Royal Caribbean Europe 2028: All 7 Ships, Every Homeport, and the First Year-Round Season
Rhapsody of the Seas stays in Europe through the winter, Freedom of the Seas takes Southampton, and 2028-29 bookings open to everyone on 15 October.
Royal Caribbean is going to sail in Europe all year round for the first time, starting with the 2028-29 season. Seven ships are confirmed for the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Canary Islands, and one of them, Rhapsody of the Seas, simply doesn't leave when the summer ends. If you're in the UK or Europe and you've always had to switch cruise lines to get winter sun, this is the news you've been waiting for.
Key Facts
What:Â Royal Caribbean's first ever year-round European season, running through 2028-29
Ships:Â Seven in total: Rhapsody, Explorer, Freedom, Jewel, Liberty, Mariner and Odyssey of the Seas
The year-round ship:Â Rhapsody of the Seas, on Greece, Turkey and Egypt sailings from May 2028, then 9 to 12 night Canary Islands, Morocco and Eastern Med cruises from November 2028
UK homeport:Â Freedom of the Seas from Southampton, 3 to 9 nights, May to October 2028
Bookings:Â Crown & Anchor Society members got early access; general sale opens Thursday 15 October 2026
Not on the list (yet):Â No Oasis-class ship and no Legend of the Seas in this first release
Which Royal Caribbean ships are sailing in Europe in 2028?
The line-up came out on 14 October and was reported by Cruise Industry News the same day, with Seatrade Cruise News and Cruise Hive following. Here's every ship, where it sails from, and what stands out.
Rhapsody of the Seas (Piraeus, Barcelona and Lisbon). The 2,040-guest Rhapsody is the headline act. From May to October 2028 she runs seven-night cruises, either to Turkey and Egypt with overnights in Istanbul and Alexandria, or around the Greek islands with the Ultimate Santorini Day and Royal Beach Club Santorini. From November 2028 she switches to 9 to 12 night winter sailings covering the Canary Islands, Portugal, Morocco, Cyprus, Malta and Greece, with Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Casablanca and Tangier all on the list. She also takes Royal Caribbean back to Heraklion in Crete and Cagliari in Sardinia for the first time in more than ten years.
Explorer of the Seas (Ravenna, for Venice). Seven-night Greek Isles and Croatia cruises from May to October 2028, and every single sailing gets a later evening in Santorini. Some add Kotor in Montenegro.
Freedom of the Seas (Southampton). Three to nine nights from May to October 2028, mixing the Norwegian fjords with Copenhagen, Zeebrugge for Bruges, Bilbao, Le Havre for Paris, and Lisbon.
Jewel of the Seas (Copenhagen and Stockholm). The Baltic is back. Jewel sails 7 to 11 night trips from May to August 2028, calling at Helsinki, Visby, Gdynia for Gdansk, and Klaipeda in Lithuania.
Liberty of the Seas (Barcelona, Piraeus and Civitavecchia). Seven and eight night cruises from May to October 2028, split between the Greek Isles (again with later Santorini evenings and the beach club option) and Western Med runs to Marseille, Palermo and Cagliari.
Mariner of the Seas (Barcelona, Lisbon, Piraeus and Ravenna). Seven-night cruises taking in Palma de Mallorca, Porto (via Leixoes) and Dubrovnik. The first reports don't give season dates for Mariner, so check the dates when you search.
Odyssey of the Seas (Civitavecchia, for Rome). The longest summer of the lot, April to October 2028, on seven-night Greek Isles cruises with Kusadasi for Ephesus, Mykonos and Santorini.
One detail for the Royal Caribbean nerds: Cruise Hive points out this is the first time sisters Freedom and Liberty will both be in Europe at the same time.
What does "year-round in Europe" actually mean?
Let's be precise, because the headline sounds bigger than the reality. Six of the seven ships are still summer visitors, with seasons ending between August and October 2028. The year-round part is one ship, Rhapsody of the Seas, and it's her winter programme that's genuinely new.
But one ship is still a real change. Until now, if you wanted a Royal Caribbean cruise between November and April, you were flying to Florida, Texas, the Caribbean or further. From November 2028 there's a Royal Caribbean option for Canary Islands sunshine, Moroccan cities, Malta and Cyprus, without crossing an ocean.
Now, set your expectations on the ship. Rhapsody is a Vision-class ship that first sailed in 1997, and at around 2,000 guests she's a fraction of the size of an Oasis or Icon-class ship. That suits a port-heavy winter itinerary, where most of the day is spent ashore. If what you love about Royal Caribbean is the big-ship thrills, this isn't that cruise.
So why is Royal Caribbean doing this now? The line hasn't given a reason. Seatrade frames it as Royal Caribbean joining a growing group of brands, big and small, that keep ships in Europe for the full calendar. MSC and Costa have run winter Med cruises for years, and MSC has already pulled MSC World Europa out of the Middle East to keep her in Europe for winter 2027/28. Explora Journeys has cancelled its 2027-28 Middle East and Red Sea season too. My read, and it's only my read, is that with Gulf winter programmes looking shaky across the industry, Europe has become the safer place to keep a ship busy through the winter.
What's missing from the 2028 line-up?
No Oasis-class ship. No Legend of the Seas. Cruise Hive notes that Oasis-class ships have been regulars in Europe for more than a decade, and Legend made her European debut in 2026 and is due back for 2027. Neither appears here.
Before you read that as Royal Caribbean pulling its biggest ships out of Europe, there's a caveat. Royal Caribbean's own release calendar labelled this week's announcement as part one of the 2028 European season. It hasn't confirmed what, if anything, comes in a second batch. So if you're holding out for a big-ship Med summer in 2028, don't give up yet, but don't count on it either.
What this means if you're booking
If you're in the UK:Â Freedom of the Seas is your no-fly Royal Caribbean ship for summer 2028. The range runs from three-night tasters to nine-night sailings, with the fjords, Copenhagen, Bruges, Paris, Bilbao and Lisbon all on offer. I sailed her sister Liberty out of Southampton for a week in 2026 (watch the video here), so if you've done Liberty, Freedom's layout will feel very familiar.
If you want winter sun: Rhapsody is a fly-cruise. Her homeports are Piraeus, Barcelona and Lisbon, so you'll need flights, but those are short hops from the UK compared with Miami or Fort Lauderdale. If Barcelona ends up being your departure port, my Barcelona cruise port guide covers the terminals and getting there.
If Venice is on your list:Â Explorer of the Seas is back in Ravenna, and Mariner sails from there too. I did exactly this embarkation on Explorer, with a night in Venice first, and you can see the whole Mediterranean trip in my Explorer of the Seas video.
If Santorini is the big draw:Â Greek Isles sailings on Rhapsody, Liberty and Odyssey include the option of Royal Beach Club Santorini, usually as part of the Ultimate Santorini Day. Bear in mind it's a paid excursion, not part of your fare. I've been to the beach club myself from Odyssey of the Seas. Explorer's sailings all get the later evening in Santorini too, which matters more than it sounds on an island that's packed in the middle of the day.
On price:Â Royal Caribbean didn't publish fares with the announcement, so I can't tell you whether opening day is the cheapest day. What I can tell you is that Crown & Anchor members have already had a head start. If you've got your heart set on Rhapsody's first winter or a Southampton summer on Freedom, it's worth looking sooner rather than later.
FAQ
When do Royal Caribbean's 2028 Europe cruises go on sale?
Crown & Anchor Society members got early access when the deployment was announced on 14 October 2026. General bookings open to everyone on Thursday 15 October 2026.
Which Royal Caribbean ship sails from Southampton in 2028?
Freedom of the Seas. She sails 3 to 9 night cruises from Southampton between May and October 2028, visiting destinations including the Norwegian fjords, Copenhagen, Zeebrugge, Bilbao, Le Havre and Lisbon.
Does Royal Caribbean sail in Europe in winter?
From November 2028, yes, for the first time. Rhapsody of the Seas will stay in Europe and run 9 to 12 night cruises to the Canary Islands, Portugal, Morocco, Cyprus, Malta and Greece. The other six ships announced for 2028 are summer only.
Is Legend of the Seas or an Oasis-class ship sailing in Europe in 2028?
Not in the first release. Neither appears in the seven-ship line-up. Royal Caribbean labelled this announcement as part one of its 2028 Europe programme and hasn't said whether more ships will follow.
Which 2028 Royal Caribbean cruises visit Royal Beach Club Santorini?
Greek Isles sailings on Rhapsody, Liberty and Odyssey of the Seas include the option to visit the beach club, typically through the Ultimate Santorini Day excursion. It's a paid shore excursion rather than part of the cruise fare. Explorer of the Seas also gets a later evening stay in Santorini on every sailing.
The Walking Cruiser's take
So, the short version. Royal Caribbean's "year-round Europe" is really one smaller ship staying for the winter, but it's the first time the line has offered UK and European cruisers a winter sun option without a transatlantic flight, and that's a genuine shift. Add a Southampton summer on Freedom, the Baltic coming back, and Santorini on almost every Greek sailing, and 2028 looks like a strong year to cruise Royal Caribbean close to home. The one thing I'd watch for is part two, because a Europe summer without an Oasis-class ship would be a first in a long time.
Which of the seven would you book? Tell me in the comments, share this with whoever you cruise with, and subscribe to The Walking Cruiser on YouTube for ship tours, port guides and honest reviews.
