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Royal Caribbean adds California cruise home port, announces 2026-27 West Coast ships and itineraries
Ashley Kosciolek
Senior cruise writer
In addition to cruising, Ashley is obsessed with reading, lawn gnomes, pizza, cats, CrossFit, SEO and proper grammar.
Feb. 13, 2025
•
5 min read
Royal Caribbean adds California cruise home port, announces 2026-27 West Coast ships and itineraries
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Heads up, San Diego. For the first time ever, Royal Caribbean will be basing a cruise ship in the port, starting in October 2026.
The cruise line will base Serenade of the Seas in San Diego for its maiden season in this Southern California port. The vessel will run a series of three-, four- and seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises.
West Coast cruisers notoriously have fewer options than their East Coast counterparts; the addition of another ship to the region means more choice for passengers, even if it is a 22-year-old vessel.
“With the 2026-27 season, we want to give thrill-seekers on the West Coast more opportunities to enjoy a Royal Caribbean vacation for themselves," said Kara Wallace, chief marketing officer for Royal Caribbean International. “We're excited ... to homeport from San Diego for the first time ever with Serenade of the Seas.”
San Diego is positioned to easily cater to a drive-to market, but it’s also well suited to travelers who have to fly in for their sailings, as the airport is only 3 miles — about a 9-minute drive — away from the cruise terminal. Those looking to arrive early or stay a day or two late can enjoy a vibrant restaurant scene, gorgeous beaches and historic areas like Old Town and the Gaslamp Quarter.
Following a season of Alaska voyages from Vancouver, British Columbia, Serenade of the Seas will be one of five Royal Caribbean vessels cruising from the West Coast from the summer of 2026 through the winter of 2026-27, but it will be the only ship in San Diego.
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Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas all will sail from Los Angeles. Navigator of the Seas currently offers sailings from Los Angeles year-round and will continue to do so. Voyager of the Seas will take up residence for the winter of 2026 into 2027 after completing a season of Alaska sailings from Seattle.
Royal Caribbean recently ramped up its presence along the West Coast, announcing in 2024 that it would relocate both Ovation of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas from the Asia-Pacific region to Los Angeles in June 2025 and October 2025, respectively. It will be the first time ships that size will sail out of LA. Quantum of the Seas will remain in Los Angeles through at least the summer of 2026. Ovation of the Seas will return to LA for winter 2026-27 following stints in both Asia and Alaska.
Here are more details about the ships’ planned 2026-27 offerings, which go on sale to the general public on Thursday, Feb. 13 (after a one-day preview for the line's Crown & Anchor Society loyalty program members):
- Serenade of the Seas: The ship will offer three-, four- and seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises from San Diego, starting in October 2026. Ports include Mexico’s Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, as well as La Paz, which is a new port for Royal Caribbean.
- Quantum of the Seas: Continuing from its 2025 season, Quantum of the Seas will remain in Los Angeles through the summer of 2026 to sail three-, four- and seven-night voyages to California’s Catalina Island and Ensenada. Weeklong cruises will include calls on Cabo San Lucas, where the ship will overnight.
- Ovation of the Seas: Returning to Los Angeles for the winter 2026-27 season, this vessel is scheduled to sail similar cruises to Quantum of the Seas — three-, four- and seven-night voyages to Catalina Island, Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas (with overnights).
- Navigator of the Seas: Continuing with its year-round presence in LA, Navigator of the Seas is set to offer seven-night cruises to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta along the Mexican Riviera.
- Voyager of the Seas: Positioning itself in Los Angeles for the winter 2026-27 season, this ship will feature a series of six- to eight-night cruises that are a hybrid of the ones already mentioned. Depending on length, they’ll include a mix of calls on Catalina Island, Ensenada, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, as well as overnights in Cabo San Lucas.
Find out more about Royal Caribbean:
Featured image by ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Best for dining at restaurants
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Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.