Freedom of the Seas Returns to Southampton for Summer 2028
The Freedom-class ship, refurbished in 2020, will sail to the Norwegian fjords and call at Copenhagen, Zeebrugge for Bruges, Bilbao, Le Havre and Lisbon.
Royal Caribbean International will base Freedom of the Seas in Southampton from May to October 2028, confirming a second consecutive summer of departures from the UK port. The ship will offer European cruises ranging from short breaks to nine-night voyages, with advertised fares starting at £460 per person.
The deployment extends a Southampton programme already scheduled for summer 2027, when Freedom of the Seas is due to replace Mariner of the Seas following Royal Caribbean’s earlier itinerary revisions.
General bookings for the newly announced European season opened on 15 October 2026, following an early-access period for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members.
What Freedom brings to Southampton
The programme covers Northern and Southern Europe, including the Norwegian fjords and calls at Copenhagen, Zeebrugge for Bruges, Bilbao, Le Havre and Lisbon.
The 156,271-gross-ton Freedom-class vessel entered service in May 2006 and accommodates 3,926 passengers at double occupancy. Its latest major refurbishment was completed in March 2020.
Onboard activities include The Perfect Storm racing waterslides, the FlowRider surfing simulator, glow-in-the-dark laser tag, a rock-climbing wall and ice skating. Younger passengers have the Splashaway Bay water area and Adventure Ocean children’s club, while teens have a separate lounge with gaming consoles, films and an outdoor patio.
The ship has 10 dining venues, five of them complimentary. These include the El Loco Mexican buffet, introduced during the 2020 refurbishment, while extra-charge options include Izumi and Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen. Nine bars include Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, an English pub and the poolside Lime & Coconut. Entertainment also includes the theatre production Once Upon A Time and the skating show FreedomICE.
Seven ships across Europe in 2028
The Southampton deployment forms part of Royal Caribbean’s seven-ship European programme. According to the cruise line, 2028 will be the first season in which Freedom of the Seas and sister ship Liberty of the Seas operate in Europe simultaneously.
Liberty will sail seven- and eight-night Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona, Piraeus and Civitavecchia between May and October. Its programme includes the Greek islands, Marseille, Palermo and Cagliari, with selected itineraries offering later evening departures from Santorini and access to Royal Beach Club Santorini.
In Northern Europe, Jewel of the Seas will sail seven- to 11-night cruises from Copenhagen and Stockholm between May and August. Scheduled destinations include Helsinki, Visby, Gdynia and Klaipeda.
The Mediterranean line-up also includes Explorer of the Seas from Ravenna, Mariner of the Seas from Barcelona, Lisbon, Piraeus and Ravenna, and Odyssey of the Seas from Civitavecchia. Odyssey’s seven-night Greek islands programme begins in April, a month before most of the other announced deployments.
No Oasis-class vessel is included in the initial European release, and no 2028 European sailings have been confirmed for Legend of the Seas. Royal Caribbean has not said whether additional ships or itineraries will be announced.
Rhapsody of the Seas will be the line’s first ship to operate in Europe year-round. From May to October, it will offer seven-night cruises from Piraeus, Barcelona and Lisbon, including itineraries with overnight calls at Istanbul and Alexandria. Selected Greek islands sailings will offer extended visits to Santorini and excursions incorporating the new beach club.
From November 2028, Rhapsody will move to nine- to 12-night voyages covering destinations in the Canary Islands, Portugal, Morocco, Cyprus, Malta and Greece. Calls include Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Casablanca and Tangier. Details of the full winter timetable into 2029 remain unannounced.
See current Freedom of the Seas fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.
