Royal Caribbean could be adding a new California homeport to its plans.
Test loads for the upcoming West Coast deployment schedule to be released around February 17 reveal that Serenade of the Seas won't offer cruises out of Los Angeles. Instead, the 90,090 gross registered ton (GRT) ship will sail from San Diego, California.
Royal Caribbean prepares for a new deployment with test loads, where they upload a few select sailings to their website. They aren't bookable, but they give passengers a preview of what to expect.
Screenshots shared by Southern Dan on Royal Caribbean Blog's discussion board show Serenade offering a 7-night Mexican Riveria cruise on March 28, 2027, from San Diego.
The test itinerary also reveals that Serenade will call at Laz Paz, Mexico, which is known for beautiful beaches teeming with marine life and a vibrant downtown with a 3-mile-long waterfront promenade.
Cruises from San Diego aren't necessarily new. Royal Caribbean sometimes begins or ends Panama Canal voyages from the Southern California port. However, Royal doesn't offer regular sailings from San Diego.
It's more commonly used by lines like Disney, Holland America, Princess Cruises, and Norwegian.
Other West Coast changes
Voyager of the Seas will supposedly replace Navigator as the year-round ship based in Los Angeles, though Royal Caribbean hasn't made an official announcement yet.
The Ports America Los Angeles website schedule shows Voyager of the Seas arriving in California on October 5, 2026.
Test loads seem to confirm Voyager's takeover with an 8-night cruise scheduled on Nov. 5, 2026, including an overnight stay in Cabo.
Navigator of the Seas is on the schedule through Nov. 5, 2026. After that, the Voyager Class ship disappears from the manifest, whereas Voyager has departures listed through at least December 2026, along with Ovation of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean already announced they're bringing Quantum Class ships to Los Angeles, with Ovation of the Seas offering regular voyages starting in June 2025. Quantum will join Ovation in October 2025.
These cruise ships are larger than Voyager Class vessels and offer more modern amenities, including an enclosed SeaPlex, North Star observation capsule, and sky diving simulator. Plus, they're designed to operate in warm and cool climates.
Effective October 2026, however, it appears Royal Caribbean will reduce to just one Quantum Class ship in Los Angeles, phasing out Quantum of the Seas.
Another test itinerary shows Ovation making a short 3-night cruise to Ensenada on October 16, 2026.
Growing cruise market
After a decade-long hiatus from Los Angeles, Royal Caribbean's re-entry into the California market has proved to be worthwhile, with executives confirming that Navigator has performed "exceptionally well."
The itineraries to popular destinations in the Mexican Riveria have resonated with seasoned cruisers and newcomers who might not be interested in another typical Caribbean or Bahamian voyage.
Plus, adding newer ships, like Ovation and Quantum of the Seas, will further strengthen Royal Caribbean’s position in the market.
Upcoming deployments
There's a lot of exciting stuff forthcoming with Royal Caribbean's new deployments in the next few weeks. Already, they've announced their 2026 Alaska cruises, some of their 2026 European voyages, and Summer & Yearlong Caribbean Northeast cruises.
Here's an updated list of the upcoming deployment schedule:
- Week of February 10: Europe 2.0
- Week of February 17: West Coast
- Week of February 24: Short Caribbean
- Week of March 3: Seasonal Caribbean
- Week of March 10: China
- Week of March 17: Singapore
- Week of June 2: Australia
