tree_skier

[jasong38501]

So I am a bit late to the game of watching this, but are we thinking Wonder will come down to Miami for the short cruises when Star gets to Canaveral? That would fit with the Freedom schedule above.

Edited February 27 by jasong38501