By Andrés /Colón, Panamá
Royal Caribbean announced the start of a new visa-free cruise season, with departures from Cartagena (Colombia) and Colón (Panamá).
The proposal aims to attract new Latin American cruisers who wish to explore without facing immigration restrictions, consolidating the company’s commitment to the growth of the regional market.
Aboard the Serenade of the Seas, Itzel Valdés, associate vice president for Latin America at Royal Caribbean, commented that “we just opened the season with the Serenade of the Seas and this ship will be here from October 2025 until April 2026. It will be possible to take it from Colón, Panamá, or Cartagena, Colombia, with a 7-night itinerary and the possibility of visiting Aruba, Bonaire, and Curazao. There are itineraries where you will be able to visit all three and there are others that are alternated, but there will always be the option to depart from Colón or from Cartagena.”
“With this visa-free itinerary, we give the opportunity to attract new cruisers or people who currently do not have a visa and desire a cruise with a wonderful itinerary. The Caribbean is beautiful and what better way to combine it also with Panamá and Cartagena,” she added.
It is worth mentioning that the cruise operator will not withdraw from the area, as “we are going to give the opportunity for the Grandeur of the Seas to arrive in May 2026. What we do is change ships: the Serenade of the Seas leaves and the Grandeur of the Seas enters, which will be in season from May 2026 until April 2027,” remarked the professional specialized in Human Resources and Personnel Administration.
Meanwhile, the choice of vessels responds to a strategy of expansion and consolidation in Latin America, which began in 2023 with the Rhapsody of the Seas. “We started the first season at the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024 with the Rhapsody of the Seas, with a five-month season exploring the route and the market. Royal Caribbean has a strong commitment to Latin America and we must also develop the market and growth,” Valdés remarked.
“Royal Caribbean currently has 29 ships of different categories and capacities. Therefore, the importance of reaching Panamá and Cartagena as ports lies in seeing the capacity in which they can operate. Ships of this size begin to develop the market for Latin America to position them, not only the brand, but also to see other future itineraries. It could be said that the decision to bring these ships is based on the market due to the way it is growing and, additionally, to explore not only short seasons, but extended ones and to develop the Latin American market,” she emphasized.
Additionally, it was announced that the Serenade of the Seas will undertake new itineraries starting in April 2026, incorporating unprecedented ports in its portfolio. “Royal Caribbean will integrate a new port, which is San Diego, which we did not have in the portfolio. It will also be doing itineraries to Catalina Island and La Paz as a new port in Mexico that we did not have. The vessel will be experimenting with new routes,” Valdés specified.
With this strategy, Royal Caribbean reinforces its commitment to regional tourism, offering accessible and attractive alternatives for thousands of travelers seeking to discover the Caribbean without immigration complications.
