When Royal Caribbean opens Hideaway Beach in 2024, expect a completely different ambience than anywhere else on the private Bahamian island.

Royal Caribbean unveiled details about its new adults-only escape on Perfect Day at CocoCay, and we have more details as to what this part of the private island will include.

Hideaway Beach will offer an extra-cost add-on to consider for adults who want to enjoy a lively atmosphere and no kids, and it's gotten a lot of interest from cruisers who are looking for something more than CocoCay had in the past.

Poolside cabanas, a new pizza restaurant, swim-up bar and infinity pool are what Royal Caribbean will add to keep adults in a party mood all day long.

Hideaway Beach is for guests 18 years or older and has an admission cost to enter.

The new area will open in January 2024 right around the same time Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, launches.

Royal Caribbean Associate Vice President of Private Destination Development, Claudia Diaz-Gonzalez talked about the vision for Hideaway Beach, and shared some interesting details about the new area.  

Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez has been integral to the development of Perfect Day at CocoCay going back to the 2019 revamp that upgraded all areas of the private island.

Customers wanted an adults-only space

Royal Caribbean heard loud and clear from its customers that they wanted an adults-only area.

"Hideaway Beach was really imagined based on guest feedback," Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez said about why a cruise line known for offering a family cruise experience went in this direction.

After doing a great deal of guest feedback, the consensus was clear, "an adult only space was one of the most requested spaces on the island, one of the most requested attractions."

Guests told the cruise line what they wanted in this sort of a space too, "to have a drink in hand, to listen, to live music and to have just incredible views."

The beach is located on the northwest part of the island, and Royal Caribbean purposefully wanted it away from everything else happening on the island to give it a sense of seclusion.

What to expect in the beach area

Royal Caribbean is charging a fee to enter Hideaway Beach, and the line expects the space to have a capacity of around 1500 to 2000 guests.

"It is meant to take on a large crowd, really kind of keep the party vibe going," Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez said about the volume of people to expect.

One of the tenets of an adults-only area was to ensure everyone could have a drink in hand, if they want one, so there are five bars, which is the the largest concentration of bars on the island.

The beach itself has a goal of being, "one of the most beautiful beaches that you'll ever see in your life," according to Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez.

"I was just there two days ago, and even though it's a construction site right now, I wanted to just go swimming in the beach. But it does include some loungers all over the beach with the complimentary shading and some in-water hammocks and really fun things around the whole neighborhood."

One new venue you wont find anywhere else on Perfect Day at CocoCay is a pizza restaurant.

The only pizza eatery on the private island will be called Slice of Paradise, and it offers complimentary pizza that is not the same as you'll find on the ship.

Pool fun

The Hideaway pool will be the massive freshwater pool where you'll find the DJ located near a swim-up bar.

"It's got the in-water loungers that we all know and love from our Oasis Lagoon, our Coco Beach Club pool experience. There's plenty of seating all around. There's those beautiful landscaped islands that also have in-water seating right in the water."

According to Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez, the Hideaway pool will be heated to 82 degrees year round for guest comfort.

Royal Caribbean added a swim-up bar to Hideaway pool because the swim-up bar at Oasis Lagoon is, "one of the highest rated attractions on the island."

There's actually two levels of swim-up bar at Hideaway pool, "There's some in-water seating and then the other area, which is actually part of Hideaway Bar, it's actually overlooking the ocean."

"So you kind of get these two levels of the bar so you can have a dry and an in-water experience here at the Hideaway bar."

The importance of music

Royal Caribbean heard from its guests that they wanted to relax with a drink in hand along with music, so you'll find that in Hideaway Beach.

"As we talked to our guests, a drink in hand and some live music were at the core of what relaxation actually meant to them and what they were looking for on vacation," Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez disclosed.

"One of the things that that we've learned is that our guests love to interact with that DJ. So we brought them even closer to our guests right adjacent to the swim up bar."

"You'll see some fun interactions between the bartenders and the DJ, maybe some activations. So we're having a lot of fun right now working through what that party looks like and that activation really testing out the the music sets with the DJ."

She confirmed the DJ will remain at Oasis Lagoon, "Oasis Lagoon is much more family oriented, so we're working out what the what the playlist looks like for each of the areas and really developing that Vegas style pool party sort of at Hideaway Beach."

