Royal Caribbean to bring another Freedom Class ship to UK instead of Mariner of the Seas next year
The 3,926-passenger Freedom of the Seas ship will replace the line’s smaller Voyager Class vessel which has capacity for 3,114 passengers.
Royal said the change reflected “the continued strength of the UK and Ireland market”.
“The move represents an upsizing of capacity and brings a Freedom Class ship – long regarded as a favourite among British and Irish guests – back to the region,” the line added.
“Onboard vacationers of all ages can kick back and adventure at the resort-style Caribbean pool deck, enjoy The Perfect Storm duo of high-speed waterslides, a vibrant Caribbean poolscape, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, alongside reimagined spaces for kids and teens and more.”
This year, Liberty of the Seas – a sister ship to Freedom of the Seas – will be based out of Southampton. Another Freedom Class vessel, Independence of the Seas, operated ex-UK cruises from Southampton last summer.
So Freedom of the Seas will be the third Freedom Class ship to be based in the UK in three years when it arrives here in 2027.
Aaron Langford, Royal Caribbean senior sales director UK & Ireland, said: “The UK and Ireland is an incredibly important market for Royal Caribbean, and as a result, we’re excited to announce that we’ll be upsizing our Southampton deployment in 2027 with Freedom of the Seas following our long standing success here with this class of ship.
“Freedom Class has consistently resonated strongly with British and Irish guests, and following a recent amplification, Freedom of the Seas offers a fantastic mix of scale, innovation and guest-favourite features that deliver the ultimate family holiday.”
Sailing from Singapore Marina Bay Cruise Center, the vessel offered a 12-night cruise that ended in Hong Kong earlier this month.
The Celebrity Solstice is now set to offer additional itineraries in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific before repositioning to Alaska for a summer season.
The schedule includes a 14-night cruise to Australia that sails between Singapore and Sydney, featuring visits to Bali, Darwin, Port Douglas, Yorkeys Knob and Airlie Beach.
In early April, the Solstice is also set to offer a 16-night itinerary to the South Pacific that is highlighted by destinations in Fiji.
Sailing between Sydney and Honolulu, the cruise features visits to Lifou, Lautoka, Apia, Pago Pago and Suva.
The 122,000-ton vessel is then set to arrive in Alaska in early May for a series of seven-night cruises departing from Vancouver.
The itineraries include visits to Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau and Icy Strait Point, in addition to scenic cruising at Hubbard Glacier and the Tracy Arm Fjord.
In October, the ship returns to Hawaii before kicking off a winter season in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
Six cruise ships remain stuck in the Arabian Gulf after their operations in the region were halted in late February.
With the Strait of Hormuz virtually closed to international maritime traffic, the vessels are unable to leave the area and start repositioning voyages to other parts of the world.
MSC Euribia Cruise Line: MSC Cruises
Current Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: May 2, 2026, from Kiel, Germany Upcoming Itineraries: Northern Europe and Scandinavia
As the largest ship currently in the Arabian Gulf, the 5,400-passenger vessel is set to spend the summer offering seven-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords departing from Germany and Denmark.
Celestyal Journey Cruise Line: Celestyal Cruises Current Location: Doha, Qatar Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 4, 2026, from Piraeus, Greece Upcoming Itineraries: Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek Islands
The 1993-built vessel is so far scheduled to embark on a repositioning voyage to Greece ahead of kicking off a series of itineraries to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek Islands on April 4, 2026.
Celestyal Discovery Cruise Line: Celestyal Cruises Current Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 3, 2026, from Lavrion, Greece Upcoming Itineraries: Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek Islands
Set to spend the summer in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Celestyal Discovery is another ship currently docked at the port of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Mein Schiff 4 Cruise Line: TUI Cruises Current Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 11, 2026, from Cape Town, South Africa Upcoming Itineraries: Repositioning voyage via Africa, followed by summer in the Eastern Mediterranean
The Mein Schiff 4 from TUI Cruises is currently docked at the port of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Sailing from South Africa to Spain, the 20-night cruise is set to depart from Cape Town on April 11, 2026, and will be followed by a summer season in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Mein Schiff 5 Cruise Line: TUI Cruises Current Location: Doha, Qatar Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 17, 2026, from Palma de Mallorca, Spain Upcoming Itineraries: Eastern Mediterranean, Greek Islands and Turkey
The Mein Schiff 5 is also stranded in the Arabian Gulf after the remainder of its season in the region was cancelled in late February.
Aroya Cruise Line: Aroya Cruises Current Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: May 14, 2026, from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Upcoming Itineraries: Spring Season in the Red Sea followed by summer in the Eastern Mediterranean
Docked in Dubai, the Aroya Cruises vessel is slated to resume revenue service on May 14, kicking off a spring season in the Red Sea with itineraries departing from Saudi Arabia.
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