Royal Caribbean adds California cruise home port, announces 2026-27 West Coast ships and itineraries
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.
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:
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
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Cons
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- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
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- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
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- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month