Royal Caribbean Sets First 2028-2029 Cruise Release Dates

Royal Caribbean will begin releasing its 2028-2029 cruise deployments for booking during the week of September 28, 2026, starting with its complete Alaska season. The cruise line typically operates its Alaska season from early May until September.

The Miami-based cruise line will follow this with the first of its European itineraries during the week of October 12. Seven-night Caribbean cruises for summer 2028 are then expected to become available during the week of November 2.

So far, Royal Caribbean’s schedule covers just three deployment groups, with the cruises themselves still approximately two years away. Release dates for most sailings operating between fall 2028 and winter 2029 have yet to be announced.

Royal Caribbean has described its October release as the first phase of its 2028 European program. However, the company has not yet revealed which ships or European destinations will be included.

The November release will specifically cover seven-night Caribbean itineraries sailing during summer 2028. Passengers looking for shorter Caribbean cruises will have to wait for a later deployment announcement.

The dates provided by Royal Caribbean indicate the week in which bookings are expected to open rather than one specific day for every itinerary. Sailings may therefore appear gradually as the cruise line updates its reservation system. Some could become available ahead of the main release, while others may not appear until later in their scheduled week.

Several major cruise regions have not yet been given release dates. These include Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Bermuda, Hawaii, the Mexican Riviera, the Bahamas, and Canada and New England. Royal Caribbean also has yet to announce booking windows for shorter Caribbean itineraries, Panama Canal cruises, repositioning voyages, transatlantic crossings and transpacific sailings.

Even after itineraries are released for booking, the ships assigned to them are not necessarily final.

In September 2025, Royal Caribbean revised homeport arrangements involving four vessels scheduled to operate cruises in 2026 and 2027. Radiance of the Seas exchanged assignments with Rhapsody of the Seas, while Vision of the Seas swapped deployments with Brilliance of the Seas. Guests with affected bookings were contacted about the options available to them.

Individual ports of call can also be altered after a cruise has been booked because of factors including weather, berth availability and technical problems. Changes involving dry docks or homeport construction may lead to larger adjustments, including the substitution of one vessel for another.

Royal Caribbean’s initial deployment calendar also does not include assignments for either of the two new ships the company expects to introduce in 2028. These are the seventh Oasis-class vessel and the fifth Icon-class ship. Royal Caribbean has not yet confirmed whether either of the newbuilds will enter service in Europe.