Royal Caribbean adds a surprising new homeport
The new Royal Caribbean itineraries will run on Jewel of the Seas.
While Royal Caribbean's (RCL) name laves no doubt as to which part of the world most of its cruises sail to, the cruising giant also has itineraries that go around Alaska, the Mediterranean and Central and South America.
Leaving from both Florida and California, popular itineraries through the latter pass through countries like Mexico and Panama on the way to more southern ports like Cartagena, Colombia.
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Royal Caribbean says it is 'excited to bring back' two popular ports
While the latter city has been a popular Royal Caribbean stop for years, the cruise ship company is preparing to start its first cruises from there in 2026. The new homeport is, alongside Panama's Colón, being brought back following an eight-year gap after Royal Caribbean canceled Rhapsody of the Seas itineraries departing from there.
"We are excited to bring back the best vacation experience to the Latin American market with adventures to the Southern Caribbean departing from the region," Itzel Valdés, associate vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean for Royal Caribbean International, said in a statement.
Related: U.S. adds new travel warning for popular Caribbean cruise port
The two itineraries, which are set to start sailing between April 2026 and 2027, will take place on Royal Caribbean International's Jewel of the Seas.
The 2,702-passenger vessel has been sailing since 2004 and is currently on a 10-night Caribbean tour that departed from Galveston.
The cruises from both Cartagena and Colón will each take seven days and tour northward through the Southern Caribbean with stops in ports such as Aruba's Oranjestad, Bonaire's Kralendijk and Willemstad in Curaçao. Shutterstock
Cruises from Cartagena and Colón will stop in Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire
While both the Colombian and Panamanian ports are very popular tourist destinations for their beaches and unique colourful architecture, the cruises are also tailored for the Latin rather than just U.S. market — in particular, South Americans who are looking for a nearer port from which to depart on a cruising voyage.
"During this season and its itineraries from Colombia and Panama, the Jewel will celebrate the richness of Latin culture with flavors, music and activities that highlight our identity," Valdés said further.
While the exact details of the stops and what will be available at the ports will be announced closet to the start date, the time slots are already available to book on Royal Caribbean's website.
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At present, Royal Caribbean is also working to build a new cruise ship port in the small Italian village of Isola Sacra sitting on the country's Lazio region 20 miles from Rome.
Royal Caribbean bought the land on the Tyrrhenian Sea with the goal of opening it up to more routes across the Mediterranean but has recently started seeing significant local pushback due to the disruption such a large project would cause to local residents.
While the French city of Nice has more than a hundred times the population, it has still banned large cruise ships wit more than 900 passengers ahead of the upcoming summer season.
Overcrowding and pollution from having many large cruise ships in the Nice port were primary considerations that swayed local lawmakers toward passing the ban; Royal Caribbean has repeatedly pushed back against it to no avail.
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