Views from On The Rocks

Another new venue is On The Rocks bar, which was built to offer great views along with equally good drinks.

"It's literally on the iron shore of Perfect Day at CocoCay, right on the rocks, you can soak up the beautiful views of the Caribbean and feel that Caribbean breeze."

The drink menu is still in development, but there will be plenty of classic cocktails, such as frozen margaritas or Mai Tais.

On The Rocks will have also have games, such as pool tables, shuffle boards, and for the first time ever on CocoCay, televisions, so that "it'll be the perfect place to watch your favorite games so you don't miss the action of watching your favorite sports team while you're on Perfect Day at CocoCay."

Lots to eat

As mentioned, there will be a pizza restaurant in Hideaway beach, as well as a new Snack Shack location.

Snack Shack will have the same favorites from elsewhere on the island, plus some new options, "we're actually working on some new menu items that are going to come with Hideaway Beach for the Snack Shack."

The pizza choices are also still under development, but Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez indicated they are experimenting with some new flavors in addition to the usual options.

"We are actually still testing pizza flavor, so I'm excited for all the future testing that is coming. But I think one of the things that's really interesting and it's actually our Bahamian crew members on the island, they actually when they want to celebrate, they actually have a pizza night. And so a lot of the recipes that we're tasting have actually been developed by a lot of our crew members on the island."

A bougie option at the cabanas

If your goal is to have a VIP experience because you believe there are levels to everything, Royal Caribbean has a cabana for you at Hideaway Beach.

"It is truly an escape from the ordinary here on Hideaway Beach and the Hideaway cabanas give you that ultimate VIP feeling."

"Not only do you get your cabana with all of the amenities that we know and love from all of the cabana products that we have on island already, but now you have your own exclusive infinity plunge pool."

The Hideout Cabanas have a heated plunge pool at the front of each cabana.

Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez thinks the views these cabanas offer are unparalleled, "it gives you that kind of breathtaking view of your own private pool right in front the ocean, the beach right in front of you. And then that beautiful ocean right at your fingertips."

"Really. It's a beautiful, amazing view."

She also mentioned the two little bucket seats that come with the cabana actually come right off of and they can be floaties in the pool.

The cabana attendants will not only bring you food and drinks, but Royal Caribbean is working on bottle service.

"So you can feel like you've created your own kind of escape within Hideaway Beach at the Hideout. Or you can connect to the party that's happening because it might be the reason why you came to Hideaway Beach."

Another cabana option are the Hideaway cabanas, which are located directly adjacent to the Hideaway pool.

"These are right in the pool area. They're meant to be really fun party cabanas."

Hideaway Beach vs Coco Beach Club

Hideaway Beach will be the second extra-cost area of Perfect Day at CocoCay, which may lead you to question what the difference is between Hideaway Beach and the Coco Beach Club.

Royal Caribbean says the intention is for Coco Beach Club to remain a high end experience, "it's very serene, quiet, relaxing and luxurious," said Shannae Murray, Royal Caribbean International Sales Training Manager.

Plus, Coco Beach Club is available for guests of all ages, including kids.

On the other hand, Hideaway Beach is a party, "think Las Vegas pool party vibes, DJ dancing, the drinks grab and go food options and again, adults only."

"Hideaway Beach will be perfect for couples, friends traveling together, maybe a bachelor bachelorette party that you're helping to put together."

Coco Beach Club includes one upscale restaurant, whereas Hideaway will have the two casual food spots that we covered when it comes to the bars.

Coco Beach Club has the one central bar, whereas Hideaway Beach has a total of five bars to choose from, including a swim up bar.

And while both venues cost extra, you'll pay less at Hideaway Beach, "The Hideaway Beach entry fee will be less than what you see at Coco Beach Club now."

Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez described the differences between the experiences, "Coco Beach Club is a lot more relaxed. It's about this luxury of being on the beach."

"The food is a lot more upscale. It's a more serene beach...But it really is about listening to the sound of of water and really relaxing on the beach."

"Think of Hideaway Beach it's a much more party atmosphere. It's a lively beach. There's music at all times. That's why you see a lot more bars there. So we expect it to be a much more active experience than what you get at Coco Beach Club."

Royal Caribbean's new adults-only beach at its private island in The Bahamas looks to create the ultimate kid-free escape.

