Liberty of the Seas to Sail Year-Round From Galveston Through 2028
Its French refit added staterooms, expanded Casino Royale and redesigned the pool deck, along with new venues including Starbucks and Izumi Teppanyaki.
Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas is returning to North America for a year-round Galveston deployment following a refurbishment in France and a summer season sailing from the United Kingdom. The ship left Southampton on October 16, 2026, on a 15-night repositioning cruise to Texas.
The 3,812-passenger vessel's Galveston schedule will center on four- and five-night Western Caribbean cruises calling at Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico. Selected longer departures will supplement the short-cruise program, which runs through April 2028.
Before reaching its Texas homeport, Liberty of the Seas will visit Vigo in Spain, followed by Lisbon and Funchal in Portugal during the Atlantic crossing.
Among the longer Galveston departures is a nine-night Western Caribbean cruise in August 2027. That itinerary will combine Cozumel with calls at Roatan, George Town and Falmouth. No executive statement accompanied the deployment details.
Refit adds cabins and dining venues
The 2007-built, 154,407-gross-ton Freedom-class ship completed its French refit in May under Royal Caribbean's Royal Amplified program. The refurbishment added staterooms and changed several public areas. Casino Royale was expanded, while the pool deck received a Caribbean-inspired redesign and the Royal Escape Room concept was introduced aboard the vessel.
Dining additions included Starbucks and Izumi Teppanyaki, offering Japanese cuisine and a hibachi experience. The refurbishment package also included El Loco Fresh, Cantina Fresca and The Lime & Coconut.
Mediterranean deployment follows Galveston
After completing its Texas program, Liberty of the Seas will return to Europe for seven- and eight-night Mediterranean cruises between May and October 2028. Departures will operate from Barcelona, Piraeus and Civitavecchia, the principal cruise port serving Rome.
The itineraries will include destinations in the Greek islands, along with Marseille, Sicily and Cagliari. Liberty's return forms part of Royal Caribbean's announced seven-ship European deployment for that year.
Bookings for the newly released European sailings opened to the general public on October 15, 2026, following an early-access period for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members.
Royal Caribbean says the season will be its first simultaneous European deployment of Liberty of the Seas and sister ship Freedom of the Seas. Freedom will operate three- to nine-night cruises from Southampton, with destinations including the Norwegian fjords, Copenhagen, Zeebrugge, Bilbao, Le Havre and Lisbon.
See current Liberty of the Seas fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.
