2027-28 Caribbean Cruises From Florida, Royal Caribbean

Published on Dec 11, 2025, 6:58 pm CST

9 min read

Key points

Royal Caribbean has opened bookings for its 2027 28 Caribbean season, with 3 to 9 night cruises on 13 ships from April 2027
Homeports include Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, New Orleans, San Juan, Cartagena, and Colon, spreading capacity across the region
Many itineraries add private destination stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay plus Royal Beach Club Paradise Island and Royal Beach Club Cozumel
Legend of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, and other megaships anchor Florida departures with short breaks and weeklong itineraries
Grandeur, Mariner, and Rhapsody of the Seas expand Southern Caribbean and ABC island options from San Juan, Cartagena, Colon, and New Orleans
Early planners gain the best choice of cabins, school holiday dates, and private island days but need to factor in air connections and new ports like Port Samana

Impact

Where Impacts Are Most Likely: The biggest changes are on Florida departures and new Latin American homeports, where added capacity and new routings reshape peak season options
Best Times To Sail: Shoulder season dates in late spring and early fall 2027 28 will likely have more cabin choice and softer pricing than school holidays and festive weeks
Onward Travel And Changes: Travelers flying into new homeports such as Cartagena and Colon should leave extra time for immigration, baggage, and regional flight connections
What Travelers Should Do Now: Cruisers with fixed school holiday or group travel dates should lock in preferred ships and cabin types early, then track future promotions
Private Island And Beach Club Strategy: Anyone prioritizing Perfect Day or the new Royal Beach Clubs should filter sailings by specific call dates and budget separately for premium cabanas and day passes

Bookings are now open for Royal Caribbean's full 2027 to 2028 Caribbean deployment, giving travelers a long runway to lock in cabins on 13 ships sailing from Florida, New Orleans, San Juan, Cartagena, and Colon. The program starts in April 2027 and runs across 3 to 9 night itineraries that reach the Western, Eastern, and Southern Caribbean, often with private island stops. For many cruisers this is the first chance to combine Perfect Day at CocoCay, the new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, and Royal Beach Club Cozumel in one long term planning window.

In practical terms, the new Royal Caribbean 2027 Caribbean cruises give families and repeat cruisers a clearer map of when specific ships will be in Florida, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Panama, and which of those sailings reach private destinations. The change matters for anyone trying to coordinate school holiday trips or multi cabin groups, because Caribbean cabins on megaships and private island days tend to sell out far ahead of departure dates.

How The 2027-28 Caribbean Season Is Structured

Royal Caribbean's press materials confirm that from April 2027 the brand will position 13 ships on Caribbean duty, with homeports in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, New Orleans, San Juan, Cartagena, and Colon. Itineraries range from 3 night short breaks to 9 night longer runs, with a spread of Western, Eastern, and Southern Caribbean routes that can be filtered by duration, homeport, or destination cluster.

A core theme of the deployment is concentration of capacity around private destinations, which Royal frames as its "ultimate destinations" collection. Many of the 2027 to 2028 cruises include calls at Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas, the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island near Nassau, the Royal Beach Club Cozumel in Mexico from 2026 onward, and, from late 2027, the new Perfect Day Mexico once its opening date is set.

Florida Homeports Anchor Short And Weeklong Cruises

Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Port Canaveral, and Tampa remain the primary gateways. Allure of the Seas spends summer 2027 in Fort Lauderdale on 6 and 8 night Western and Southern Caribbean itineraries, then shifts to Miami in November 2027 for 7 night Eastern and Western runs that include stops such as Samaná in the Dominican Republic. Freedom of the Seas stays in Miami year round on 4, 5, 7, and 9 night itineraries that mix Curacao, Aruba, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Nassau.

Port Canaveral sees Adventure of the Seas operate both summer and winter seasons, offering 4, 5, and 9 night trips that blend Perfect Day at CocoCay with Royal Beach Club days in Nassau and Cozumel. Tampa keeps Enchantment of the Seas on 5 and 7 night Western Caribbean routes to Costa Maya and Cozumel from April 2027, then pivots to shorter 4 and 5 night Western Caribbean escapes from November 2027, a pattern that should appeal to Florida drive market travelers looking for flexible dates.

Legend of the Seas, an Icon class ship entering service in 2026, returns to Fort Lauderdale in November 2027 to operate 6 and 8 night Southern and Western Caribbean cruises that hit Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Beach Club Cozumel, Willemstad, and new ports such as Cabo Rojo in the Dominican Republic. Oasis of the Seas also shifts to Fort Lauderdale in November 2027 after a Cape Liberty summer, focusing on 3 and 4 night short breaks to Perfect Day and Nassau, with optional day passes to the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island.

New Southern Caribbean Options From San Juan, Cartagena, And Colon

For 2027 to 2028, Royal Caribbean is also leaning into Southern Caribbean and ABC island routes by adding more Latin American and Caribbean homeports. Grandeur of the Seas is based in San Juan from May 2027 on 7 night Southern Caribbean cruises that call at Tortola, Philipsburg, Castries, and other classic island ports. In December 2027, Grandeur shifts to a dual homeport pattern between Colon and Cartagena, operating 7 night itineraries that emphasize the ABC islands, including Willemstad and Oranjestad.

