Odyssey of the Seas can’t make up her mind this autumn, and I respect that. Between October 11 and January 25, 2027, this 4,198-guest Quantum Ultra Class ship does a Greek island fling out of Rome. Then she makes a 14-night Atlantic crossing, then spends the winter on Bahamas and Caribbean runs from New Jersey. That’s three personalities on one hull. The full sailing-by-sailing schedule lives on our Odyssey of the Seas itineraries page. This article is for working out which version of her is yours.
Quick Reference: Odyssey of the Seas This Autumn
| Detail | Answer |
|---|---|
| Ship | Odyssey of the Seas (Royal Caribbean, Quantum Ultra Class) |
| Season covered | Autumn into early winter: October 11, 2026 to January 25, 2027 departures |
| Region | Mixed. Mediterranean, then a transatlantic crossing, then Bahamas and Caribbean from New Jersey |
| Typical lengths | 7, 11, 12 and 14 nights |
| Home ports | Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey |
| CDC inspection score | 97 out of 100 (inspected March 1, 2026) |
| Size | 169,379 gross tons, 16 decks, 4,198 guests, 1,550 crew |
| Built / refurbished | 2021 / 2026 |
The Ship: Big, Busy and Built for Action
Odyssey is the “do something” ship. The headline acts are the SeaPlex (dodgems, laser tag and more), the FlowRider surf simulator, Ripcord by iFly, a rock climbing wall and a robot-staffed Bionic Bar. There’s also North Star, a glass capsule that lifts you about 300 feet above the sea. One review put it at around US$20 per person per ride, so budget accordingly. Two70, the show lounge with its giant screens and “Roboscreens”, is the entertainment centrepiece.
Her 2026 refit was a routine drydock in Marseille. She returned to guests on April 16, 2026. She did not get the Royal Amplified makeover that Ovation, Harmony and Liberty received this year. Expect the 2021 ship you’ve seen in photos, not a reinvented one.
She suits families, teens, first-timers and anyone who wants the ship to be half the holiday. She suits quiet-seekers less. Reviewers say she feels crowded on sea days, which matters if you’re eyeing the transatlantic. For hygiene, her latest CDC Vessel Sanitation Program score is 97 out of 100, and you can read the full report in our CDC cruise ship inspection lookup.
The Itineraries: Which One Should You Pick?
The Rome Greek loop (7 nights, October 11 and 18). This is the headline act. Retail listings for the October 11 sailing show this routing:
- Sunday: Civitavecchia, departing 4:00 PM
- Monday: Messina, Sicily, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
- Tuesday: at sea
- Wednesday: Santorini, 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Thursday: Mykonos, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Friday: at sea
- Saturday: Naples, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Sunday: back in Civitavecchia at 5:00 AM
A flag from me: our own schedule data lists Kusadasi (for Ephesus, Turkey) on these sailings. Every listing I checked for the two October departures shows Messina instead, with no Turkey. Itineraries get swapped, so confirm with Royal Caribbean before you book anything non-refundable.
The 14-night Rome to New Jersey crossing (departs October 25). Our database has no port list for this one. A cruise retailer’s listing shows La Spezia (Oct 26), Barcelona (Oct 28), Cartagena, Spain (Oct 29), Lisbon (Oct 31) and Ponta Delgada in the Azores (Nov 2). Then come five straight sea days, with arrival at Cape Liberty at 5:00 AM on November 8. That’s five ports and eight sea days in total.
Bayonne 7-nighters (eight sailings, November 8 to December 27). Our data doesn’t hold the ports either. The November 8 listing shows Port Canaveral, Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, with three sea days. Check the other seven dates individually.
The long Caribbean runs. The 11-night January 3 sailing lists St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Kitts and St. Thomas, with three sea days each way. The January 14 sailing is listed with St. Kitts, Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Maarten. The 12-night January 25 sailing lists Labadee, Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, Antigua, St. Lucia and St. Maarten.
My picks. First Greek islands? Take the Rome loop. Love sea days and bargains? Take the crossing. Want a short, warm escape from New Jersey? Take the 7-nighter. Want a proper winter-dodging Caribbean stretch? Take January’s 11 or 12 nights.
The Ports: What’s Genuinely Worth Your Shoes
Santorini. Ships anchor in the caldera and tender you to the Old Port below Fira. The cable car up is the real bottleneck, at roughly 1,200 people an hour. Do Fira or Oia before about 10 AM or after 4 PM, and stay for the 10 PM sailing if the sunset is why you came. It’s the longest call of the week.
Mykonos. You get about ten hours. Wander Mykonos Town’s whitewashed maze (built to confuse pirates, and it still works on me), then aim for Little Venice and the windmills. Lunch at the water’s edge is the move.
Messina. Taormina is the classic day trip, about 52 km away. Allow 45 minutes to 1.5 hours each way, then a few hours at the Ancient Theatre and along Corso Umberto. With a 10 AM arrival and a 9 PM departure you can do it independently, as long as you leave plenty of cushion for the train back.
Naples. Pompeii or Capri are the two big choices, and you can’t do both in one day. Pick one.
On the crossing. Cinque Terre is the draw from La Spezia, and Sagrada Família is the draw in Barcelona (book timed tickets). In Lisbon, tram-and-pastry wandering fits the 7 AM to 5 PM window nicely. Ponta Delgada’s crater lakes at Sete Cidades are the Azores classic.
