Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean is ready to restart cruises on the world's biggest cruise ship.

In a rare move, the cruise line previously canceled Icon's 7-night sailing that was set to leave on September 28th.

Now, Icon of the Seas is set to return to her scheduled sailings on October 5th, 2024. 

The cruise line informed passengers and travel agents booked on the next sailing they've completed the necessary repairs.

"As you are aware, we were conducting unplanned maintenance onboard Icon of the Seas, and we're happy to share that it's complete!"

On September 23rd, guests and travel agents received word by email that the entire sailing was being canceled due to "unplanned maintenance."

The email did not specify what unplanned issue ended up affecting the ship, or what kind of maintenance was being done.

Icon of the Seas made major headlines as the world's largest cruise ship when she launched this year.

Surpassing Wonder of the Seas in size, length, and gross tonnage, Icon introduced a new class of Royal Caribbean vessels. At maximum occupancy, Icon carries 7,600 guests and 2,350—almost 10,000 people altogether.

The 248,663 gross ton vessel sails 7-night itineraries from Port Miami to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

However, the cruise line informed guests that the ship would need to remain docked for several days for the necessary work to be completed.

"While our crew is working hard to address this as quickly as possible, there is still some work that needs to be done over a few days while the ship is docked," the email read.

Icon resumes sailings on October 5th

Just a week after Icon's unplanned maintenance, Royal Caribbean is confident that the ship is ready to return to the sea.

Guests scheduled on the October 5th sailing received notification that their sailing will proceed as scheduled, leaving from the Port of Miami on a 7-night Eastern Caribbean and Perfect Day at CocoCay cruise.

"The ship is ready, our crew have missed our guests, and we are looking forward to resuming our normal itineraries as of our October 5, 2024, sailing," the email read."

Read more: Two Royal Caribbean megaships in drydock at the same time

At this time, sailings are continuing as previously planned.

The planned cruise sails out of Miami and visits St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Thomas, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The cruise line went on to thank guests for being patient: "Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to seeing you soon."

Any further updates about sailings on Icon of the Seas will be sent to passengers.

Refunds for the canceled cruise

Royal Caribbean extended its apologies to guests on the September 28th sailing. 

"We understand the disappointment this news may bring and we're truly sorry for the impact to your vacation plans."

Passengers scheduled on the cruise received a 100% refund, including all additional expenses, such as taxes, fees, gratuities, amenities, pre-paid packages, and shore excursions.

In addition to a full refund, Royal Caribbean also provided guests with a Future Cruise Credit worth 100% of the cruise fare.

Guests can use this Future Cruise Credit within the next 14 business days to purchase another sailing.

Essentially, passengers on the canceled cruise received all their money back, plus the equivalence of the fare to use toward another sailing.

As for passengers who pre-booked their travels, such as airplane flights, passengers who booked directly through Royal Caribbean had their flights automatically refunded.

Passengers who purchased plane flights and transfers separately were reimbursed by Royal Caribbean, up to $200 per guest for domestic travel and $400 USD per guest for international travel.

What was wrong with Icon?

With 18 guest decks and 2,805 staterooms, Icon is built with guest comfort in mind. She features multiple engines, some of which don't all run at once.

This allows to cruise line to rely on multiple venues if one system fails.

Nevertheless, the ship did have to be sent in for repairs, docking at the Grand Bahama shipyard to complete her maintenance.

Royal Caribbean never clarified what the unplanned issue is, but many cruisers speculate that it was some kind of propulsion issue.

Guests onboard the September 21st sailing of Icon reported that the ship began to slow does when repairs were announced.

She also skipped a visit to St. Thomas in order to get back to Miami in time.

Reddit user ArrogantAlmond posted from the ship: "I'm on Icon now, and we just got word that we're skipping St Thomas (which was Wednesday) because the ship has maintenance issues. We have to sail slower, so we need the extra day to get back."

Because propellers control a ship's speed, slower movement could indicate a problem with the vessel's Azipods, or propeller systems.

Propulsion issues aren't unheard for cruise ships.

Earlier this year, a cruise on Radiance of the Seas was canceled due to propulsion problems slowing the ship.

Star of the Seas is sitting in water for the first time.

Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship is being built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, and has reached an important construction milestone. It's taken 19 months to reach this milestone, and represents thousands people's collective effort to reach it.

Star of the Seas is the second Icon Class ship, following up the wildly successful Icon of the Seas.

The new ship has been floated out, which means the ship has its dry dock is filled with water and it becomes a wet dock. 

A ceremony was held to commemorate the occasion because this means Star of the Seas is well on her way to enter service.

During the ceremony, there was a shot from a canon that took place in the Meyer Turku shipyard.

At that point, 92 million gallons of water was added to the dry dock, which took overnight to complete. After nine hours, Star of the Seas was successfully floated out and the next phase of work can commence.

Delivery of Star of the Seas should take place in 2025, with her first cruise scheduled for August 31, 2025.

What's different about Star of the Seas?

While Star of the Seas may be the second Icon Class ship, she is not a direct copy of Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean has revealed only a few details so far, but we know a few key areas will be updated.

The Surfside family neighborhood will expand its scope to offer more for slightly older kids too. Instead of catering to young children, Surfside will offer more for elementary school aged kids too. That's because Royal Caribbean noticed older kids were hanging out there.

While unconfirmed, it appears Star of the Seas will have a Broadway musical onboard.

Back to the Future The Musical appears to be headed to Star, based on a post on Royal Caribbean's website seeking auditions.

It is adapted from the 1985 film Back to the Future by Robert Zemeckis and Gale. The show features original music, as well as songs featured in the film.

The supper club venue will have a Chicago theme to it on Star of the Seas, which incorporates music, food, and a Chicagoland motif.

Two other restaurants will get updates: Aquadome Market and Pier 7.

Aquadome Market will get updated in some capacity, while retaining its core approach.  Pier 7 will be completely overhauled with a new concept that the cruise line is still working through.

Adventure Ocean will get some updates to be less tech focused, and embrace play more.

The cruise line is also experimenting with facial recognition by offering a handful of cabins that have the ability to open the cabin door with your face.

One other stateroom change is an update to the epic family suite on Star of the Seas, known as the Ultimate Family Townhouse.

This is the most expensive suite ever that covers three floors and has an in-suite slide, movie-viewing room, karaoke machine and a "backyard" with a ping pong table, outdoor seating and a white picket fence leading directly to the Surfside area.

Sailing from the Orlando area

Star of the Seas will sail year-round from Port Canaveral, Florida. That's a short drive from the Orlando area.

The new ship will offer seven-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, starting in August 2025.

Bermuda is a beautiful cruise destination, but not every month is a good time to sail the region.

Bermuda is a popular cruise destination thanks to its beautiful beaches, delicious food, friendly culture, and English-speaking background.

Although many travel materials imply that Bermuda is part of the Caribbean, Bermuda is actually located solo in the Atlantic Ocean (around 650 miles east of North Carolina).

This also means that the weather is different than in the Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean's cruises from the Northeast to Bermuda offer North American guests a convenient escape from wintery North American weather.

The region is well-known and loved for its warm ocean waters and pink sand beaches.

Cruisers love this destination because it's easy to explore, mixing English tradition with a unique local culture.

Because of its distance, itineraries to the archipelago often include an overnight stay.

Royal Caribbean usually sails to the archipelago between April and October, but—as with any destination—certain months are better to sail than others.

The summer months are the busiest time to visit

The high season in Bermuda falls between May and October, when the weather remains warm and breezy, with sunny days to lounge on the beach.

Cruisers love visiting Bermuda when the ocean water is warm. It's the perfect time to enjoy snorkeling, boat tours, jet skiing, kayaking, and beachgoing.

The capital city, Hamilton, throws a huge Bermuda Day party during the Friday before the last Monday in May.

Read more: Why you should take a cruise to Bermuda

Plus, Bermuda's Carnival—a four-day festival of live music, feathered costumes, and dancing—usually falls in June.

Because of these popular time frames, the region is most crowded during the summer months. Not only does this increase the risk of large crowds, but it will also raise cruise and hotel prices between June and September.

The fall can bring hurricanes and bad weather

The hurricane season in Bermuda falls during the summer and fall—from May to November.

Hurricanes are most common during September and October.

Although direct hits to the archipelago are rare, hurricanes threaten to change or even cancel cruise ship itineraries.

For example, Royal Caribbean had to cancel a Liberty of the Seas sailing to Bermuda in August due to Hurricane Ernesto.

A cruise ship is one of the safest places you can be during a hurricane, but not every traveler appreciates their plans changing.

Spending your money on a sailing that might change due to a hurricane is only a good idea if you're able to remain flexible.

Plus, even smaller tropical storms come with their own set of bad weather, like torrential rains and strong winds.

Despite the risk of hurricanes, summertime is the most popular season to cruise to Bermuda.

The winter has colder weather but lower prices

Depending on your preferences, the winter could be a better time to cruise to Bermuda.

December through February are the slowest months in terms of visitors.

These months are great times for an inexpensive, peaceful cruise to the region. Tourism slows during the winter, leading to cheaper prices and fewer crowds.

You'll find cheaper deals on cruises, hotels, airfare, and tours alike.

However, unlike the Caribbean, Bermuda's weather does cool down during the winter months, and Royal Caribbean usually sail to the region from November to April.

You could expect temperatures between the middle 60s and the low 70s, with chilly ocean water. Nevertheless, cruisers will experience less humidity, especially as the months turn to spring.

Read more: Unexpected perks of cruising during the off-season

April and November for example—the shoulder season of the region—offer warmer temperatures at lower dew points.

The shoulder season is in April and November

In general, one of the best times to cruise to any destination is during the region's shoulder season.

The shoulder season happens in the sweet spot of lower cruise fares, fewer cruises, but relatively nice temperatures.

For Bermuda, the shoulder season falls between mid-October and November, and then between late March and April.

April and May are considered Bermuda's early season, and these months see the lowest cruise prices and comfortable, breezy weather. 

Temperatures usually sit in the 70s, with cooler ocean water. If you're sensitive to cold water, an early cruise might not be the best time for beach activities, but there's plenty more to enjoy in Bermuda.

Cruisers can enjoy local celebrations, horseback riding, world-class golf, and famous rum.

These months come with lovely weather—warmer temperatures, balmy ocean breezes, and low humidity.

As a bonus, nature and wildlife lovers should consider sailing to Bermuda during March and April.

Thousands of humpback whales migrate towards Canada during these months, passing by Bermuda. Whale-watchers can find incredible tours—or simply stay on the cruise ship for a great view!

Plus, crowds tend to die down when school is in session, usually between August and May.

Fewer crowds mean lower prices for both cruise sailing and shore excursions, as well as other onboard add-ons.

However, Royal Caribbean doesn't always offer cruises during the entire shoulder season, sometimes beginning its Bermuda season in June and ending it in October. 

How much is a cruise to Bermuda?

Cruise prices also range depending on the season, which requires you to balance your weather preferences with your budget.

Sailings around the shoulder season (October or May) come at cheaper prices than sailings in the peak of summer (July and August).

A 5-night Liberty of the Seas sailing departing from Cape Liberty (New York), for example, varies hundreds of dollars depending on the month.

A May 10-15th sailing in 2025 costs as little as $677 per person (or $135.50 per person, per night).

The beginning of the cruise season to Bermuda is one of the cheapest times to buy a cruise.

In contrast, prices rise over the summer as more travelers start flocking to the region.

A high-season sailing from August 2nd to 7th jumps to $1,007 per person (over $200 per person, per night). 

Nearing the end of the season, a Liberty of the Seas cruise from October 11th to 16th starts at about $813 per person (that's $162 per person, per night).

The ongoing Red Sea crisis continues to impact Royal Caribbean's operations in the Middle East. 

Passengers booked on Voyager of the Seas' October 25, 2025, sailing received confirmation that the 14-night one-way cruise from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Singapore, Singapore, has been canceled. 

"To avoid the continuing unrest in the Red Sea area, and after exploring all options, our upcoming October 20, 2025, Voyager of the Seas sailing has been redeployed," reads an email sent to guests.

It's unclear where Voyager is being redeployed to. However, the 137,276 gross registered ton (GRT) vessel is scheduled to begin sailing from Australia on December 13, 2025, following a 12-night cruise from Singapore to Brisbane departing on December 1. 

She'll remain in Brisbane, Australia through 2026, offering 3- to 9-night cruises to Australia and the South Pacific. 

Alternative options for passengers

Royal Caribbean isn't leaving these guests stranded and provided a few options for those impacted by the canceled voyage. 

"Every aspect of your time with us should be enjoyable, so we’ve put together some alternative options that we hope will work for you and those in your party," the email continues. 

The first is to re-book one of two 7-night itineraries on Voyager of the Seas. 

Read more: 8 lessons learned after trying a European cruise for the first time

The earlier of the two departs on September 29, 2025, from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, and cruises to Naples, Italy; Sicily (Messina), Italy; Santorini, Greece; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; and Mykonos, Greece, before disembarking in Athens (Piraeus). 

The second option is a brand-new itinerary on October 20, 2025. This one-way cruise sails from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, to Barcelona, Spain, calling at Naples, Italy; Sicily (Messina), Italy; Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy; Cannes, France; and Provence (Marseille), France. 

Passengers who re-book one of these cruises will have their original stateroom price protected at the original rate or reduced to the current fare, whichever is less. Those who already paid their booking in full will receive a refund if the chosen cruise fare is lower.

The second option is to re-book on any other Royal Caribbean International sailing and have the non-refundable deposit change fees waived. With this choice, guests are responsible for paying the difference in price for the cruise fare, taxes, fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise fare items. 

However, like option 1, passengers who paid their cruise off will receive a refund if their new chosen fare is lower than their original booking. 

The third option lets guests cancel and receive a full refund of any paid portion of the cruise fare, including non-refundable deposits and pre-paid add-ons, to their original form of payment. 

Read more: When should you buy Royal Caribbean drink package, wifi, tours & other add-ons

If a future cruise credit (FCC) was used, Royal Caribbean will refund any money paid in addition to the certificate amount and issue a new voucher. 

Passengers have until October 22, 2024, to call 888-281-9344 to inform them of their decision. If Royal Caribbean hasn't heard from guests by October 22, their reservation will automatically be canceled and refunded. 

Cruise ships have been affected by the Red Sea crisis since last year

The most notable, perhaps, was Royal Caribbean's Ultimate World Cruise. Instead of sailing through the Red Sea, the 2,143-passenger ship was rerouted around Africa after allowing guests to vote on a new itinerary. 

The "Immersive Africa" option was the more port-intensive of the two, whereas the second, "Africa & Greece," had more days at sea to catch up with the originally scheduled ports in Egypt and Greece. 

In the end, "Immersive Africa" won, taking passengers to ports like Pointe Des Galets, Reunion Island; Port Elizabeth, South Africa; Cape Town, South Africa; Walvis Bay, Namibia; and Dakar, Senegal—all to avoid the ongoing geopolitical conflict. 

Earlier this year, Royal Caribbean also canceled a cruise aboard Anthem of the Seas scheduled for October 14, 2024. Instead of sailing through the Suez Canal, Anthem is to sail around Africa without any guests onboard. 

Anthem wrapped up her European season on October 2 after a 12-night cruise to the Canary Islands, Portugal, and Spain. Her next sailing isn't scheduled to depart until November 7, cruising from Dubai to Singapore. 

She'll remain in Asia until April 2025, when she'll reposition to Alaska for the summer season. 

Read more: 60 BEST Royal Caribbean tips and tricks

Good etiquette extends to a cruise ship vacation, and there are a few things some cruisers do that are sure to annoy others around them.

Everyone's on vacation, so there's a certain degree of a laid back atmosphere on a cruise. However, vacation isn't an excuse to be inconsiderate of others.

I've cruised enough to notice when certain behaviors irritate others, and it's either the result of ignorance or selfishness. I'm not saying I've never gotten into an elevator and hit the "close door" button because I wanted to get going. We're all a little bit selfish, but I like to think I have never done any of the 10 most annoying habits on a cruise.

You don't need to go on a cruise to make friends, but you can do little things to avoid being that guy. If you've never cruised before, consider this a good list of what not to do.

Smoking where you're not supposed to

Royal Caribbean has designated areas of the ship specifically for smoking or vaping, and everywhere else it's not allowed.

Unfortunately, a few people will sneak smokes in elsewhere, such as on their stateroom balcony or even in public areas around the ship.

Smoking is not permitted in any dining venue, theater, bar, lounge, hallway, elevator, and jogging track. Outdoor areas near restricted areas, food venues, and kids play areas and pools will not allow smoking.

In my experience, people vaping indoors is the most commonly occurring example of this.  Almost always they try to be sly about it, exhaling into their shirt, up in the air, or down to the side.

This is one of the few annoying habits on this list that is more than about being inconsiderate, it's flagrantly against Royal Caribbean's rules.

Using your hands at the buffet

I'm always surprised when I see someone use their hands to grab food from the buffet, but it happens.

It might seem innocent, like grabbing a bread roll or cookie.  The issue is mitigating the spread of germs onboard, and using your hands doesn't help with that.

It's unsanitary, and others around you are sure to notice.

Not letting others out of the elevator first

When an elevator arrives at a floor, the people waiting for the elevator should stand aside from the doors to let others out of the elevator first, before getting in.

Unfortunately this lack of elevator etiquette is not limited to cruises. I see it at hotels on land all the time, but it doesn't excuse it.

Not only is it polite to let others out of the elevator first, it benefits you to do so because it frees up space in the car.

Playing music loudly

In today's age of Airpods and noise cancelling headphones, I'm always surprised when someone is playing their music too loudly.

I experience this less at the ship's pool than in cabins. Some people are used to listening to music in their room as they get ready, and I suspect that might be why some passengers play their music too loudly.

Cruise ship staterooms are not very well insulated against noise, and your music will absolutely bleed through the walls.

Likewise, when bringing a speaker to the pool or beach, make sure the volume is not high enough to be heard all around you.

Yelling at someone else

We all have moments where there's an issue and your blood boils and you want to lash out at a family member, friend, or stranger. But yelling and creating a scene isn't the solution.

This is one of those "easier said than done" bits of advice, because when you become frustrated, you're not going to start thinking of blog posts.

Likewise, if another passenger gets on your nerves, my advice is walk away to defuse the situation.  It's simply not worth hashing it out with a stranger and then having to become a spectacle in that moment.

Hogging a pool chair all day

Chair hogs are a real issue that probably rank among the most frustrating parts of a cruise.

My definition of a chair hog is someone that goes out to the pool in the early morning, puts towels or belongings down on chairs to reserve them, and then disappears for a few hours.

A lot of people want to be in or near the pool, especially on sea days. It's fine if you want to wake up early and enjoy time by the pool, but you shouldn't take up chairs if you're not going to be there for an extended period of time.

While I doubt the chair hog problem goes away anytime soon, try not to contribute to making the problem even worse.

Talking loudly during shows

While a Royal Caribbean theater is not as formal or swanky as a Broadway theater in New York, talking during a performance is rude to both your fellow passengers and the cast on stage.

Obviously it's okay to whisper something to someone sitting next to you, but having a full conversation is a faux pas to avoid. Especially at normal speaking volume.

It's perfectly acceptable to excuse yourself to step out of the theater to take a phone call or speak with someone else.

Holding up disembarkation lines

Getting off the cruise ship in the morning is never fun. Your vacation is over, and you're headed back to reality.  So the last thing you want to do is slow the line down disembarking.

There's usually a line to exit the ship, and all that's required is you scan your SeaPass card.  Yet, there's always a number of passengers who either don't have their SeaPass card ready or left in in their cabin.

The SeaPass is needed to scan so the crew knows you've disembarked. So keep your SeaPass with you as you exit the ship, and have it ready to scan when you get close.

Trying to register at kids club at prime time

Royal Caribbean holds an open house for the entire afternoon on embarkation day, and yet there's usually a family that tries to register their kids at Adventure Ocean at check-in later that evening.

The problem is there's just one entrance to the kids club for each age group, and if someone is registering their kids, it blocks the rest of the line.  This means everyone else must wait to sign their kids in while the parent at the front finishes the registration paperwork.

Adventure Ocean registration begins at 1pm on the first day of your cruise, and it's a great time to go and meet the counselors and get everything taken care of so drop off is super quick.

Being disrespectful to crew members

There's never an excuse to be rude to a crew member.

Crew members work extremely hard to make your vacation amazing, and sometimes accidents happen. Or they're there to enforce important rules, regardless if you agree with the rules or not.

Unfortunately, some passengers will completely ignore a crew member, yell at them, or lecture them like a child.

If there's an issue at hand, ask to speak to their manager or go to Guest Services to get it resolved. 

And if a crew member gives you an instruction, it's your obligation to follow it. They didn't make up the rules, they're just reminding you of what you should be doing.

If your cruise ship misses a stop, it's disappointing, but the passengers on Ovation of the Seas this week have had all sorts of cancellations.

Ovation of the Seas sailed to Alaska, but there's a bad storm in the Gulf of Alaska that has wreaked havoc on the original plan.

The ship departed Seattle on September 27 and was scheduled to visit Juneau, Skagway, and Sitka, Alaska, with a final stop in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Due to the bad weather, Royal Caribbean cancelled the visits to Sitka and Skagway.  

The storm hit the outer coast of the Southeast Panhandle the hardest, which is where cruise ships typically visit.  Winds were predicted to get up to 60 miles per hour starting Monday morning, with Juneau’s winds expected to peak at about 45 mph Monday night, according to the National Weather Service Juneau. 

High winds are troublesome because it makes docking difficult and even if a ship can dock, has a propensity to move gangways in a dangerous way.

Sitka and Ketchikan will be the port stops most affected by the storm that is expected to continue through Tuesday morning.

To make up for it, Royal Caribbean added Ketchikan instead, but the ship cancelled the visit there too about an hour before they were scheduled to dock in Ketchikan. 

Instead, Ovation is headed back south away from Alaska.

So there won't be any made up port visits, and instead, the ship is headed to Victoria for an overnight stay to conclude the cruise. This is a very unusual situation.  While ships might sometimes miss a port of call, to miss so many because of bad weather is rare.

Cruise lines use Victoria primarily as a port of call to satisfy maritime law, and often visits there last only a few hours. 

Passengers disappointed

"This is the most expensive ferry I’ve ever taken to Victoria," wrote Jay Li on the sailing's unofficial Facebook group.

While Jay's comment exudes some gallows humor, he and many of the people in the group understand the reality of the situation and how safety is the most important factor.

"As much as I want to complain, I’ll fight the urge. The cruise lines can’t predict the weather and it is for our safety."

Mary Smathers added, "Our Captain is just doing what he has to to keep us safe.  We are safe and blessed even though we didn’t get to see what we wanted to.   Make the BEST of it."

Andrew Mede wrote, "This weather is insane. Hats off to the captain for the the decisions he had to make. Having 100mph headwind hitting us. Yes we have missed ports (and it’s unfortunate for those who looked forward to visiting them) but the weather is not in his hands. He is in charge of 3500+ lives."

Compensation for the changed plans

While there's no requirement to offer any compensation due to weather, Royal Caribbean typically offers some to make up for the disappointment, and that's exactly what happened on Ovation.

Guests received onboard credit per cabin in the following amounts:

• Inside: $125
• Outside: $150
• Balcony: $175
• Suite: $400
• Third and fourth guests: $25 each

Weather in the late season is notoriously bad

September is one of the last months of the cruise season in Alaska and it can be colder and wetter than other months.

Alaska's weather is always unpredictable, but historically the anecdotal evidence suggests you can expect poor weather.  It's part of why you can also find better cruise deals on an off season cruise to Alaska.

Up to 20 days of precipitation are expected on average in September.

It also tends to get worse the later into September and October you get.

Perfect weather is never assured any time of the year, but hurricane season brings its own set of challenges for vacationers taking a cruise.

About half the year in the Caribbean, there's a chance for tropical storms to develop and that could impact your cruise.

Many storms don't actually change cruise ship plans, but a handful of them certainly can.  In the case of Hurricane Helene, a half dozen ships ended up changing itineraries or ports of call. It was a big storm, and a good reminder of how disruptive a hurricane can be for travel plans.

In seeing the changes, some people swore off taking a cruise during hurricane season all together, but people that cruise a lot know not to let hurricanes get in the way of a great vacation plan.

Seasoned cruisers prepare differently for a cruise during hurricane season and make appropriate plans so they can mitigate the impact a storm might have on their vacation.

Always buy travel insurance

When there's someone that takes to social media to post about how a hurricane prevented them from taking a cruise, usually the first comment back is something like, "you should have bought travel insurance."

It's more likely a hurricane affects your ability to get to or from your ship, than the onboard experience. Flights get cancelled, highways become questionable, and travel delays rampant. 

As a cruise ship customer, it's your obligation to figure out the travel logistics involved to get to your cruise ship. Even if all the flights are cancelled, if your ship is sailing, Royal Caribbean won't refund your money because you can't make it.

Moreover, when a hurricane forms, some new cruisers get cold feet about the trip. They'd rather postpone their travel than even brave the skies or roads to get to the ship and deal with the unknown factors at play. This is another example where a cancel for any reason travel insurance plan would be helpful.

Travel insurance covers so many more scenarios than if you were to get sick or hurt on a trip. It provides reimbursement for many travel related issues that come up as a result of a hurricane.

Equally important to buying travel insurance is to actually read the policy of what it covers and when.

Some vacationers will buy the first travel insurance plan they find, not realizing not all plans are the same.

Travel insurance is a lot like auto insurance in that there varying coverages.

Before you buy any travel insurance plan, consider these coverages:

• Travel delay
• Travel disruption
• Trip cancellation
• Named storms/Hurricanes
• Cancel for any reason

While I'd go as far as to say any travel insurance plan is better than no plan, you really want to read the policy over and clearly understand when it kicks in, and how it works.

Never assume itineraries are a given

You've got to be a pragmatist when you cruise in hurricane season, so any cruise you book should come with an asterisk next to it in your mind that you might not actually go there.

On the Royal Caribbean message boards, BrianB wrote, "I always prepare for a change of itinerary during hurricane season. Especially if there is a storm forming a week or so before the departure date."

Even a weak tropical disturbance is enough to re-route ships away to a different region, so you need to go into the cruise with the mindset that your cruise to Mexico might end up in The Bahamas or Virgin Islands.

Royal Caribbean wants to deliver on the itinerary you originally booked, but they're not going to risk the safety of passengers, ship, or crew members in order to brave a storm.  

If your cruise is before August, or after October, the chances of a storm are significantly less.  But tropical storms are not unheard of during these times either.

Give extra time for travel delays

Whether it's hurricane season or not, cruisers know not to fly in the same day of their cruise.  This piece of advice is even more important when it's hurricane season.

Airlines will cancel flights quickly if there's a risk their planes could get stuck in an airport that is in the path of a storm, so you'll need to be nimble with your flight plans.

First and foremost, book a flight at least a day before the cruise begins. This will more than likely ensure you can get down to the ship, even if there is a delay or cancellation.

If there is a storm brewing, many airlines will offer flight changes without change fees, and this might be a way to fly down earlier.

Moreover, having a backup plan to get to the cruise is prudent.  That could be driving instead of flying, or even taking a train. 

Book a cruise in a different region

While seasoned cruisers have the right approach to planning a Caribbean cruise during hurricane season, they also will plan cruises elsewhere to avoid disappointment.

If the uncertainty of a storm impacting your vacation bothers you, it might be the impetus to take a cruise somewhere else in the world. Hurricanes are primarily an issue for Caribbean cruises, so you could go to another region of the world instead.

The two most popular alternatives are Europe or Alaska.

An Alaska cruise may not have the warm ocean and white sands of the Virgin Islands, but it's still quite pretty in its own right. Not to mention you'll likely sweat a lot less.

The Alaska cruise season runs through most of hurricane season, beginning in May and ending in September.

A word of warning, Alaska in September can be just as rainy as the Caribbean.  Weather in Alaska is variable throughout the year, but the end of the season tends to have the coldest and wettest days.

A cruise to Europe is another compelling alternative, as you can go to the Mediterranean and find warm temperatures and beautiful beaches.

Plus, Europe has more varied itineraries to different regions of the continent.

More hurricane season cruising advice

Seasoned cruisers shared their view how what to think about when choosing to book a cruise in the middle of hurricane season.

"Don't let hurricane season get in the way of your families cruise planning. I have lived in South Florida my entire life and hurricane season has never once been an issue with cruising." - tonyfsu21

"I would not worry at all. Royal has a great weather team and they are always watching what may or may not develop. If anything does, ships will adjust the itinerary to make sure everyone is safe. " - LovetoCruise87

"I have many on a number of cruises during hurricane season and had great cruises.  It helps to have a flexible attitude and realize there could be an itinerary adjustment, we call that an adventure!" - Paid4c4

"We got caught out in Hurricane Maria. Left San Juan the day before it hit. Royal adjusted our itinerary from eastern Caribbean to Aruba. Ended up returning to Ft. Lauderdale. Royal setup phone lines so we could make free calls to the airlines. Also let us stay on board for an extra night. I have no problem sailing during hurricane season." - AandD

Two of the world's biggest cruise ships are at shipyards right now to undergo work for different reasons.

Oasis of the Seas is at the Navantia ship yard in Cadiz, Spain, while Icon of the Seas is at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, Bahamas.

It's rare for two different Royal Caribbean ships to be at a drydock at the same time, highlighting the important work being done.

Here's what we know about the work Royal Caribbean has ordered for both ships.

Repairing Icon of the Seas

Royal Caribbean cancelled this week's sailing on Icon of the Seas because of an issue with the ship's propulsion.

The decision to send Icon in for repairs was made last week, and passengers were told it was due to "unplanned maintenance".

Royal Caribbean never specified exactly what the issue was, but there's been a lot of speculation it has something to do with the ship's propulsion because after the announcement was made, the ship's speed was reduced.

"We are currently conducting unplanned maintenance onboard Icon of the Seas," is all the statement indicated.

The ship will need to remain in dock for the work to occur, "while our crew is working hard to address this as quickly as possible, there is still some work that needs to be done over a few days while the ship is docked."

Not only did Icon slow down in her previous sailing, she also skipped a visit to St. Thomas in order to buy more time to get back closer to Miami.

Icon arrived at the Grand Bahama Shipyard on September 28 to fix the issue.  Crew attempted some work while the ship was sailing, but getting the ship into a dry dock will allow unfettered access.

Icon of the Seas began sailing in January 2024 after construction was finalized in late 2023.

If the repairs go to plan, then Icon should be back in Miami on Saturday to resume sailings with the October 5 sailing.  That's a seven night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean that will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.

Maintenance work for Oasis of the Seas

Across the Atlantic, Oasis of the Seas arrived at Navantia shipyard to begin her scheduled work.

Unlike Icon, Oasis had this work scheduled.  Cruise ships go in for maintenance every 5 years or less, and it's akin to bringing your car in for a tune up.

Oasis arrived in Cadiz on September 29, and will remain at the shipyard until October 23, 2024.

Royal Caribbean has not made any announcements of what type of work will happen while Oasis is out of service, and that's usually an indication the ship is going in simply for maintenance work, and not to get major upgrades.

Royal Caribbean has two kinds of scheduled work done on its ships: refurbishment and amplifications.

Depending on the cruise line's plan, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship could get a number of enhancements and changes. Or, it could simply go in for maintenance without real changes the average guest would notice.

A refurbishment is when a ship is taken to dry dock for a shorter period of time to do primarily cosmetic changes and maintenance work.

During an amplification, the same cosmetic and maintenance work is done, but there are also enhancements made to the ship, such as adding new restaurants, activities, bars and more.

In 2019, Oasis had her amplification done and in 2025, Allure of the Seas will get the same type of upgrades.

However, it's likely Oasis is just getting work done to keep the ship operating nominally this time around. Moreover, the fact the time in dry dock is only six weeks is another signal it's a shorter stint.

To be fair, we don't know what Royal Caribbean has planned for Oasis.  It's possible the elevators on the ship could be upgraded to destination elevators, which have been a big hit on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas.  Plus, the company tested retrofitting destination elevators already on Allure of the Seas.

Without any official statement, we'll have to wait and see what changes occur onboard once the ship restarts cruises.

Oasis of the Seas is scheduled to resume sailings with a 14 Night Transatlantic from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale that will begin on October 24 and conclude November 7.

Once in Port Everglades, Oasis will offer 6- and 8-night cruises to the Caribbean that will visit the Eastern, Southern, and Western regions.

From sick passengers, to happy kids, and a strike looming, there's been a lot of cruise news worth catching up on.

On any given week, there's a lot of Royal Caribbean news you should know about, and our team wanted to make sure you didn't miss any of these important updates.

Over the weekend, there were a few bits of cruise news that came out and this post provides a quick digest of what you need to know.

Gastrointestinal illness outbreak on Alaska cruise

Update: 180 167 people onboard a cruise ship were sick in gastrointestinal illness outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The passengers were on Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas during its September 20, 2024 sailing in Alaska.

In addition 3 crew members also reported being sick.

That constitutes a little over 8% of the passengers and 0.3% of crew members reporting getting sick. Cruise lines are obliged to report the incident of sick cases to the CDC when it affects more than 3% of the ship's total population.

The CDC report says symptoms included diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and muscle aches.

The CDC did not list what caused the illnesses in its report.

Royal Caribbean took action immediately by increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan.

While gastro illness on a cruise ship gets a lot of media attention, it's important to remember only 1% of all reported outbreaks occur on cruise ships.

Longshoreman strike won't affect cruise ship passengers

While a US port strike by 45,000 dockworkers looms, don't worry about it impacting your cruise vacation.

The strike is scheduled to start on Tuesday and affect ports on the U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico. It would be the first coast-wide ILA strike since 1977, affecting ports that handle about half the nation's ocean shipping.

According to a statement made by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), cruise ship operations will continue to be serviced by the ILA as to not inconvenience those tens of thousands of passengers who have booked cruises.

Royal Caribbean helps make over 20 wishes come true for kids with critical illnesses

Royal Caribbean and Inter Miami CF worked with Make-A-Wish to bring a bright day to kids who have life threatening illnesses.

A four day experience was held in South Florida for 23 kids that traveled from South Florida to Texas and Canada to Israel. The event was held between between Saturday, Sept. 21 – Tuesday, Sept. 24.

Their wish? To meet Inter Miami captain and football legend, Lionel Messi.

Prior to meeting Messi, Royal Caribbean hosted the kids on Icon of the Seas in an effort to bring joy and normalcy to the kids and their families.

The families enjoyed look up close at the first theatrical rendition of “The Wizard of Oz”, time on the water slides at the Category 6 waterpark, and plenty of snacks and food on the ship.

Later in the week, the kids went to Chase Stadium to meet Messi and other members of his team on the field.

Update on the travel item ban

In case you missed it, Royal Caribbean updated exactly what it means when it said it banned "multi-plug outlets" on its ships.

The cruise line has banned "Extension Cords and Multi-Plug Outlets/ Power Strips," but that lead to a lot of confusion among cruisers.

With the new update, you can bring a USB outlet extender onboard and/or a single plug device.

"We do allow consumer type power conversion device USB charger (multi-plug blocks on which the outputs are for USB cables)."

This confirms a USB hub would be acceptable since it adds just USB outlets, and no power outlets. (Contains affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use).

When a friend wanted to try a Royal Caribbean cruise for the first time, he was shocked when he couldn't change the sail date a few weeks before the sailing.

He assumed a cruise booking was similar to a hotel booking, where you can shift dates easily.  But he thought that because he wasn't aware of Royal Caribbean's cancellation and change policies, which incur penalties after the final payment date.

He ended up going on the original booking rather than take the financial loss, but it's an important lesson in understanding important policies before you go on a cruise.

You never want to be caught off guard by a cruise policy before boarding to avoid unexpected issues later.

Cancellations and Refund Policies

Most cruise lines have rules in place for what happens if you want to cancel a cruise or change dates. 

In the case of my friend, changing dates is akin to cancelling. Whether you change the date and/or ship, you're cancelling a reservation and creating a new one.  

The most important thing to think about when booking any cruise is the deposit type. Royal Caribbean offers two kids of deposits: refundable and non-refundable.

Non-refundable fare usually costs less, but has change fees in addition to the fact you'll never get your deposit back if you choose to cancel. Refundable fare doesn't have those fees, but the cruise fare will be higher.  

You're trading flexibility for up front savings when it comes to non-refundable cruise fare.

The second most important policy to think about when booking a cruise are the cancellation terms.

The final payment date is the day a few months before your cruise where you must pay off the entire balance of your cruise or lose your reservation (and perhaps incur a penalty).