Rhapsody of the Seas joins San Juan in November 2027 for 6 to 8 night sailings that reach St Croix, Antigua, Castries, and Basseterre. From New Orleans, Mariner of the Seas runs 6 to 9 night Western Caribbean cruises to Belize City, Roatan, and Cozumel, with Royal Beach Club Cozumel as a key selling point on certain dates. Brilliance of the Seas, based in Tampa from November 2027, covers Roatan, Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Belize City on 7 night cycles aimed at winter escape travelers.

Taken together, these deployments give travelers more ways to reach the Southern Caribbean without connecting through Florida, but they do shift some planning complexity onto air and hotel arrangements in San Juan, Cartagena, and Colon. Flight schedules and pre cruise hotel availability in those cities will matter as much as the cruise choice itself, particularly for winter and holiday sailings.

Private Islands, Royal Beach Clubs, And Perfect Day Mexico

A major draw in the 2027 to 2028 program is the way private island and beach club calls are threaded through the schedule. Perfect Day at CocoCay remains the flagship private destination, and a number of itineraries from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Port Canaveral highlight it as a central feature rather than a side stop. Royal's product pages emphasize free access to core beaches and pools, with upcharge cabanas, water parks, and other premium experiences sold through its planner tools.

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island near Nassau, opening in December 2025, is positioned as an add on for itineraries that already visit Nassau. Oasis of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas both offer patterns where a short cruise includes Nassau plus the option to purchase a day pass to the beach club. Royal Beach Club Cozumel, opening in 2026, then becomes a focal point for Western Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale and New Orleans, with Legend of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas among the ships calling there.

Royal Caribbean's press center also confirms that Perfect Day Mexico on Mexico's Caribbean coast will debut in late 2027, with an exact opening date to be announced during 2026. For now, that means travelers looking at late 2027 or early 2028 cruises should read itinerary descriptions closely to see whether calls are to Cozumel, to Perfect Day Mexico, or to both over the course of a given sailing.

How To Choose Between Ships And Homeports

For many travelers, the first filter will be ship class and onboard experience. Legend of the Seas offers the most concentrated set of high profile features, including the largest water park at sea and a dense restaurant lineup, whereas older ships such as Enchantment, Rhapsody, and Brilliance trade raw scale for simpler layouts and, in some cases, lower price points. Families who prioritize big slides, headline shows, and large kids clubs will likely gravitate toward Allure, Oasis, Freedom, and Legend, while couples or small groups may prefer the Radiance and Vision class ships for their quieter decks.

The second major filter is homeport. Florida residents and drive market guests will find Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Port Canaveral, and Tampa easiest, while travelers flying from farther afield may discover that San Juan, Cartagena, or Colon add more flight legs and complexity. New Orleans sits somewhere in between, with strong domestic air coverage but limited non stop long haul options. Travelers connecting from Europe or Asia should look at arrival times and overnight options carefully, especially for Sunday departures and early afternoon sailings.

Finally, destination focus should shape choice. Perfect Day fans can start with short Oasis class breaks and longer Allure, Freedom, or Legend itineraries that guarantee at least one full day on the island. Those who want a Southern Caribbean feel, with more time near the equator and ABC island calls, will find more options on Grandeur, Mariner, and certain Legend sailings. Travelers who like mixing private islands with classic ports and longer sea days might prefer 7 or 8 night cruises over short 3 or 4 night breaks.

Background: Royal Caribbean's Ultimate Destination Strategy

Royal Caribbean has spent the last several years building a web of exclusive private islands and beach clubs, starting with the redevelopment of CocoCay and moving into new concepts like the Royal Beach Club collection and Perfect Day Mexico. Industry reporting and satellite imagery show how these projects are transforming previously undeveloped or industrial sites into cruise controlled resort environments where the cruise line owns most of the spending universe.

For travelers, the 2027 to 2028 Caribbean map is the clearest expression yet of that strategy. Many itineraries link one or two private destinations with traditional ports, and the most heavily marketed ships are the ones that combine private calls, headline onboard features, and convenient Florida access. That does not make classic ports or independent shore excursions obsolete, but it does mean that the best value for money may come from being intentional about which private experiences you pay extra for and which you simply enjoy as part of the basic fare.

Planning And Booking Moves To Make Now

Because the 2027 to 2028 season is just opening for sale, early movers get the best choice of cabin categories, adjoining staterooms for families, and key school holiday weeks. Travelers with fixed windows, for example Easter break or late December, should prioritize locking in dates and ship choices now, then watch fare movements and promotions over the next two years instead of waiting for last minute deals that may never come. Flexible travelers who can sail in May, September, or early December 2027 or 2028 can afford to wait longer and trade absolute choice for possible price advantages.

Air and ground logistics also deserve attention, especially for Cartagena and Colon, where schedules, connection times, and hotel inventory may be less forgiving than in South Florida. Building in an overnight before embarkation remains the safest move, particularly during hurricane season and winter storm periods that can disrupt flights. Those who are new to cruising or shifting from land resorts may also want to consult a travel advisor to compare ship layouts, loyalty benefits, and cabin types before committing to one of the higher priced peak sailings.

If you are tracking cruise products more broadly, it is also worth keeping an eye on how loyalty programs and hotel partnerships evolve around these deployments, including moves like Hilton Honors redemptions with Explora Journeys that change the way travelers mix points and cash on premium cruise vacations. For a broader structural view of how to choose between Caribbean routes, ships, and ports, see our Caribbean cruise planning guide.