Royal Caribbean has canceled more than 20 scheduled sailings aboard its Freedom of the Seas ship for the summer 2027 season, just days after Carnival Cruise Line similarly canceled 11 future sailings.
The impacted Royal Caribbean departures were originally scheduled between May and September 2027 and included a range of itineraries from four‑night Bahamas trips to five-night trips in the Dominican Republic and nine‑night journeys calling in Aruba and Curaçao, according to the unofficial Royal Caribbean Blog and The Travel.
Royal Caribbean emailed passengers this week to announce that Freedom of the Seas will be redeployed to Southampton, England, for the 2027 season, canceling its previously scheduled home‑port sailings due to an “ongoing itinerary planning process,” according to the blogs.
“Deployment planning is dynamic and regularly reviewed based on demand, capacity requirements, and broader fleet considerations,” a Royal Caribbean spokesperson told The Independent in a statement. “As part of this process, we’ve made the decision to redeploy Freedom of the Seas to Southampton in 2027. Guests and travel partners are being contacted directly with details about their sailings and available options.”
Some passengers hit by the cancellations vented their frustration on social media.
“That frustrates the heck out of me when they do this,” one person wrote in a Facebook comment on a post about the redeployment. “I had three ship sailings in a row cancelled two years ago. By the time it was announced in the UK we couldn’t rebook on the replacement as it was full. Then they wanted twice the amount to book a similar cruise. RC has become too unreliable for long cruises now.”
Another added, “Freedom is my favorite ship in the fleet, but this is a bad look for Royal. So many disappointed people. I would be especially unhappy if I had a nine-nighter to those great ports and now am stuck with only a four or five-nighter to the Bahamas.”
In response to the changes, Royal Caribbean is reportedly offering impacted guests several alternative options to fulfill their bookings. Those unable to secure space on a different Freedom of the Seas sailing may choose from other ships in the fleet, including Wonder of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas or Jewel of the Seas, or opt for a full refund of their cruise fare as well as reimbursements for any prepaid amenities such as excursions or drink packages if no suitable alternative can be arranged, according to the blogs.
Just days before the Royal Caribbean shock, rival Carnival confirmed cancellations of 11 voyages aboard its Carnival Firenze ship that were scheduled to depart in the fall. Carnival told affected guests it was offering rebooking with fare protections and onboard credits, in addition to refunds for those who chose not to sail.
“Due to changes to itinerary plans, we have cancelled sailings aboard Carnival Firenze scheduled between October 12, 2026, and November 16, 2026,” a Carnival spokesperson told The Independent in a statement.
“Guests booked on the affected sailings, as well as their travel advisors, have been notified directly. We have apologized to our impacted guests and are offering them the option to rebook another Carnival cruise with their cruise fare protected on a comparable sailing in similar accommodations, along with an onboard credit. Guests who choose not to reschedule will receive a full refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased items to the original form of payment,” the statement concluded.