Rome. Civitavecchia is the port, and the city is roughly an hour or more away. Add a night or two before you sail rather than racing the clock.
Conditions and Packing
October in the Greek islands is a sweet spot. Santorini averages about 21°C (around 70°F) and Mykonos about 19°C (66°F). Sea temperatures are about 23°C and 22°C, so a swim isn’t mad. Days are shorter, and the odd breezy or showery afternoon is possible. Pack layers, a light rain jacket, a swimsuit and properly grippy shoes. Santorini’s steps are no joke.
The crossing is a different animal. November in the North Atlantic can be lively, so bring sea-sickness remedies if you’re prone, plus a coat for the deck.
From New Jersey, remember you’re boarding in a northeastern winter. Wear the parka to the terminal and pack it in the bag by day three. The official Atlantic hurricane season runs through November 30, so the November Bayonne departures sit inside it. That’s one more reason to take cancellation terms seriously.
Money: Where the Value Is
All fares below are per person, based on two sharing a cabin, using the cheapest listed fare in retailer snapshots. They move daily and differ by seller, and airfare is not included. Check whether the seller’s fare includes taxes and fees.
| Sailing | Nights | Cheapest listed fare (per person) | Approx. per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome Greek loop, Oct 11 | 7 | $1,707 (inside) | $244 |
| Rome to Bayonne, Oct 25 | 14 | $1,493 (inside) | $107 |
| Bayonne Bahamas, Nov 8 | 7 | $889 (interior) | $127 |
| Eastern Caribbean, Jan 3 | 11 | $1,310 (interior) | $119 |
| Southern Caribbean, Jan 25 | 12 | from about $1,595 | $133 |
The crossing works out to less than half the Greek week’s nightly rate. The catch is that it ends in New Jersey, so you’ll buy flights to Rome separately. The Greek week is expensive per night because every day is a headline port.
Fares are the start of it. Gratuities, specialty dining, shore excursions and North Star are extra. Our cruise ship tipping guide covers who gets what.
Timing: When to Book
Today is October 8. The October 11 Rome sailing leaves in three days and October 18 in ten, so those are last-minute territory for anyone not already in Italy. The October 25 crossing is 17 days out.
Plan ahead for Bayonne’s holiday dates. The December 20 sailing covers Christmas, and December 27 runs into New Year’s. Holiday weeks typically price highest and go first. January’s 11 and 12-night sailings are the long-haul winter option, so book those with decent lead time. If you want a specific balcony, check our Odyssey of the Seas ship page and book early.
FAQ: Your Odyssey of the Seas Questions
Is October a good time for a Greek Islands cruise?
Generally yes, if you want comfort over crowds. Santorini averages around 21°C (about 70°F) in October and Mykonos about 19°C (66°F), with sea temperatures near 22–23°C. Cruise traffic continues but thins out from peak summer. The trade-offs are shorter days and the occasional breezy or showery afternoon, so pack layers and a light rain jacket.
Which ports does Odyssey of the Seas visit from Rome in October 2026?
Retailer listings for the October 11 and 18 sailings show Civitavecchia (Rome), Messina in Sicily, a sea day, Santorini, Mykonos, another sea day, Naples, then back to Rome. Our own data lists Kusadasi, Turkey, for these cruises, so confirm the final port list with Royal Caribbean before booking.
Is Odyssey of the Seas a clean ship? What is her CDC score?
Her latest CDC Vessel Sanitation Program score is 97 out of 100, from an inspection on March 1, 2026. A score of 86 or above is a pass, so she sits comfortably above the line. A score is a snapshot of one inspection, so check the lookup page for the full report.
Is a transatlantic cruise from Rome to New Jersey worth it?
If you like sea days, yes. It’s 14 nights with five ports (La Spezia, Barcelona, Cartagena, Lisbon and Ponta Delgada), then eight sea days in all, five of them back to back. One listing has inside cabins from $1,493 per person, about $107 a night. If you need a port every day, choose the 7-night Greek loop instead.
Does Odyssey of the Seas sail from New Jersey this winter?
Yes. After the Atlantic crossing she’s based at Cape Liberty in Bayonne. That means eight 7-night sailings from November 8 to December 27, two 11-night Caribbean sailings (January 3 and 14, 2027) and a 12-night Southern Caribbean sailing on January 25. The November 8 listing shows Port Canaveral, Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau.
When should I book a Christmas or New Year’s Odyssey of the Seas cruise?
As early as you can. The December 20 sailing covers Christmas and December 27 straddles New Year’s, and holiday weeks typically price highest and sell their best cabins first. For reference, the October 11 sailing leaves in three days and October 18 in ten, so anything near-term is already late.
The Bottom Line
Pick the Rome Greek week if you want the postcard islands and can handle a busy, family-friendly ship. Pick the 14-night crossing if sea days sound like a feature and you want the lowest nightly rate. Pick Bayonne in November or December for a short escape, or January for a long Caribbean stretch. Either way, confirm the port list, since our database and the retail listings disagree on Kusadasi versus Messina and some sailings have no port data on our side. Then check the full schedule and book.
Ships in This Story
- Odyssey of the Seas Royal Caribbean · Latest CDC score 97
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