Royal Caribbean reveals 2025 European cruise itineraries

Following the release of 2025 Alaska cruises, Royal Caribbean has now opened bookings for 2025 European cruises.

A variety of different itineraries will be offered throughout the region. You can cruise to Northern Europe, Norway, the Mediterranean, Greek Isles, and more!

Six cruise ships will sail around Europe between April and October 2025, including Allure of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas.

Here’s a breakdown of which ships will be deployed to Europe and where they will be sailing from:

Independence of the Seas will return to the UK and offer cruises from Southampton in 2025.  For the last six years, Anthem of the Seas has offered cruises there, but Royal Caribbean has made a change for the 2025 cruise season.

Independence of the Seas will offer cruises of varying lengths that visit Spain, Portugal, Northern Europe, Norway and more.

Allure of the Seas will return to Europe in 2025 and split her time between Barcelona, Spain and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.

The schedule has Allure of the Seas conducting a transatlantic crossing in February 2025, and then there’s a gap in her schedule until April 2025, fueling speculation of a long overdue refurbishment.

Allure of the Seas had her Royal Amplification ship upgrades cancelled in 2020 due to the cruise industry shutdown, and thus, hasn’t received the same upgrades her other Oasis Class sister ships have.

Royal Caribbean has not made any official statements confirming Allure of the Seas will be amplified in 2025.

Allure will offer primarily Western Mediterranean cruises, along with a few shorter cruises at the beginning and end of the cruise season. 

Brilliance of the Seas will move from Miami to Barcelona in April 2025, and then reposition to Athens (Piraeus), Greece to offer Greek Isles cruises. In August 2025, Brilliance moves to Barcelona and then Southampton to presumably return to the United States for the winter.

Explorer of the Seas will call Ravenna, Italy its home and offer Greek Isles and Adriatic Sea cruises.

Odyssey of the Seas will move from New York to Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy and visit destinations in Greece, Italy, and Turkey.

Read more: Why Odyssey of the Seas is worth your attention

Voyager of the Seas will also be based in Civitavecchia, and offer 7-night cruises to Greece, Turkey, and around the Adriatic.

The new sailings are available to book via Royal Caribbean’s website.

What are the best months to take a European cruise?

In general, the best months to cruise the Mediterranean and Greek Isles are May, June, September, and October. While outside of the peak summer season, these months see more favorable weather. Plus, you’ll find fewer land-based tourists at popular attractions. 

You are more likely to spend time visiting cities, rather than lounging on the beach like you would if you were taking a cruise to The Bahamas or Caribbean. Walking around ports Rome, Athens, and Barcelona can be uncomfortable in July and August. 

Because of the cooler climate, the summer months see lower temperatures in Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Iceland. You’ll also have the most daylight. 

Related: When is the best time to go on a cruise?

Booking your 2025 European cruise as early as possible is the best way to ensure that you get the lowest price

The lowest available rate for Royal Caribbean cruises tends to be when itineraries are first released. This, however, does not mean that you cannot find a good deal on a shoulder season voyage closer to the sail date. 

Those with their hearts set on cruising during the peak season should book as easy as possible, though. Over time, prices will go up as more and more cabins are reserved.

Additionally, some highly desirable cruise cabins (i.e., suites and staterooms with unique layouts) sell out quickly or jump in price after the sailings are released. 

Plus, you will be able to be on the hunt for the best airline tickets when they’re released and start budgeting for cruise add-ons like shore excursions, as they can be more expensive in Europe than in places like The Bahamas and Caribbean. 

More 2025 deployments coming soon

There’s plenty more deployments coming for the 2025-2026 cruise season.

The new deployments will take a small break for the Thanksgiving holiday, and then we can expect 7-night Caribbean cruises to kick things back up in early December.

• Week of November 13, 2023: 7-night Caribbean (Phase 1)
• Week of December 4, 2023: 7-night Caribbean (Phase 2)
• Week of February 12, 2024: Short Caribbean, Los Angeles & Northeast 
• Week of February 19, 2024: Long Caribbean

Keep in mind the sailings could be released at any point within that week, and not necessarily on the first day of the listed week.

More about European cruises: