NEWS

Royal Caribbean has warned passengers on two upcoming transatlantic repositioning cruises to expect significant embarkation delays.

By Ryan Bird, Royal Cove BloggerOctober 16, 20262 min read

In this article

Introduction

Passengers preparing to embark on two upcoming Royal Caribbean transatlantic cruises have been warned to expect potentially lengthy boarding delays as additional European immigration checks come into effect, with immigration processing potentially adding more than 90 minutes to the embarkation experience.

Introduction

Royal Caribbean has warned passengers on two upcoming transatlantic repositioning cruises to expect significant embarkation delays due to mandatory European immigration checks. The affected sailings are the Odyssey of the Seas, departing Civitavecchia on 25 October 2026, and the Explorer of the Seas, departing Barcelona on 31 October 2026. Terminal wait times could surpass 90 minutes as all passengers, regardless of nationality, must complete face-to-face immigration processing before boarding.

Why the Delays Are Happening

The additional processing is tied to the European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES), which tracks non-EU travellers crossing external borders. Although the EES became fully operational on 10 April 2026, Royal Caribbean's recent passenger communications highlight specific operational impacts for these late-October sailings.

Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully operational

What Passengers Need to Know

Extended Wait Times: The cruise line has warned that the face-to-face checks could add more than 90 minutes to the standard embarkation process.

Arrival Windows: Passengers are strongly advised to arrive strictly within their assigned check-in windows rather than arriving early, in order to manage terminal congestion.

Universal Processing: While EES biometric requirements generally apply only to eligible non-EU nationals, Royal Caribbean has indicated that all passengers on these specific sailings must undergo the additional immigration checks.