Galveston has grown so accustomed to welcoming new cruise ships in port that it’s a little surprising to see things run the other direction. But the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.
In a surprise move, Royal Caribbean announced Thursday it will reposition its Symphony of the Seas to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., instead of Galveston during the 2027 season. The cruise line will still be represented in the Gulf Coast city by Liberty of the Seas, which will begin its Galveston sailings in October 2026.
And, as the cruise line announced last November, Icon of the Seas—currently the world’s largest cruise ship—will redeploy to Texas in August 2027. These will be the only Royal Caribbean ships to sail from Galveston next year, a spokesperson for the cruise line confirmed to Chron.
In a statement, Royal Caribbean emphasized that no sailings will be canceled due to the shift. Guests and travel partners will be contacted directly with more information, it added.
“This repositioning allows us to continue delivering the incredible experiences guests love while thoughtfully evolving our deployment strategy,” the spokesperson said. “Royal Caribbean’s longstanding commitment to Texas remains strong [and] Galveston remains a key homeport for us.”
Symphony of the Sea’s 2027 schedule from Galveston—which has not yet been updated to Florida on the cruise line’s website—includes sailings of between four and eight nights, beginning on Jan. 3. All voyages are to the Western Caribbean area, including the popular ports of Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; Nassau, Bahamas; and Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day private resort at CocoCay, Bahamas.