Royal Caribbean International unveiled its European program for the 2028-2029 season. Its main highlight will be the year-round stay of Rhapsody of the Seas in the region: after summer sailings, the liner will continue traveling in winter.
The program was announced on October 14, 2026. For members of the Crown & Anchor Society, bookings opened earlier, while the company set the general sales start for October 15.
Winter Itineraries: Canary Islands, Portugal and Morocco
Starting in November 2028, Rhapsody of the Seas will operate cruises lasting from 9 to 12 nights. The winter program will cover the Canary Islands, Portugal, Morocco, Cyprus, Malta, and Greece.
Among the announced destinations are Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Casablanca, and Tangier. In certain itineraries, overnight stops in Alexandria are included.
These are different routes, not a single cruise covering all the listed countries. The boarding ports, the order of stops, and the length of stay must be checked for a specific departure date.
Royal Caribbean International
Rhapsody of the Seas
Rhapsody of the Seas 5* - the fourth Vision-class cruise ship, it was launched in 1997, and after five years, in 2002, it underwent a minor renovation. But already in 2012, the company Royal Caribbean int. invested considerable funds in a major renovation of the ship. Following the usual scheme of renovations for cruise ships, the ship’s cabins, restaurants, carpeted areas, and equipment were updated. New entertainments were also added, which are unique to Oasis-class ships.
The cruise ships of the Vision class in the cruise industry are called «light cruise ships», and this name suits them well, as the entire ship is made mainly up of huge panoramic stained-glass windows.
On board the Rhapsody of the Seas, you’ll immerse yourself in an atmosphere of beautiful and peaceful relaxation, enjoying the magnificent views of the sea.
Cabin categories on board the cruise ship:
This 12-deck cruise cruise ship can accommodate 2076 passengers. The fifth, sixth, ninth, tenth, and twelfth decks are allocated for restaurants and entertainment areas-there are no cabins for accommodation there.
Cabin categories:
Inside cabins - from 12 to15 sq. m
Cabins with a window - from 14 to 44 sq. m
Cabins with a balcony - 18 sq. m. Balcony area - 4 sq. m
Suite-category cabins - from 33 to 109 sq. m. Balcony area - from 11 to 13 sq. m
The cabins have two beds that, if needed, can be transformed into one Royal king bed. Also available are a coffee table, a small sofa or armchair for relaxation, a mirror, a separate bathroom, a wardrobe, a television, a telephone, a safe. In some cabins there are additional upper fold-down beds. Suite category cabins have bathrobes and slippers, and there is also a separate Suite Family bedroom.
Regions of sailing: Alaska, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada / New England, Europe, Hawaii, transatlantics.
- Year built
- 1997/2012
- Passengers
- 2,040
- Decks
- 12
- Class
- Vision
- Gross tonnage (GT)
- 78,878 GT
- Speed
- 22 knots
- Length
- 279 m
Summer cruises from Athens, Barcelona and Lisbon
Before switching to the winter program, Rhapsody of the Seas will operate European itineraries from Piraeus, Barcelona and Lisbon. The overall range of trip durations will be 7-12 nights.
Weekly routes to Greece, Turkey and Egypt are planned from May to October 2028. On selected sailings, passengers will be able to spend a night in Istanbul or Alexandria, giving them more time to explore the cities.
| Liner | Ports of departure in the announced program |
|---|---|
| Rhapsody of the Seas | Piraeus, Barcelona, Lisbon |
| Explorer of the Seas | Ravenna |
| Freedom of the Seas | Southampton |
| Jewel of the Seas | Copenhagen, Stockholm |
| Liberty of the Seas | Barcelona, Piraeus, Civitavecchia |
| Mariner of the Seas | Barcelona, Lisbon, Piraeus, Ravenna |
| Odyssey of the Seas | Civitavecchia |
What to consider when choosing a cruise
For travelers living in Europe, the new winter program will be another option for a vacation without flying across the Atlantic. At the same time, the itinerary across the Canary Islands and the trip to the Eastern Mediterranean should be compared by weather, the number of sea days, and the convenience of flights-not just by cabin price.
Before booking, check the total trip cost, included services, gratuities, payment and cancellation terms, as well as document requirements for all countries on the itinerary. The availability of an overnight port call or a specific port in the general announcement does not guarantee they will be included in every sailing.
How to choose a trip
Submit a request at Cruise-Life.PRO to find a Royal Caribbean cruise for 2028-2029, compare cabins, and utociniti the conditions of a specific departure.
