Royal Caribbean International’s Explorer of the Seas will sail her first Europe season from Southampton this year.

The cruise line’s Adventure of the Seas, which was originally announced to homeport at Southampton, is being exchanged for Explorer of the Seas, which will take over three-to-16-night, roundtrip itineraries from late-April through to September.

Holidaymakers will be able to choose from three- and eight-night Northern Europe itineraries, 11- to 16-night Mediterranean itineraries, or ten to 14-night Madeira, Azores and Canary Islands itineraries.

Adventure of the Seas will remain at San Juan, Puerto Rico, to sail seven-night Southern Caribbean cruises throughout the summer.

Explorer of the Seas will complete an extensive, month-long dry docking before starting seasonal service and boast a wide range of new innovative features.

Guests can test their surfing skills on a new Flowrider surf simulator, watch a film come to life in the 3-D Movie Theatre, sample cuisine from around the world in one of the many onboard restaurants.

There will also be all-new staterooms and luxurious suites, plus new virtual balconies that bring the outside into interior staterooms. Explorer of the Seas will be joined in Southampton by the industry’s ground-breaking Quantum-class ship Anthem of the Seas.