• 75 days prior to the sailing date for 1 to 4 night cruises
• 90 days prior to the sailing date for 5 to 14 night cruises
• 120 days prior for 15 night or longer cruises

If you intend to go on the cruise, then you need to pay off the entire balance owed by that date.  Otherwise, Royal Caribbean will cancel your reservation.  There are no extensions or undos if you miss that final payment date. Unfortunately, I hear often from people who don't make final payment in time and their reservation is indeed cancelled.

If you are before the final payment date, when a non-refundable deposit cancellation occurs, the full deposit amount will be held in penalty. Any additional payments made will be refunded. 

Once you pass final payment, there are a series of penalties if you were to cancel or change your mind.

It's imperative to treat the final payment date as your "point of no return" to deciding if you're actually going on the cruise or not.

The other important policy I think a lot of cruisers overlook is changing or adding people to the reservation.

It's common to want to add someone, remove someone, or swap someone from a reservation.  Depending on who you want to change, and how soon before the cruise sails you want to make the change, the costs could be minimal to major.

If you want to swap out one person for another, this is the simplest.  As long as one person from the original reservation remains booked, you can name swap others up until a few days before the cruise with no additional cost.  

As an example, you could replace your kid's friend with another friend and not have any fees or extra costs, as long as the same amount of people remain the same in the cabin and you're still booked on the reservation.

It gets more complicated if you want to add or remove people from a reservation.

Adding people gets done at prevailing rates, not the rate you originally booked at. Moreover, adding someone at the last minute is subject to if your stateroom can accommodate that many people.  

All cabins have a passenger limit, so if you booked a cabin designed for 2 people and want to add a third, you'd have to upgrade to a bigger cabin first, and that would incur a fee (assuming a bigger cabin is available).

One other issue with adding someone later on is the lifeboat capacity of the ship. If the lifeboat capacity for your muster station is full, they would not allow another guest.  

Removing someone from a cabin could trigger a re-price of the cabin, which could actually cost you more than keeping them on the reservation. In this scenario, you're better off leaving them on the reservation and then telling Royal Caribbean at check-in that they wont be boarding.  Their port fees and taxes will automatically be refunded.

If all of these policies seem tough to juggle, it's why I recommend working with a good travel agent. They can make it far simpler to manage on your end, and are a great point of contact when you have questions.

I recommend reviewing all of the "what if's" you may have about the cruise before booking.  Never assume, when it comes to changing your mind later.

What you can't bring on a cruise

Just like going on an airplane, there is a large list of things you cannot bring on a cruise ship.

Most are obvious things that you probably would never consider bringing, but there are definitely a few surprises on the banned item list.

First and foremost, you cannot bring anything that is or could be used as a weapon.  No firearms, explosives, fireworks, knives, ammunition, etc. This includes anyone that has a permit or license to carry weapons.

Illegal drugs are also not allowed onboard, even drugs that are legal in some states, such as marijuana or cannabis products. This includes products containing CBD oil, candies and edibles, even if prescribed by a physician as medication.

You also cannot bring beer or liquor onboard, although you can bring some wine and non-alcoholic drinks on embarkation day only.

Perhaps the most commonly violated packing list rule are items that are a fire hazard. You cannot bring anything flammable, that makes an open flame, or has a heating element.

I believe this is the most commonly overlooked rule by passengers, because so many people try to bring an iron, steamer, or power strip on their ship only to have it confiscated by security.

Passengers cannot bring pets on their cruise, unless they are a certified service animal. Emotional support animals are not allowed.

Regarding luggage, there is no baggage limit for a cruise. 

Drink and beverage policies

There are rules about bringing your own drinks on a cruise that are important to be aware of.

Only on the first day of your cruise are you allowed to bring one bottle of wine/champagne per adult in the cabin.  It must be brought in your carry-on bag (so don't put it in your checked luggage).

No other alcohol is allowed to be brought on a cruise ship.  And don't try to sneak booze onto the ship either because the cruise line has seen all of the tricks before.  Not to mention the fact I think having a stash in your cabin is cumbersome and more trouble than it's worth.

You're welcome to purchase bottles of alcohol on the ship or in the ports your ship visits, but Royal Caribbean will hold onto it until the end of the cruise.

The other important rule to know about are if you purchase an unlimited drink package.

Drink packages aren't cheap, but they offer a very convenient way to enjoy drinking on a cruise. However, there are certain things you can't do with a drink package:

• You cannot share your drink package benefits with someone else
• If one person purchases the Deluxe Beverage package, then all persons in the cabin 21 years old or older must also purchase it
• You can buy a package onboard as long as there are 4 days left in the cruise
• Your drink package works everywhere, except room service and the mini bar
• You'll pay a service charge when you buy the drink package that covers gratuity for all drinks ordered

The no drink sharing rule is by far the most important rule to be aware of, and it could result in you losing your drink package benefits without a refund if you're caught.

Smoking Policies

While you can smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or other tobacco products on a cruise ship, it can only be done in designated areas.

These rules include all types of electronic vaping, such as e-cigarettes, vapes, mods, etc.

• Smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas, must be properly disposed of, and never be thrown overboard
• Cigar and pipe tobacco are limited to designated outdoor areas and Cigar Bars
• You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase, possess, or use tobacco on sailings beginning in U.S. ports.
  • For sailings beginning in all other ports, the minimum age is 18 years old

You can also smoke in the casino on Royal Caribbean ships, except for any ships sailing from Australia and the United Kingdom.

It's important to note you cannot smoke or vape on your balcony or anywhere in your stateroom.