Caribbean cruises 2028

Where do Caribbean cruises go in 2028?

Caribbean sailings in 2028 concentrate on three distinct stretches of water, each with its own character. The broadest band of availability sits across the general Caribbean region, followed by a strong showing in the Western Caribbean and a meaningful selection in the Southern Caribbean. A smaller number of voyages touch the East Coast of America and the Eastern Caribbean. If you are weighing up which direction suits you, the broad Caribbean itineraries tend to blend island stops with sea days, while Western Caribbean routes lean toward the Gulf coast of Mexico and Central American ports, and Southern Caribbean itineraries reach further toward the island chains of the Lesser Antilles — including sailings that embark from Bridgetown, Barbados and call at Fort de France, Martinique. Our team can talk you through the differences and match a route to the kind of holiday you have in mind.

Which ports do Caribbean cruises sail from?

Most 2028 Caribbean sailings depart from Florida, which makes sense: the state sits at the northern gateway to the Caribbean Sea, and its ports between them offer more Caribbean departures than anywhere else in the world.

Miami and Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) are the two busiest embarkation points. They are roughly half an hour apart by road, so a Florida trip can sail from either — it is always worth checking both for dates and prices that suit you. Port Canaveral on Florida’s Space Coast is another popular option, particularly for Royal Caribbean and Carnival sailings. Galveston, Texas gives travellers from the southern United States a convenient on-road gateway without needing a connection through Miami. Tampa, Florida rounds out the Florida options, and San Juan, Puerto Rico serves as both an embarkation point and a turnaround port for itineraries running through the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

For Australian travellers, all of these ports require an international flight. Cruise1st can book that flight for you as part of a Cruise1st Package, along with any hotel nights you need either side of the cruise and transfers between your hotel and the ship. That way the whole trip — flights, accommodation, transfers and cruise — sits on one booking, and you have one team to call if anything needs adjusting.

Which cruise lines sail the Caribbean in 2028?

Six major lines dominate the 2028 programme, and between them they cover every style of Caribbean cruising from large resort ships to boutique luxury vessels.

• Royal Caribbean leads the programme with the widest range of ships and itineraries, including adventure-focused vessels with surf simulators, ice rinks and multi-deck waterparks. If you prefer to plan ahead, look at Royal Caribbean sailings from Sydney or from Brisbane to find a departure city that suits you.
• Carnival Cruise Lines brings its trademark fun-ship approach — lively pooldecks, a broad dining offer and itineraries that suit families and groups. Carnival’s full programme gives you a sense of how their fleet is deployed globally.
• MSC Cruises offers some of the largest ships at sea in 2028, including MSC World Asia and MSC Seashore (both detailed below), with a strong all-inclusive emphasis.
• Norwegian Cruise Line is known for its Freestyle Cruising model — no fixed dining times, a wide range of specialty restaurants and a generous suite tier called The Haven.
• Princess Cruises brings a mix of mid-size and larger ships with a particularly strong dining and entertainment reputation, plus the Princess Plus and Princess Standard fare tiers described below.
• Celebrity Cruises rounds out the line-up with a premium positioning — modern, design-led ships with an emphasis on food and beverage quality.

Holland America Line and Oceania Cruises also have Caribbean sailings in 2028. Holland America is a good fit for travellers who want a slightly quieter, more traditional ship atmosphere, while Oceania Cruises appeals to those who prioritise destination-focused itineraries and an elevated culinary programme.

Ships worth knowing about for 2028

The 2028 Caribbean season features a wide range of ships. Below are some of the most searched vessels across the programme, with notes on what sets each one apart.

MSC World Asia — MSC Cruises

MSC World Asia entered service in December 2026, making it a genuinely new addition to the Caribbean for 2028. At 215,863 GT it is among the largest cruise ships ever built, and the scale of what is on board reflects that. A 12-metre floating dragon sculpture anchors the World Promenade — the ship’s main indoor boulevard — while an 81-metre spiral slide runs through 12 decks at the heart of the ship. Outside, the Harbour theme park sits 50 metres above the ocean: the Cliffhanger swing carries you out over the sea, free-fall waterslides drop through the open air, and 7 pools spread across the deck. If you are weighing up cabin options, the MSC World Asia cabins and deck plans page sets out the full range.

• Deluxe Inside Cabin Fantastica — 15 m², sleeps 4. Around 50% more floor space than a standard inside cabin, which makes a real difference over a 7-night voyage.
• Infinite Ocean View Fantastica — 20 m², sleeps 4. A window cabin at 20 m², giving natural light and sea views without the balcony premium.
• Balcony Aurea — 17 m², sleeps 4. Private outdoor space with direct sea air — the step up that transforms how you use the mornings at sea.
• Grand Suite Aurea — 35 m², sleeps 4. A separate seating area and around 40% more space than a standard suite.
• MSC Yacht Club Owner’s Suite — 104 m², sleeps 4. The largest suite on the ship and part of the Yacht Club, MSC’s ship-within-a-ship concept with its own pool, lounge and dedicated service.

