Royal Caribbean to bring another Freedom Class ship to UK instead of Mariner of the Seas next year

Posted on 24 March, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

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.”

Royal Caribbean Announces Spectrum’s 2026-27 Hong Kong Season

Posted on 8 March, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Royal Caribbean Announces Spectrum’s 2026-27 Hong Kong Season

Royal Caribbean International announced the Spectrum of the Seas’ 2026-27 Hong Kong homeport season, featuring new itineraries including a long-awaited combined Japan and South Korea route.

The upcoming season offers expanded scheduling with more flexibility and choice for vacationers.

The lineup includes exclusive, one-time-only itineraries designed to meet growing demand for diverse cruise vacations from Hong Kong, the company said in a statement.

Highlights of the 2026-27 season include a nine-night Japan and South Korea Thanksgiving and Autumn Foliage itinerary, marking the return of a combined route not offered from Hong Kong for years.

Guests will explore the cultures and landscapes of both nations, with calls at Tokyo, Osaka and Busan.

New this season are eight-night one-way voyages.

Guests can sail from Hong Kong to Tokyo along Japanese and South Korean destinations, or embark in Tokyo to explore Japan and Taiwan before disembarking in Hong Kong.

Two eight-night sailings can be combined to create one seamless vacation.

The season also features the classic five-night Okinawa and Ishigaki itinerary into Ryukyu culture, festive Christmas and New Year sailings, and a five-night Okinawa and Taipei route combining tropical island charm with city energy.

The four-night Vietnam Warm Winter Getaway is available one time only this season.

The just-concluded 2025-26 Hong Kong season achieved over 32 percent of guests on destination sailings originating from international markets, including North America, Europe and Australia.

Cruise Lines Leverage Drydocks to Add Capacity to Existing Ships

Posted on 5 February, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Cruise Lines Leverage Drydocks to Add Capacity to Existing Ships

Cruise lines continue to add a significant number of staterooms to existing ships during routine drydocks, as highlighted in the new 2026 Drydock Report from Cruise Industry News.

The additional capacity generally fills in under utilized public areas, with revenue that flows right to the bottom line.

Among upcoming programs, the 2016-built Ovation of the Seas will see the addition of 40 new staterooms, which will take over space currently occupied by various public areas.

Also included in the company’s modernization effort, the Harmony of the Seas is set to enter drydock in April for a refit that will include the creation of 91 additional staterooms.

A third ship is also getting a significant capacity increase with 68 new staterooms: the Liberty of the Seas.

Silversea’s Silver Muse saw a seven percent increase in 2025.

After entering drydock in November, the 2017-built vessel returned to service with 18 smaller staterooms replacing its original larger suites.

Norwegian Cruise Line continued to expand its ships’ capacities in 2025 by adding 26 additional staterooms to the Norwegian Bliss. The increase followed similar projects carried out onboard the Norwegian Joy and the Norwegian Encore in 2024.

A second ship, the Pride of America, saw the addition of 26 new staterooms during a drydock on the West Coast in May.

Other key capacity addition projects: