Royal Caribbean is cancelling a large number of previously scheduled cruises from Los Angeles as part of a major redeployment that will send more capacity to Asia and Australia for the 2027-2028 season.
Around 40 West Coast sailings are understood to be affected by the changes, representing potential capacity for more than 150,000 passengers across the cancelled departures.
The ships involved are Navigator of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas, both of which had been scheduled to operate significantly more cruises from Los Angeles in 2027 and early 2028.
Navigator of the Seas will instead remain in Asia for longer than originally planned, while Ovation of the Seas is being moved to Brisbane, Australia from November 2027.
Thousands of passengers who had already booked affected cruises are now being contacted by Royal Caribbean with rebooking and refund options.
The changes form part of what Royal Caribbean has described as its biggest Asia-Pacific deployment to date, with four ships set to operate across Australia and Asia during the expanded season.
Navigator Of The Seas Staying In Asia For Longer
Navigator of the Seas had originally been expected to return to North America in May 2027, including a transpacific sailing from Japan to California on 12th May 2027.
That cruise has now been cancelled.
Royal Caribbean told affected passengers:
“As we continue planning our Summer 2027 sailings, some itinerary adjustments have been necessary due to scheduling, port agreements, and other operational considerations.”
The email continued:
“As a result, Navigator of the Seas will be redeployed, and your May 12, 2027, sailing will no longer be available… To help with finding the new perfect getaway, we’ve outlined several alternative options that we hope will work for you and those in your party.”
Rather than returning to North America in spring 2027, Navigator of the Seas will remain based in Singapore through October 2027.
The ship is expected to operate predominantly two- to five-night cruises from Singapore, visiting destinations including Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
That will give Navigator of the Seas an approximately year-long deployment from Singapore beginning in October 2026.
The Voyager Class ship is still scheduled to return to Los Angeles later in 2027, with Mexican Riviera cruises planned between November 2027 and April 2028.
Passengers affected by the cancelled Navigator sailings are being offered several alternatives.
Royal Caribbean is allowing guests to move to selected voyages aboard Voyager of the Seas or Serenade of the Seas, with non-refundable deposit change fees waived and passengers moved to a comparable cabin at the prevailing fare.
Guests will still be responsible for any difference in cruise fare, taxes, fees and gratuities.
Some passengers are also being offered onboard credit depending on the length of their cruise and cabin category.
For cruises of six nights or longer, guests booked in suites or balcony cabins can receive $100 in onboard credit, while those booked in interior or ocean-view cabins can receive $50.
For sailings of five nights or fewer, the amounts are $50 for suites and balconies and $25 for interior and ocean-view accommodation.
Royal Caribbean is also offering reimbursement of up to $400 per person for qualifying non-refundable, pre-purchased transport change fees, which could include flights, railway tickets or rental cars.
Passengers can alternatively move to another Royal Caribbean cruise elsewhere in the fleet, with deposit change fees waived, although onboard credit is not included with that option.
Those who do not want to rebook can request a full refund, including any non-refundable deposit already paid.
Ovation Of The Seas Moving From Los Angeles To Brisbane
Ovation of the Seas is also being removed from a substantial portion of Royal Caribbean’s West Coast programme.
The Quantum Class ship began operating cruises from Los Angeles in June 2025 and had previously been scheduled to remain on the West Coast through April 2028.
Instead, Ovation of the Seas will move to Brisbane from November 2027 as Royal Caribbean expands its Australian operation.
The ship will operate cruises of between three and eight nights, including itineraries visiting Queensland and the South Pacific.
Among the new departures are four-night cruises from Brisbane to Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays.
The Australian deployment will also place Ovation of the Seas in the region as Royal Caribbean prepares to open Royal Beach Club Lelepa in Vanuatu, the cruise company’s first Royal Beach Club destination in the Southern Hemisphere.
Passengers booked on affected Ovation cruises from Los Angeles have started receiving cancellation notices.
One email sent to guests booked on a 22nd November 2027 sailing said:
“As we continue planning our Winter 2027-2028 sailings, some itinerary adjustments have been necessary due to scheduling, port agreements, and other operational considerations.”
It continued:
“As a result, Ovation of the Seas will be redeployed, and your November 22, 2027 sailing will no longer be available… To help with finding your new perfect getaway, we’ve outlined several alternative options that we hope will work for you and those in your party.”
For some affected passengers, Royal Caribbean is offering an alternative sailing aboard Navigator of the Seas departing Los Angeles on 29th November 2027.
Guests choosing the replacement cruise can move to a like-for-like cabin at the prevailing rate without paying a non-refundable deposit change fee, although they remain responsible for any difference in fares, taxes, fees, gratuities and other charges.
Passengers can also move to another Royal Caribbean sailing elsewhere in the fleet, although a comparable cabin at the same rate is not guaranteed under that option.
A full refund, including non-refundable deposits, is available to customers who decide not to rebook.
Royal Caribbean has advised affected guests that refunds will be sent back to the original method of payment.
“Any refunds due will be credited to your original form of payment within 14 business days after your decision, and refund times may vary depending on your financial institution,” the cruise line said in its email.
The redeployments leave Royal Caribbean with a considerably larger presence across Asia and Australia during the 2027-2028 season.
Ovation of the Seas will operate from Brisbane, while Anthem of the Seas is due to sail from Sydney.
Voyager of the Seas will operate a wider programme involving Brisbane, Sydney and ports in Asia, while Navigator of the Seas will spend much of its extended deployment based in Singapore.
Los Angeles will not disappear from Royal Caribbean’s schedule entirely. Navigator of the Seas is still expected to resume cruises from California from November 2027, but the removal of Ovation and the extended Asian deployment of Navigator will leave considerably fewer Royal Caribbean departures available to West Coast passengers than originally planned.
The disruption also highlights one of the risks of booking cruises particularly far in advance. Cruise lines regularly publish itineraries more than a year ahead, but ships can still be redeployed when companies alter capacity, respond to demand or make operational changes.
For passengers who had already secured flights, hotels or other travel arrangements around the cancelled departures, the scale of the changes could still create considerable disruption despite the rebooking and refund options being offered.
For Royal Caribbean, however, the redeployments represent a significant shift in capacity towards a region where the cruise line is preparing its largest Asia-Pacific programme yet.
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