Emerald Princess — Princess Cruises

Emerald Princess completed a full refit in 2025, which means fresh interiors across 4 pools, 7 hot tubs and 13 dining venues when you board. The Salty Dog Gastropub, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria and Sterling Steakhouse are among the most popular choices at dinner, though the 13-venue spread means you rarely need to eat in the same place twice on a 7-night sailing. The Movies Under the Stars open-air cinema — with complimentary popcorn and blankets — has become one of Princess’s most recognised on-board touches, and Emerald Princess has it. For cabin detail, the Emerald Princess cabins and deck plans page covers every grade.

• Inside cabin GTY — 15.1 m², sleeps 4. Positioned on middle decks for quieter motion and easy lift access to the main areas of the ship.
• Sea-view cabin OB — 16.6 m², sleeps 4. A panoramic window brings natural daylight and sea views into the room throughout the day.
• Premium Balcony cabin B1 — 25.2 m², sleeps 4. Your own outdoor space with a chair and table — the kind of spot where a morning coffee at sea genuinely changes the rhythm of the day.
• Owner’s Suite S2 — 63.8 m², sleeps 4. More than twice the space of a mini-suite, with a balcony and the most generous layout below the top suite tier.

Seabourn Ovation — Seabourn

Seabourn Ovation operates at the luxury end of the spectrum — a smaller, intimate ship where the service ratio to guests is notably high and elegant dining is included in the fare rather than added on. The Seabourn Ovation cabins and deck plans page shows the full suite inventory. The Grand Wintergarden Suite (grade GR) runs to approximately 115 m² and includes a private hot tub, a separate bedroom, a full kitchen with bar and a generous living area — the kind of space that makes a 10-night voyage feel very different from a standard cruise. If you have been considering a step up to luxury cruising, Seabourn’s 2028 Caribbean programme is a practical place to explore it.

Adventure of the Seas — Royal Caribbean

Adventure of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean Voyager-class ship built for active holidays at sea. The Adventure of the Seas cabins and deck plans page lays out the cabin options in full. On board you will find a climbing wall, a full-size basketball court, an ice rink with nightly shows, a Royal Promenade stretching the length of the ship, and a casino. Itineraries from the Caribbean in 2028 tend to sit in the 7-night range, which gives enough time to take in several island stops without rushing.

MSC Seashore — MSC Cruises

MSC Seashore is built around outdoor living in a way few ships match. The ship carries 13,000 m² of outdoor space, including glass-floored bridge extensions 22 metres above the sea and glass-bottomed promenades that put the ocean directly beneath your feet. On Deck 18, the Pirates Cove Aquapark has a 360-degree fountain island, a zip line and an MSC Formula Racer simulator. Inside, a Times Square-style district features an 8.5-metre LED wall, and the Danza del Mare Venini glass sculpture rises through 4 decks. The MSC Seashore cabins and deck plans page covers all grades.

Iona — P&O Cruises

The ship carries up to 5,200 guests and is built around the SkyDome, a 970 m² retractable glass dome that covers the main pool area and doubles as a live performance venue when the weather turns. 18 dining venues include Sindhu, The Epicurean, The Chef’s Table and Anderson’s gin bar. For cabin options, the Iona cabins and deck plans page has the full layout.

Arvia — P&O Cruises

Arvia is P&O’s largest ship at 185,581 GT, delivered in 2022 and named by Nicole Scherzinger in Barbados. Like Iona, Arvia is built around the SkyDome concept — the 970 m² retractable glass roof spans a pool and a live performance stage, and it is a feature you will not find on any other ship at sea. More than 30 dining and bar venues include Sindhu, The Epicurean, Keel & Cow and The Glass House. Cabin choices and deck layouts are on the Arvia cabins and deck plans page.

What fare options are available for Caribbean cruises in 2028?

The major lines each structure their fares differently, so knowing what is and is not included before you book can make a significant difference to the overall cost of the trip.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean offers a standard Cruise Fare as the base, covering the cruise itself. From there, fare types such as last-minute offers and solo fares are available on select sailings. Promotions change regularly — our team can tell you which offers apply to the specific sailing and departure date you have in mind.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line gives you a choice between a lowest-fare “just cruise” option and bundled packages. Their at-sea bundle adds a beverage package, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and shore excursion credits for guests 1 and 2. A higher-tier package extends specialty dining and the beverage package to all guests on the booking. The number of specialty dining meals scales with the length of the cruise.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises offers a Princess Standard base fare — the cruise itself, with add-ons available separately — and a Princess Plus package that bundles four casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to a daily limit, Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, digital photographs and reserved theatre seating. It is worth comparing the two fares against what you would actually spend on board, as the bundle often represents good value for couples who eat out most evenings.

