9 Big Royal Caribbean Changes Coming in 2026

Royal Caribbean has a packed 2026 lined up, and a few of the changes are bigger than they first sound.

Yes, there’s a brand-new ship coming. Yes, there are new beach clubs, ship upgrades, and a new California homeport. But there are also a couple of quieter changes that regular Royal Caribbean cruisers will definitely notice, especially if they care about loyalty perks or drink packages.

If you’re planning a Royal Caribbean cruise in 2026, or even just keeping an eye on what the line is doing next, these are the biggest updates worth knowing about.

1. A Major Loyalty Shake-Up: The New “Points Choice” System

A split image shows a Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society Diamond tier status on the left, with 32 cruise points and 25 cruise nights, and a message indicating 143 points are needed to reach Diamond Plus. On the right, a person receives a hot stone massage at the Royal Caribbean spa, lying under a white sheet with a smooth black stone resting in their hand.

Royal Caribbean’s Points Choice system is one of the biggest loyalty changes the company has introduced in years.

For sailings departing on or after January 30, 2026, guests can choose which Royal Caribbean Group loyalty program gets the points they earn. So if you sail on Royal Caribbean, you can still decide to apply those points to Crown & Anchor, Celebrity’s Captain’s Club, or Silversea’s Venetian Society.

That makes things a lot more flexible for anyone who likes to bounce between brands without feeling like they’re starting from scratch every time.

There is one catch, though. This doesn’t work retroactively. It only applies to eligible sailings from January 30, 2026 onward.

Royal Caribbean also says guests can submit a Points Choice request before the cruise and up to 14 days after it ends. If you do nothing, the points stay with the brand you sailed.

2. A Brand New Icon-Class Ship: Legend of the Seas

An image of Legend of the Seas on the ocean.

Legend of the Seas is still one of the biggest Royal Caribbean stories of 2026.

The new Icon Class ship is scheduled to launch on July 4, 2026. It will sail in the Mediterranean first before moving to Fort Lauderdale for winter Caribbean cruises later in the year.

That part is already exciting. What makes the story stronger now is that Royal Caribbean has revealed more of what will be onboard.

The line has confirmed America’s Got Talent LIVE on Legend of the Seas, which will mark the first time the franchise headlines at sea. Royal has also revealed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a new Royal Railway dining experience called Legend Station, and the Hollywood-themed Lincoln Park Supper Club.

That makes for a pretty stacked debut, even by Royal Caribbean standards.

3. Royal Beach Club Cozumel Opens in December 2026

This image shows the Royal Beach Club in Cozumel, Mexico, with a large resort pool surrounded by green loungers and pink-and-white umbrellas. Guests relax in the pool and around a thatched-roof swim-up bar, while the beach and turquoise ocean stretch out just beyond the lush greenery and palm trees.

Cozumel will become home to a brand-new Royal Beach Club when it opens in December 2026. This destination is being designed as a premium beach-day experience, offering heated pools, comfortable loungers, cabanas, upgraded dining options and a strong focus on local culture.

The site is about ten minutes from the cruise port and will be completely rebuilt from the ground up. Guests will be able to reach it by bus, taxi or water transport. Admission will be sold as an extra-cost excursion similar to other Royal Caribbean beach experiences.

Features include a swim-up bar, toes-in-the-sand dining, and hands-on touches like tequila tastings and cooking classes. There is also supposed to be a street market, which makes this feel like Royal is trying a little harder to make the destination feel less generic.

4. Royal Beach Club Santorini Launches in Summer 2026

Aerial render of the upcoming Royal Beach Club Santorini, showing sun loungers shaded by umbrellas along a golden beach, surrounded by palm trees and bougainvillea. The design includes open-air dining areas, thatched-roof pavilions, and a wooden pier where yachts are docked against the island’s dramatic volcanic cliffs and clear Aegean water.

Royal Caribbean will expand its beach-club concept into Europe with the opening of the Royal Beach Club Santorini in summer 2026. This club will be available to both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises guests and is being developed by enhancing an existing beach area rather than rebuilding from scratch.

Admission will be all-inclusive and will cover beach access, dining, loungers, umbrellas and Wi-Fi. Each day pass will also include a scenic ferry tour along the coastline, as well as visits to Oia and Fira. The aim is to combine Santorini’s volcanic landscapes with the style and service of Royal Caribbean’s signature beach-club experience.

