Diplomacy

Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas is finally getting Amplified. The cruise ship sailed to Cadiz, Spain yesterday for a more than $100 million renovation that will be completed in early April.

Allure of the Seas was originally scheduled to get Amplified several years ago, but the renovation ended up getting postponed due to the pandemic. 

Royal Caribbean called their major renovations “Amplifications” since they add a ton of new features to the ship. They began the program in 2018 with sister ship Oasis of the Seas getting remodeled in 2019.

Allure of the Seas will finally get the big features that were added to other Oasis class ships. This includes the cruise line’s iconic “The Ultimate Abyss”, a 10-story slide at the back of the ship.

A new waterpark will be added to the pool deck and there will be over 35 dining and drink venues once the renovation is completed.

The ship will also receive some new cabins, Royal Escape Room, Lime and Coconut and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade.

The escape room will be themed “Apollo 18: Lunar Landing” where you’ll have to look or clues and solve complex puzzles to land Apollo 18 on the moon before time runs out.

The Pesky Parrot that debuted on sister ship Utopia of the Seas will be added to Allure.

Fan favorite The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar is also being added to the cruise ship.

The pool deck will turn into a resort-style pool with a wider selection of seating and shade.

Above the bridge, two new Ultimate Panoramic Suites are being built that will have over 900 square feet of living space and panoramic views.

Allure of the Seas is scheduled to reenter service on April 11, 2025, a four-night roundtrip cruise from Barcelona.

The cruise ship will sail in the Mediterranean through October before repositioning to Port Everglades for six- to eight-night cruises to the Caribbean that will begin on November 8, 2025.

The eight-night cruises from Florida will visit the Eastern Caribbean (and CocoCay) with the six-night cruises visiting the Western Caribbean and Nassau. When the ship is in Nassau, guests will be able to book an excursion to the cruise line’s first Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island. (View Prices on Cruises on Allure of the Seas)

One of Carnival Corporation’s cruise lines is adding a new embarkation port in the Caribbean for cruises in late 2025 through early 2026.

Costa Cruises has announced that guests will be able to embark on Costa Fascinosa in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic starting in December 2025. This new embarkation option is for the ship’s Caribbean itineraries in 2025-2026.

The cruise ship will sail eight-night cruises in the Caribbean from Santo Domingo with port stops in Barbados, Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Most of the cruises will also visit the cruise line’s private, Catalina Island.

This is the fourth embarkation port in the Caribbean for the ship. Guests can also board the ship in the following ports:

• La Romana
• Guadeloupe
• Martinique

Costa Fascinosa will offer cruises in the Caribbean through March 2026.

Dario Rustico, general manager of North and South America for Costa Cruises, gave the following statement:

“We are excited to introduce the beautiful port of Santo Domingo as an embarkation option in the Caribbean with Costa Fascinosa, which will deliver a new, memorable experience for our guests.

“Thanks to this new opportunity to join a cruise from the port of their choice adds flexibility for Costa guests who will have more Caribbean options than ever.”

Costa Cruises will have two ships offering cruises in the Caribbean for the winter 2025-2026 season. Costa Pacifica will join Costa Fascinosa in the region offering eight- to 16-day itineraries.

The cruises will visit a combination of ports in the Dominican Republic, British Virgin Islands, Barbados, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The itineraries are enriched with new “Sea Destinations”, a point of view to experience special moments on board that reveal most about the destinations visited during the cruise.

When the ship is in port, “Land Destinations” offer guests authentic experiences so they can make the most out of their time in port.

Carnival Cruise Line no longer calls Charleston, SC home for one of its ships.  After a contract between the cruise line and port expired, Carnival Sunshine moved to Norfolk, VA for year-round sailings.

But that doesn’t mean that cruise ships aren’t still using the South Carolina port, at least as a port of call.

In fact, 18 different cruise ships from 10 cruise lines will be visiting Charleston over the course of the rest of the year.

These cruise ships include the following:

• American Cruise Lines: American Liberty, American Independence, American Eagle, American Legend, American Star, American Glory
• Royal Caribbean: Vision of the Seas
• Viking Cruises: Viking Polaris, Viking Octantis
• Phoenix Reisen: Amera
• Oceania Cruises: Oceania Vista, Oceania Allura
• Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Silhouette
• Hapag-Lloyd Cruises: ms Europa 2
• Virgin Voyages: Brilliant Lady
• Azamara Cruises: Azamara Quest
• AIDA Cruises: AIDAdiva

Many of these ships will be visiting the port in the spring months and also late in 2025. 

Interestingly, for the months of June through September no cruise ships are currently on the schedule to visit Charleston.  The heat and humidity in this region during the summer months could be a contributing factor.

Some ships will stay overnight for an extended period of time, but some like Vision of the Seas, Amera, ms Europa 2, and Brilliant Lady, are scheduled for single-day visits as part of a longer itinerary.

Vision of the Seas, for instance, was just in Charleston on February 23, as part of an 8-day sailing out of Baltimore which also visited Port Canaveral, Freeport, and Nassau.

Brilliant Lady will be visiting Charleson in October as part of a 13-day sailing from Quebec, Canada to PortMiami.

Celebrity Silhouette is another notable cruise ship to visit the port.  In May of this year the 2,886-passenger vessel is scheduled to arrive in Charleston on May 11 as part of a 10-day Bermuda sailing that begins and ends at Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey

American Cruise Line will make use of the port more than any other cruise line this year with over 50 visits to Charleston.  The cruise line operates smaller vessels that carry between 90 and 180 guests, leaving the smallest footprint in the southern port compared to other cruise lines.

In 2025, Charleston will also welcome Viking Cruises’ expedition vessels, the Viking Polaris on March 30th and October 4th, and the Viking Octantis on April 10th and October 11th.

Towards the end of 2025 (November and December), a greater variety of ships will be stopping by the South Carolina port, including visits from cruise lines such as AIDA Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

The city’s port is still an important part of East Coast cruising.  While local residents no longer have to deal with heavy traffic on embarkation days from Carnival Sunshine sailings, Charleston still provides a convenient stopping point for ships in addition to being a great historical city to visit for tourists.

The very first Breakaway-class ship with Norwegian Cruise Line is getting an upgrade.

After arriving in Damen shipyard in Brest, France, the 2013-built Norwegian Breakaway is a week into its 3-week dry dock.  During this refurbishment process, the 4,000-passenger capacity vessel will not only receive basic maintenance, but a few upgrades and venue changes as well.

Dining Changes

One of the most noticeable changes will be the replacement of the Spiegel Tent with the Silver Screen Bistro. This new venue combines a relaxed atmosphere with a movie-going experience.  With oversized recliners and a menu of shareable dishes, some of the menu items will include selections from the popular Food Republic. It’s a clear move to create a more casual, entertainment-focused dining space.

One of the most noticeable changes will be the expansion of Cagney’s Steakhouse. By absorbing the space previously occupied by Moderno Churrascaria, Cagney’s is set to become a more prominent and presumably more luxurious dining destination. This expansion suggests a strong bet on the enduring popularity of classic steakhouse.

Ocean Blue is also undergoing a complete transformation, changing into Palomar. With this rebranding, cruisers can expect a refreshed atmosphere and, most likely, a revamped menu, perhaps focusing on a more contemporary seafood experience.

Outdoor and Activity Areas

Breakaway will also be getting Horizon Park, an outdoor area with 360-degree ocean views, mirroring a feature that has proven popular on newer Norwegian ships. This space is intended to be a social hub, with a stage for live music and entertainment.

Family-friendly additions include The Stadium, a new outdoor activity area. Those looking for a more exclusive “vibe” will find enhancements to the Vibe Beach Club and The Haven Sundeck, with expanded seating and cabanas.

General Maintenance

And of course, in addition to these upgrades and changes, the ship will be receiving some general maintenance as well.  With the ship being 12 years old, there are many general areas that will be spruced up, painted, and given a total refresh.  Both general areas and cabin will receive this general maintenance.

After Dry Dock

After its March dry dock, Norwegian Breakaway will start cruising the Mediterranean. The ship is currently scheduled to offer 9- to 11-night sailings in mid-March, visiting popular spots in Spain, Greece, Italy, France, and Croatia

Following its Mediterranean season, Norwegian Breakaway will make its way back across the Atlantic to North America. In late November, the ship will begin its winter season, sailing from New York. Passengers departing from the Big Apple will have the opportunity to escape the cold and sail warm-weather cruises to the Caribbean, Florida, and the Bahamas. 

Cruiseline.com has announced their 2025 Member Choice Awards and Royal Caribbean Group has the top 17 Best Overall Cruise Ships.

Cruiseline.com has more verified cruise reviews than any other website in the world.  They use data from real cruisers to determine the best cruise lines and ships for the year.

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises were named #1 in eleven different categories that ranged from Best Mainstream Cruise Line to Best Cruise Line for Food and Dining.

Royal Caribbean Group was the big winner especially when it came to the Best Overall Cruise Ship in 2025. Here are the top 20 cruise ships in 2025 based on reviews from verified cruisers.

1. Icon of the Seas
2. Utopia of the Seas
3. Symphony of the Seas
4. Celebrity Beyond
5. Allure of the Seas
6. Celebrity Silhouette
7. Wonder of the Seas
8. Anthem of the Seas
9. Celebrity Ascent
10. Harmony of the Seas
11. Voyager of the Seas
12. Celebrity Edge
13. Independence of the Seas
14. Jewel of the Seas
15. Adventure of the Seas
16. Mariner of the Seas
17. Celebrity Apex
18. Carnival Jubilee
19. Carnival Spirit
20. Liberty of the Seas

Royal Caribbean was named #1 Best Mainstream Cruise Line, Best Cruise Line – Onboard Activities and Entertainment, Best Cruise Line – Service, Best Overall Cruise Ship (Icon of the Seas), Best New Cruise Ship of 2025 (Icon of the Seas), Best Cruise Ship – Food and Dining (Icon of the Seas), Best Cruise Ship – Service (Icon of the Seas), Best Cruise Ship – Staterooms (Icon of the Seas0) and Best Cruise Ship – Onboard Activities and Entertainment (Icon of the Seas).

Celebrity Cruises was named Best Cruise Line – Food and Dining and Best Cruise Line – Staterooms.

Other notable cruise lines that were named best were Viking and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Viking was named Best Premium Cruise Line and Best River Cruise Line. Regent took top honors for Best Luxury Cruise Line. 

Jamie Cash, Chief Operating Officer of Cruiseline.com, gave the following statement about this year’s awards:

“Congratulations to all the cruise lines, ships, and ports recognized in our 2025 Cruiseline.com Member Choice Awards. This is the tenth year we have presented these awards, which celebrate excellence in cruising and serve as thanks to community members who shared cruise feedback with us in the previous year.

“We appreciate all who took the time to share their vacation experiences and insights, enabling us to create these annual rankings. We extend our congratulations to Royal Caribbean for their outstanding performance in this year’s rankings, as well as to the other leading cruise lines, ships, and destinations, for earning exceptional ratings from reviewers.”

Cruiseline.com is owned by World Travel Holdings (WTH). WTH owns several large travel agencies so they can verify is a review was from an actual cruiser. To see the complete list of winners in the 2025 Member Choice Awards, you can visit Cruiseline.com.

Royal Caribbean is continuing to roll out their cruise ship deployments for 2026-2027 as they just released their new, short cruises to the Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean will have 11 cruise ships sailing two- to five-night cruises to the Caribbean in 2026-2027 from five ports in the U.S.

These new cruises include year-round, summer and winter itineraries. Here is a look at Royal Caribbean’s short Caribbean getaways that were announced today.

Year-Round Cruises

Royal Caribbean will have three cruise ships sailing short cruises to the Caribbean year-round. 

Utopia of the Seas will continue to offer three- and four-night cruises from Port Canaveral with all sailings visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Wonder of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas will offer cruises from Miami.  Wonder of the Seas will sail three- and four-cruise with Freedom of the Seas offering four- and five-night voyages.

Summer Cruises

Three ships will offer summer sailings from Galveston, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale.

Mariner of the Seas will homeport in Galveston, Texas sailing four- and five-night cruises to the Western Caribbean. Port stops on these cruises include Cozumel and Costa Maya.

Rhapsody of the Seas will sail from Tampa Florida on four- and five-night voyages to the Western Caribbean. The ship will visit Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico.

Grandeur of the Seas will offer cruises from Fort Lauderdale. The ship will sail three- and four-night cruises to The Bahamas and Key West. The vessel will visit Royal Caribbean’s private island, CocoCay.

Winter Cruises

Five Royal Caribbean ships will offer seasonal short cruises to the Caribbean/Bahamas during the winter of 2026-2027.

Liberty of the Seas will sail from Galveston on four- and five-night cruises to the Western Caribbean. The ship will visit two ports in Mexico, Cozumel and Costa Maya.

Harmony of the Seas will offer a variety of two-, four-, five- and seven-night cruises to the Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral. The ship will visit the following ports: St. Thomas, Falmouth and CocoCay.

Explorer of the Seas will also sail from Port Canaveral on four- and five-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. Sailings to the Eastern Caribbean will visit Nassau and CocoCay while the Western Caribbean cruises will stop at Puerto Plata and Cozumel.

Vision of the Seas will offer short three- and four-night cruise to The Bahamas and Key West. The ship will stop at CocoCay, Bimini and Key West.

Oasis of the Seas will homeport in Fort Lauderdale sailing three- and four-night cruises to The Bahamas. The ship will visit Nassau and CocoCay on these sailings.

Royal Caribbean’s most loyal guests, Crown & Anchor Society members, can book these cruises ahead of the official opening on February 27, 2025.

To see all of the cruise line’s opening deployment schedule for 2026-2027, you can see the list here.