Planning your trip: flights, hotels and transfers

Every 2028 Caribbean sailing departs from the United States or the wider Caribbean region, so an international flight is part of every Australian’s journey to the ship. Cruise1st can arrange that flight as part of your booking — along with hotel nights in your embarkation city before you board, hotel nights at the other end if you are on a one-way itinerary, and transfers between your accommodation and the port. It all goes on one booking, which means one point of contact if flight times change or you want to extend the trip at either end.

If you are sailing from Miami or Fort Lauderdale, remember that both cities are about half an hour apart — worth checking sailings from both ports when you are looking at dates, since prices and schedules can differ meaningfully between them.

Solo travellers should ask our team about single-occupancy fares, which are available on select sailings across most lines. A single supplement can vary considerably from ship to ship and sailing to sailing, and talking it through with an adviser before you book often identifies the best-value option for a particular date.

2028 sailings with the lines you are already considering

If you have already settled on a cruise line, these pages let you go straight to the relevant programme. Princess Cruises’ 2027–2028 season launch is one of the most-searched pages on the site and covers the full Princess deployment across both years. For Celebrity Cruises, the Celebrity Edge 2027–2028 programme from Sydney and the Celebrity Edge 2028–2029 programme from Sydney both cover what is on sale from an Australian gateway. If Carnival is your line, the Carnival 2028 programme covers the full deployment for that year.

Planning around Princess specifically? The Princess Cruises from Sydney in 2028, Princess Cruises from Fremantle in 2028 and Princess Cruises Around Australia 2028 pages each narrow the search to a specific departure point or routing. The Crown Princess 2028 page is worth a look if that particular ship is on your shortlist. Royal Caribbean fans who prefer to search by home port can use the Royal Caribbean from Sydney and Royal Caribbean from Brisbane pages to filter quickly.

Royal Caribbean also has a private beach destination that is generating a lot of interest — the Royal Beach Club Lelepa sailings page covers that programme in detail.

Why book your Caribbean cruise with Cruise1st?

Cruise1st is a cruise specialist — every holiday we sell is built around a sailing. That means our advisers know the ships, the cabin grades, the fare tiers and the itinerary differences in a level of detail that a general travel agent typically cannot match. Our Best Price Guarantee backs every booking, and our Australian cruise experts are available seven days a week to help you weigh up the options before you commit.

Where a Caribbean cruise is the centrepiece of a longer trip — which it almost always is for Australians, given the flight involved — we put the whole holiday on one booking through our Cruise1st Package service: flights, hotels, transfers, tours and the cruise itself, arranged together and managed by one team. If you want to extend your stay in a Florida city before or after the cruise, or add a touring component to the trip, that is the kind of thing we handle every day.

You can browse the full range of cruises across every destination and year, or use the 2028 cruises hub to see what else is on sale that year alongside the Caribbean. If 2028 feels a long way off, the New Year 2028 cruises page is a popular starting point for travellers who want a specific peg for the holiday.

Thinking about other years or nearby departures?

If you want to compare 2028 Caribbean options with what the major lines are doing in adjacent years, a few pages are worth bookmarking. Carnival Cruises 2027 and Princess Cruises Around Australia 2027 both carry strong inventory for the year before, and Princess from Brisbane in 2027 is a useful comparison if you are weighing up timing.

If you are starting from an Australian departure city rather than a Caribbean one, Brisbane in January 2028, Brisbane in March 2028 and 2028 cruises from Melbourne all show what is available from those ports in the same year. The 2028 cruises around Tasmania page is there for anyone thinking closer to home before committing to a long-haul Caribbean voyage. And for a completely different 2028 direction, the Coral Princess Australia 2027 programme gives a sense of what Princess does in home waters in the season immediately before.

Fares start from A$391 pp* across the 2028 Caribbean programme, with itineraries running from 4 nights up to 16 nights and a median sailing length of 7 nights. The majority of sailings are round-trip — you return to the same port you departed from — with a small number of one-way voyages where the ship finishes in a different city, easily connected by a domestic US flight that we can arrange as part of the package.

*Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, and are subject to change. This price is not kept up to date and therefore does not reflect live pricing and availability. Prices and any discounts shown were checked on 14 October 2026.

Where a discount is shown, it is a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a comparison between cabin grades or against a brochure rate. Discounts and prices shown are not kept up to date: the reduction available now may be smaller, or may have ended, and prices may have changed.