Royal Caribbean Reveals China and Far East Deployment for 2026-27 – Cruise Industry News

Royal Caribbean International has announced its deployment for the 2026-27 season in China and the Far East.

Sailing in the region on a year-round basis, the Spectrum of the Seas will offer cruises departing from Shanghai and Hong Kong.

After a short winter schedule sailing from Hong Kong in late 2025, the 2019-built ship repositions to Shanghai in mid-January 2026.

Sailing from its homeport in Mainland China, the vessel offers a series of short cruises to destinations in Japan and South Korea.

The two- to five-night itineraries feature visits to Naha, Ishigaki, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, as well as Busan and Seogwipo-si.

The Spectrum is also scheduled to offer longer cruises to additional parts of Japan as part of a series of six- to eight-night itineraries.

With departures in May, July, August, September and October, the cruises sail to Hakodate, Niigata, Maizuru, Kobe, Nagoya, Tokyo, Sakaiminato and more.

In early November, the 4,200-guest ship offers a repositioning cruise to Hong Kong before kicking off a series of two- to nine-night cruises from the port.

The deployment features similar itineraries to Japan and South Korea, as well as two-night cruises to nowhere.

The ship is also set to visit Da Nang as part of four-night cruises to Vietnam that also feature two days cruising in the South China Sea.

Following a four-night repositioning cruise, the Spectrum of the Seas returns to China in late January 2027 for more sailings aimed at the Chinese market.

Sailing from Shanghai through at least April, the ship offers additional four- to eight-night cruises in the Far East.

Royal Caribbean’s recently announced plans for the 2026-27 season include a focus on short cruises in the Caribbean, as well as additional capacity on the West Coast.

The deployment is also highlighted by the debut of the Mariner of the Seas in New Orleans, as well as the inaugural season of the new Legend of the Seas.