Hideaway Beach will be located on the western side of Perfect Day at CocoCay, behind Thrill Waterpark.

After months of keeping the details under wrap, Royal Caribbean posted details about the area to book on its Cruise Planner site.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley thinks the new expansion will offer a compelling new way to enjoy a day at its private island, "Hideaway Beach is a completely new vibe and experience that vacationers are looking for on Perfect Day at CocoCay."

"Everything from its hidden-like location to the exclusive beach and pools to the private cabanas is designed for adults who want a day just for them."

Royal Caribbean Associate Vice President of Private Destination Development, Claudia Diaz-Gonzalez, indicated the space can accommodate between 1,500 and 2,000 guests.

No specific day has been given when it will open, but Royal Caribbean did say it will open in January 2024 in tandem with the launch of Icon of the Seas.

Pricing & What's included

Like most Royal Caribbean's extra add-on options, there is variable pricing for the club.

Only guests that are 18 years old or older are allowed to enter.

For the inaugural Icon of the Seas sailing, access to Hideaway Beach will cost extra, with prices shown on the Cruise Planner site of $70.99 when pre-purchased . It says the onboard price will be $79.00.

• Icon of the Seas February 24, 2024 sailing, admission price is $52.99 per person ($59 onboard price).
• Wonder of the Seas March 17, 2024 sailing, admission price is $43.99 per person ($49 onboard price).
• Icon of the Seas June 29, 2024 sailing, admission price is $79.99 per person ($89 onboard price).
• Utopia of the Seas July 22, 2024 sailing, admission price is $70.99 per person ($79 onboard price).

There are also cabanas you can purchase, which includes admission to the area.

Royal Caribbean seems to have mimicked the pricing strategy for the nearby Coco Beach Club, which also charges an admission cost to enter.

Once inside Hideaway Beach, guests will find a large temperature-controlled freshwater pool, semi-circle beach, and reserved cabana area.

There will be complimentary in-water hammocks, resort-style loungers, and umbrellas to keep you made in the shade. A DJ will also be featured here to provide a party vibe.

Food and Drink

There are seven bars, including a beach bar and a new venue, known as On The Rocks.

On the Rocks

This al fresco bar along the rocky shore serves up live music, TVs to watch live sports, games like pool and shuffleboard, and memorable ocean views along with refreshing drinks like frozen margaritas and mai tais.

Hideaway Bar

The swim-up bar at Hideaway Pool has with two levels, so that guests can take their drinks poolside or without leaving the water.

Slice of Paradise

This all-new rustic pizza haven with a bar and complimentary food includes fresh-from-the-oven pizzas.

Snack Shack

A staple on Perfect Day at CocoCay, this new location offers the popular menu’s complimentary chicken sandwiches, burgers, fried mozzarella sticks, fresh salads and more, as well as shaded seating, and Adirondack chairs and tables on the sand.

Cabanas

There are two types of cabanas you could rent in Hideaway Beach.

Hideout Cabanas

The Hideout Cabanas are located in area known as, "The Hideout", and it's where you can bring up to 8 guests with you to enjoy a private cabana. Should you have a larger party, there is a charge of $50 per person, plus an additional cost for a Hideaway Beach Full Day Pass, for a maximum of 2 additional people.

Each poolside cabana has in-water loungers, outdoor shower access, Bluetooth speaker, floating beach mats, resort-style seating, a cooler, sink, mini fridge, charging outlets, ceiling fans, and private lockable storage space.

You'll also get access to the infinity plunge pool, exclusively for The Hideout guests.

Cabana guests can enjoy bottle service, along with complimentary food from the Snack Shack or Slice of Paradise.

Hideaway Cabana

Slightly cheaper are the Hideaway Cabana, which does not have access to The Hideout  plunge pool.

A Hideaway Cabana also includes entry to Hideaway Beach for up to 8 adults. Extra passes are $50 per person, plus an additional cost for a Hideaway Beach Full Day Pass, for a maximum of 2 additional people.

Your Hideaway Cabana includes unlimited supply of bottled water, private lockable storage, sink and mini fridge, cooler, ceiling fan, charging outlets, resort-style seating, and floating beach mats.

Cabana guests can enjoy bottle service, along with complimentary food from the Snack Shack or Slice of Paradise.

