Royal Caribbean Launches First Year-Round Europe Cruise Programme
Rhapsody of the Seas will sail from Piraeus, Barcelona and Lisbon from May through October 2028, with seven-night itineraries including overnight calls in Istanbul and Alexandria.
Royal Caribbean announced its first year-round European cruise programme on Oct. 14, 2026, as part of a seven-ship deployment for the 2028-29 season. Rhapsody of the Seas will remain in the region through winter, adding Canary Islands, Portuguese and Moroccan itineraries after its summer Mediterranean schedule.
The deployment also brings the line back to Copenhagen, Stockholm and the Baltic. It will be the first European season in which Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas operate in the region simultaneously.
General bookings open Oct. 15. Crown & Anchor Society members had early access. The deployment announcement included no statement from a named Royal Caribbean executive.
Rhapsody adds winter itineraries
Rhapsody of the Seas, a 1,998-passenger Vision-class ship that entered service in 1997, will operate from Athens’ port of Piraeus, Barcelona and Lisbon. From May through October 2028, its seven-night itineraries will visit Greece or combine Turkey and Egypt, with overnight calls in Istanbul and Alexandria.
Starting in November, the ship will offer nine- to 12-night cruises covering the Canary Islands, Portugal, Morocco, Cyprus, Malta and Greece. Winter destinations include Madeira, Tenerife and Gran Canaria, along with Casablanca and Tangier; some itineraries will also include overnight stays in Alexandria.
The schedule restores Royal Caribbean calls at Heraklion, Greece, and Cagliari, Sardinia, after absences of more than a decade.
Six seasonal deployments span the Mediterranean and Northern Europe
Freedom of the Seas will be based in Southampton from May through October 2028, offering three- to nine-night cruises. Its programme includes the Norwegian fjords and visits to Copenhagen, Zeebrugge for Bruges, Bilbao, Le Havre for Paris, and Lisbon.
Jewel of the Seas will sail from Copenhagen and Stockholm between May and August. Its seven- to 11-night Baltic itineraries include Helsinki, Visby in Sweden, Gdynia for Gdansk in Poland, and Klaipeda in Lithuania.
In the Mediterranean, Explorer of the Seas will operate seven-night cruises from Ravenna between May and October, visiting the Greek Isles and Croatia. Every itinerary will include a later departure from Santorini, while selected sailings will also call at Kotor, Montenegro.
Liberty of the Seas will sail seven- and eight-night itineraries from Barcelona, Piraeus and Rome’s port of Civitavecchia during the same period. Destinations include the Greek Isles, Marseille, Palermo and Cagliari, with extended evening calls in Santorini.
Mariner of the Seas will operate seven-night Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona, Lisbon, Piraeus and Ravenna. Its itineraries include Palma de Mallorca, Leixoes for Porto, and Dubrovnik.
Odyssey of the Seas will have the earliest seasonal start among the announced ships, sailing from Civitavecchia from April through October. Its seven-night Greek Isles programme includes Mykonos and itineraries featuring Ephesus in Turkey, as well as extended evening stays in Santorini.
Santorini programme combines island visits and beach club access
Guests on Greek Isles itineraries can book the Ultimate Santorini Day, a full-day excursion combining Oia and Fira with access to Royal Beach Club Santorini. Announced in October 2025, the destination is Royal Caribbean’s first European beach club.
The club will include a beach, local food and an open-air market with rotating participation by island businesses. Products will include produce from Nomikos Estate, ouzo and tsikoudia from Canava Lyngos, and wine from Santo Wines.
Liberty passengers will also have new excursion choices covering the prehistoric settlement of Akrotiri, Fira and the black-sand beach at Perivolos. Royal Caribbean did not specify departure times for the longer Santorini calls.
No Oasis-class ships or Legend of the Seas appear in the announced roster. Legend made its European debut in 2026 and is scheduled to return in 2027, but Royal Caribbean has not confirmed whether further European deployments will be released or set a timetable for additional announcements.
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