Royal Caribbean has canceled multiple scheduled sailings based in the United States for its 2027 cruise season. The affected vessels include Navigator of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas, with sailings originally departing from Los Angeles and visiting Mexican ports terminated to allow redeployment in the Asia-Pacific region.
Ship Redeployment to Asia-Pacific and Australia[[/SECTION_HEADING]Navigator of the Seas will be repositioned to sail year-round across Southeast Asia from October 2026 through October 2027. The itinerary includes 2- to 5-night cruises calling at destinations in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand, along with a 12-night voyage from Tokyo, Japan to Singapore. Ovation of the Seas is set to operate from Brisbane, Australia starting in November 2027, with voyages ranging from 3 to 8 nights, including 4-night getaways to Airlie Beach in the Whitsunday Islands.Freedom of the Seas had more than 20 sailings canceled for summer 2027 as the ship was redeployed to Southampton, UK.[[SECTION_HEADING]]Guest Notifications and Options
Royal Caribbean has directly contacted guests and travel partners with canceled U.S. sailings. Passengers holding bookings on these voyages have been offered opportunities to rebook on alternative sailings within the revised deployment schedule.
Official Company Statement on Changes
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson stated, “Royal Caribbean is committed to providing the best vacation experiences. This process includes
making updates to itineraries, as necessary, to accommodate scheduling, port agreements, and other operational considerations.” The spokesperson also explained, “Deployment planning is dynamic and regularly reviewed based on demand, capacity requirements, and broader fleet considerations.”
The cruise line attributes the cancellations and itinerary adjustments to its strategic expansion into the Asia-Pacific cruise market, requiring operational and scheduling changes to optimize fleet utilization.
Booking Updates
Bookings for the new Asia-Pacific and Australian itineraries aboard Navigator of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas opened to guests on August 18, 2026. The redeployment signals Royal Caribbean’s shift in focus for these ships from U.S.-based
departures to cruises centered in Southeast Asia and Australia during the 2027 season.
