Royal Caribbean’s Radiance Now Sailing Year-Round from Tampa
If you're sailing from Tampa on the Radiance of the Seas, check your itinerary length: four- and five-night Western Caribbean cruises to Costa Maya and Cozumel run through early November, then switch to weeklong trips to George Town, Belize City, Cozumel and Roatán. A seven-night Christmas cruise visits Mexico, the Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay. Confirm dates before booking, since itineraries change again in early 2027 and next May.
Royal Caribbean is locking Radiance of the Seas into Tampa year-round through at least April 2028, which tells me the Gulf Coast market is now worth a long-term commitment rather than a seasonal test. The short four- and five-night Cozumel/Costa Maya runs are the entry-level product; the winter shift to weeklong Cayman-Belize-Honduras sailings and the Christmas CocoCay cruise are clearly aimed at repeat cruisers wanting more variety without changing homeports. Pairing Radiance with the Enchantment, and adding the Jewel for winter 2026-27, suggests Tampa is being built into a genuine three-ship hub. Notably, this 25-year-old ship just came out of a Grand Bahama refurbishment, so Royal Caribbean is betting on an older hull rather than routing new tonnage here. If I lived near Tampa, I'd book the short Cozumel run for a quick trip and save the weeklong Roatán/Belize itinerary for when I want more time off the ship.