After three years away, Royal Caribbean is finally returning to “The Big Easy.” They’ve just announced that Vision of the Seas will be repositioning to New Orleans for the 2018-2019 winter season. Other ships will be shuffled around, as well.
Ship Shuffling
Vision of the Seas will sail 7-night cruises to destinations across the Bahamas and Yucatan Peninsula. Before repositioning to Louisiana on December 15, 2018 though, the ship will offer two 16-night sailings through the Panama Canal from Miami to Los Angeles, and from Los Angeles to New Orleans. It’ll be the first time in three years that Royal Caribbean will go through the Panama Canal.
Enchantment of the Seas will move from Miami to join Liberty of the Seas in Galveston on June 23, 2018 offering 4 and 5-night Caribbean cruises to complement Liberty‘s popular 7-night voyages. The new offerings provide more options and easy access for residents that live around the Gulf Coast. Guests currently booked aboard the ship for Miami cruises after June 23 will be contacted to transition the original booking to Mariner of the Seas.
Mariner of the Seas will be embarking on new adventures in 2018 as well, when the longtime Asia-Pacific resident returns to the US to homeport in Miami. It will be the first Voyager-class ship – famous for rock-climbing walls, ice-skating rinks, and the Royal Promenade – to offer short Caribbean sailings that are perfect for first-time cruisers. The 3 and 4-night sailings from Miami to the Bahamas will begin on June 21, 2018 following an extensive dry dock. Prior to the dry dock, Mariner will embark on a Global Odyssey consisting of three 13 to 15-night cruises from Singapore ultimately ending in Miami.
When does booking open?
Sailings aboard Mariner of the Seas are now open for booking. Enchantment and Vision of the Seas will be open for booking on May 5, 2017.
