Two Royal Caribbean Ships Will Sail Down Under During Summer 2026-27
Royal Caribbean has been shifting its focus to providing more weekend escapes for its Caribbean cruisers. Now, the cruise line has announced it will be creating more short itineraries for its Australian passengers.
Revealing its full lineup for the 2026-27 season in Australia, Royal Caribbean is bringing back its Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas to Brisbane and Sydney, respectively.
The new season includes nearly 50 departures between October 2026 and April 2027, with cruises ranging from 3-night weekend getaways to an ambitious 25-night transpacific journey.
The cruise line says the expanded schedule is designed to offer more frequent and flexible options for Australian travelers.
“Australians know they can trust Royal Caribbean for getaways that combine convenience with nonstop adventure,” said the cruise line’s Vice President and Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand Gavin Smith.
“This season, we’re continuing to raise the bar with more short getaways, weekend departures, and more ways to maximize island time across the top destinations of the South Pacific,” he continued.
The lineup begins with the 4,905-passenger Quantum of the Seas returning to Brisbane for its fourth season, offering 28 cruises between 3 and 8 nights.
Itineraries include calls to Noumea, New Caledonia, and Port Vila and Mystery Island, Vanuatu, with a pair of 9-night sailings timed around Christmas and New Year’s.
Closer to home, Queensland’s Airlie Beach and Cairns are also featured, giving Aussie guests a chance to explore the Great Barrier Reef without leaving the country.
For travelers who prefer to sail from Sydney, the 4,180-passenger Anthem of the Seas will operate 21 cruises between 3 and 11 nights.
Options include 4-night sailings to Hobart, Tasmania, as well as longer cruises to New Zealand ports like Wellington, Napier, Dunedin, and Milford Sound.
A new 9-night New Zealand itinerary, for example, will take passengers to Picton, Lyttelton (Christchurch), Dunedin, and Dusky Sound.
The most notable new addition to the schedule is a 25-night repositioning cruise that departs Los Angeles on September 26, 2026, and sails across the Pacific to Brisbane on Quantum of the Seas.
The itinerary includes stops in Hawaii, French Polynesia, and for the first time in Royal Caribbean’s Australian schedule, Catalina Island off the coast of California.
“With the variety of short and more getaways in 2026 and 2027, every type of holidaymaker can make the most of their travels and without compromise,” added Smith.
Doubling Down Down Under
The move to offer more Australian cruises follows the demise of P&O Cruises Australia, which moved its ships to the Carnival Cruise Line brand, upping the competition for fun-filled short and week-long voyages.
The 168,666-gross-ton Quantum of the Seas’ 2026 schedule will kick off on October 22, 2026, with an 8-night roundtrip journey to Vila and Mystery Island, Vanuatu, and Noumea.
Its 7-night South Pacific option leaves Noumea off the lineup, while the Queensland cruise visits Airlie Beach, Cairns (Yorkeys Knob), and Willis Island, Australia.
For shorter excursions, passengers can choose from a 3-night “Sampler” that spends 2 days at sea, or a 4-night roundtrip voyage to Airlie Beach.
The vessel, which was recently refurbished in the fall of 2024, is scheduled to complete the summer season on April 11, 2027.
Check Out the Cruise Boards: Cruising Australia
Meanwhile, Anthem of the Seas, which just finished its own dry dock in April 2025, will make a return for winter 2026 through spring 2027.
Its quick-sail options also feature a 3-night roundtrip “Sampler” sailing that spends time at sea.
The 4-day journey to Hobart is just that, while the 8-night Queensland sailings will cruise to Willis Island, Cairns, and Airlie Beach.
The vessel’s longest cruise will be 11-night sailings to New Zealand, calling in Picton, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Dusky Sound.
The 168,666-gross-ton Anthem of the Seas will begin its summer on October 30, 2026, and end on March 5, 2027.
Two Royal Caribbean Ships Will Sail Down Under During Summer 2026-27