Radiance of the Seas to Sail Year-Round From Tampa After Drydock

Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas is in drydock at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, Bahamas, for a scheduled yard period that runs through Feb. 14, 2026. The ship, which paused a run of short cruises from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, is set to return to guest operations that day.

Routine yard period in Freeport targets maintenance and refresh work

Radiance of the Seas arrived at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in late January for work scheduled from Jan. 20 to Feb. 14, 2026. The 2001-built ship is a 90,000-gross-ton Radiance-class vessel with capacity for 2,142 guests.

Royal Caribbean has not released a detailed scope for the project. The drydock is expected to include technical maintenance and class-related work, along with minor updates in public areas and staterooms, including refresh items such as carpet changes and upholstery updates.

Return to service begins with a six-night Western Caribbean sailing

Following the shipyard stay, Radiance of the Seas is scheduled to resume cruising on Feb. 14 with a six-night voyage to the Western Caribbean departing from Fort Lauderdale.

After that sailing, the ship is set to return to a short-cruise program in the Bahamas region. Ports cited for these itineraries include Nassau, Freeport, and Bimini, and select sailings also include visits to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island.

Late-April move positions the ship for year-round cruising from Tampa

Radiance of the Seas is slated to continue sailing from Fort Lauderdale into the spring before repositioning to Tampa in late April 2026 for a year-round deployment from Florida’s Gulf Coast. The ship’s first sailing from Tampa is scheduled as an eight-night itinerary calling at Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico, George Town in the Cayman Islands, and Roatán in Honduras.

• Jan. 20 to Feb. 14, 2026: Scheduled drydock at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, Bahamas, for technical maintenance, class work, and minor guest-area updates.
• Feb. 14, 2026: Return to service with a six-night Western Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale, followed by short Bahamas-region cruises that can include Nassau, Freeport, Bimini, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
• Late April 2026: Repositioning to Tampa for year-round service, opening with an eight-night itinerary to Cozumel, Costa Maya, George Town, and Roatán.

Summer 2026: four- and five-night Mexico itineraries

During the summer season, Radiance of the Seas is scheduled to operate shorter four- and five-night cruises to Mexico, with itineraries slated to include visits to Cozumel and Costa Maya.

Winter 2026-27: seven-night cruises from Tampa

For the 2026-27 winter season, the ship is scheduled to offer seven-night itineraries from Tampa that combine Bahamas-region and Western Caribbean routing as part of its continued year-round deployment.

Grand Bahama Shipyard and other facilities handle a busy slate of early-2026 projects

Radiance of the Seas is one of several ships in for maintenance and modernization work during the period. The Grand Bahama Shipyard also hosted Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Elation during the same month, marking the first use of the yard’s new West End floating drydock.

Other projects cited across the industry include AIDA Cruises’ AIDAbella, which entered Chantier Naval de Marseille on Jan. 21 and is scheduled to remain until March 11, 2026, for modernizations under the AIDA Evolution program. Planned updates include enhanced public areas, upgraded staterooms, expanded dining options, and added family-friendly entertainment.

MSC Cruises’ MSC Poesia also began a long refurbishment at Palumbo Shipyard in Valletta, Malta, on Feb. 13, 2026. The planned work includes new dining venues, a sports bar, improved wellness facilities, and the debut of MSC’s Yacht Club amenity ahead of the ship’s deployment in Alaska later in the year.

Additional drydock activity mentioned includes Carnival Encounter in Singapore and StarDream Cruises’ Star Navigator, which is receiving maintenance and technical updates at Yiu Lian Dockyards in Shekou, China, ahead of its homeport season in Taiwan.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When will Radiance of the Seas return to service after drydock?

Radiance of the Seas is scheduled to resume guest operations on Feb. 14, 2026, following a yard period running from Jan. 20 to Feb. 14, 2026.

What updates are expected during the Radiance of the Seas drydock?

Royal Caribbean has not disclosed full project details, but the work is expected to focus on technical maintenance and class-related tasks, along with minor refresh items in public areas and staterooms, including carpet and upholstery updates.

Where will Radiance of the Seas sail immediately after leaving the shipyard?

The ship’s first sailing after drydock is scheduled as a six-night Western Caribbean voyage from Fort Lauderdale. It is then set to return to short Bahamas-region cruises that include ports such as Nassau, Freeport, and Bimini, with select itineraries also visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay.

What is Radiance of the Seas’ first itinerary from Tampa?

After repositioning in late April 2026, the ship’s first Tampa sailing is scheduled as an eight-night cruise calling at Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico, George Town in the Cayman Islands, and Roatán in Honduras.

What other ships were cited as being in drydock around February 2026?

Ships mentioned as undergoing work during the period include Carnival Elation at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, AIDAbella in Marseille, MSC Poesia in Valletta, Carnival Encounter in Singapore, and Star Navigator in Shekou, China.

With its Feb. 14 return set and a Tampa move scheduled for late April, Radiance of the Seas is lined up to transition from winter Bahamas-region sailings out of Fort Lauderdale to year-round Gulf Coast departures, including shorter Mexico cruises in summer 2026 and seven-night itineraries planned for the 2026-27 winter season.