Coronavirus fears force Royal Caribbean to cancel cruises in China

In:
27 Jan 2020
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Multiple media outlets are reporting Royal Caribbean has canceled at least the next two Spectrum of the Seas sailings out of concern over the spread of Coronavirus.

The Spectrum of the Seas sailings from Shanghai scheduled for January 27 and January 31 have been canceled.

A cruise line spokesperson said: "In light of the latest developments with the coronavirus outbreak in China, we are suspending the January 27 and January 31 sailings of Spectrum of the Seas, currently our only ship homeported in China. We are working with our guests to provide full refunds for the cancellation. The health and safety of our guests and crew is our primary concern, and we continue to work with the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, and government health authorities to monitor the situation."

Royal Caribbean is also assuring its guests it is taking other proactive steps to ensure guest safety, such as special sanitizing of high traffic areas, adding additional medical staff onboard, and providing consultations with medical experts.

As of January 27, 81 people have been killed from the virus, along with another 3,000 infected. Forty-four cases have been confirmed outside of China. 


Matt started Royal Caribbean Blog in 2010 as a place to share his passion for all things Royal Caribbean with readers. He oversees all the writers at Royal Caribbean Blog, and writes a great deal of content on a daily basis.  He has become one of the foremost experts on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Over the years, he has reached Pinnacle Club status with Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program.

Get our newsletter

Stay up-to-date with cruise news & advice

    We never share your information with third parties and will protect it in accordance with our Privacy Policy