5. Three Royal Caribbean Ships Will Be Amplified in Spring 2026

The cruise ship 'Ovation of the Seas' glides through the icy waters of Alaska, with the majestic backdrop of snow-covered mountains and glaciers reflecting the clear blue skies.

Royal Caribbean will upgrade three of its existing ships in early 2026 as part of its ongoing amplification program. These upgrades go beyond standard maintenance and focus on adding new dining venues, refreshed pool decks, updated bars and lounges, and in some cases new suites and activities.

Ovation of the Seas will receive a redesigned pool deck, a new Sound Cellar music venue, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Izumi Teppanyaki, and an expanded casino.

Harmony of the Seas will get a refreshed pool deck, Lime and Coconut, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, Samba Grill Brazilian Steakhouse, and a much larger casino.

Liberty of the Seas is set to get a new Royal Escape Room, The Perfect Storm waterslides, Lime & Coconut, El Loco Fresh, Izumi Teppanyaki, and an expanded casino.

The work on all three ships is expected to take place in the spring, meaning passengers should be able to enjoy the upgrades by summer 2026.

6. Labadee Visits Paused Until 2027

Royal Caribbean has not visited Labadee since April 2025 due to ongoing unrest in Haiti, and all stops are canceled until at least January 2027. The situation in the country, rather than at Labadee itself, is the reason for the continued suspension, with the cruise line stating that it will only return once conditions are considered safe.

This is the longest continuous pause in visits to Labadee that Royal Caribbean has ever made. Cruises that originally included the stop have been rerouted to destinations such as Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Cozumel. If your upcoming cruise itinerary has been changed due to this extended pause, I’ve put together a guide on what to do next and what to expect at your new destination.

7. A New Home Port in San Diego

A row of tall palm trees lines the waterfront in front of the San Diego skyline at dusk, with the buildings glowing under a soft blue sky. The calm water reflects the city lights, adding to the serene and coastal California atmosphere.

Royal Caribbean will introduce a new home port on the West Coast in 2026. From October onwards, Serenade of the Seas will begin sailing from San Diego, offering itineraries to Ensenada, the Mexican Riviera and several ports along the Baja Peninsula.

These sailings will include La Paz, which will be a completely new stop for Royal Caribbean. Until now, the cruise line has only used Los Angeles, specifically the San Pedro terminal, as its California home port. The addition of San Diego will give West Coast travelers an alternative option for Mexican Riviera cruises from late 2026 onwards.

8. Royal Caribbean Quietly Removed a Drink Package Perk

This one’s not as flashy as a new ship or a new beach club, but a lot of Royal Caribbean fans will notice it.

As of March 15, 2026, the Deluxe Beverage Package and the Refreshment Package no longer include the Coca-Cola Freestyle souvenir cup. That means if you want to use the Freestyle machines onboard, you now have to buy the cup separately for $4.99.

The Classic Soda Package still includes the cup, so this change mainly affects guests who assumed the pricier packages automatically covered everything. Technically, your drinks are still included. But if you liked grabbing flavored sodas or Powerade from the self-serve machines, this is definitely a downgrade.

9. One Cruise Itinerary Shifted for the 2026 Solar Eclipse

Not every 2026 Royal Caribbean change is line-wide.

One of the more unusual updates is a Liberty of the Seas sailing from Southampton that has been tweaked and is now built around the August 12, 2026 solar eclipse.

Royal Caribbean is selling it as a Spanish Flair & Solar Eclipse itinerary, with the eclipse taking place on Day 6 while the ship is at sea.

It’s a niche change, sure, but it is still a fun one to include because it shows how far cruise lines will go when there’s a major event passengers actually care about.

And honestly, watching a total solar eclipse from a cruise ship sounds pretty incredible.

Final Thoughts

Royal Caribbean already has a packed schedule for 2026, with a major loyalty update, a brand-new Icon-class ship, two new beach clubs, three ship amplifications, a drink package perk removal, a solar eclipse sailing and the introduction of a new West Coast home port.

These changes will shape itineraries, onboard experiences and loyalty benefits throughout the year. Cruisers who like to plan ahead will want to keep an eye on these developments to make the most of the new options coming their way.