The Hideout

This nook at one end of Hideaway Beach is meant to offer an exclusive, elevated experience.

In one of 10 Hideout Cabanas, those looking for a more VIP, chill vibe can kick back at a heated infinity-edge plunge pool – exclusive to The Hideout guests – and enjoy the convenience of perks like cabana attendant service, in-water loungers, an outdoor shower and resort-style seating.

Ready to book more Icon of the Seas cruises?

Icon of the Seas has yet to actually start sailing, but the vessel that will become the world's largest cruise ship when she debuts has seen a great deal of demand from customers.

Royal Caribbean has opened up more bookings that extend through April 2026.

While the cruise line has not yet added other ships to book that far out, they have added more available dates for Icon of the Seas.

Read more: When will Royal Caribbean release new sailings for 2025-2026?

Icon of the Seas will be 250,600 tons and hold up to 7,600 passengers, both of which are stats that eclipse the current largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas. Icon will also be about 10 feet longer than Wonder of the Seas, coming in at 1,198 feet long.

Icon of the Seas will remain in Miami, Florida and offer 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages, with all of them visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay.  There are four routings for these sailings:

• Seven-night Eastern Caribbean voyages with stops at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
• Seven-night Eastern Caribbean voyages with stops at St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 
• Seven-night Western Caribbean voyages with stops at Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 
• Seven-night Eastern Caribbean voyages with stops at St. Thomas, San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Prices for these cruises have an average starting rate of around $1600-1800 per person. The cost of going on Icon of the Seas has commanded a premium price since the ship opened for bookings initially due to record-high demand.

In May 2023, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty talked about the incredible demand the ship has experienced so far, "Despite being on sale for only five months, Icon is significantly more booked for her inaugural season at materially higher rates than any other Royal Caribbean ship launch."

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked about this fact, "Icon is literally the best performing new product launch we've ever had in the history of our business, and we're delighted with volume and rate and that really is a full 24 product."

Demand has been so strong, that Royal Caribbean felt compelled to release more bookings earlier than the rest of its fleet.

Mr. Bayley issued a statement about why new bookings are out three months ahead of schedule, "Since Icon of the Seas was revealed almost a year ago, the response has been unprecedented by every measure."

"Families and friends are looking for vacations where everyone can make memories their way without compromise, and that’s what we set out to create in its best form with Icon more than five years ago. The excitement has only continued to build, making it clear that we’ve designed a revolutionary experience that reflects how consumers want to travel today and for years to come."

Currently under construction at the giant Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, Icon of the Seas will have her first sailing begin in January 2024.

Icon of the Seas features

Icon of the Seas was announced as a new kind of cruise ship back in 2016, and will be the first new class of Royal Caribbean cruise ship in almost a decade.

Not only is she big, but Royal Caribbean is loading her up with all sorts of new offerings that has clearly resonated with consumers.

The ship will have new types of cabins, a water park, new neighborhoods, and plenty of activities inbetween.  It will also offer a bigger array of dining venues, bars and deck-top attractions than any cruise vessel ever built.

Royal Caribbean calls Icon of the Seas a "white paper" ship, because it has been designed from the ground up with new concepts. 

There are 8 neighborhoods (one more than the Oasis Class ships), with three of the neighborhoods being an all new concept.

Read more: Royal Caribbean ship classes ultimate guide

One big focus of the ship is the family cruise market, which the cruise line is actively targeting.

Icon of the Seas will have a dedicated neighborhood for families, known as Surfside.  Surfside is aimed at competing with the Orlando family vacation market.

Read more:  A sneak peek at Icon of the Seas under construction

Surfside was designed to become an area of the ship where families with kids ages 6 and under can play all-day together, where parents don't need to give up their relaxation time just because their kids want to play.

You'll find a giant aqua park designed for families: Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay splash parks for kids and the Water's Edge pool for parents. 

You're also going to find an entire water park on the top deck with six water slides to choose from.

Icon already completed her first set of sea trials, and is expected to complete work on her sometime later this year before being readied to start offering cruises.

Planning a cruise? Start here:

• 8 cruise tips for first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• What is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise?

Work on a new adults-only area at Perfect Day at CocoCay indicate a great deal of progress is being made.

While visiting Royal Caribbean's private island on Saturday, I had a chance to take photos of the construction progress on the Hideaway Beach area.

Hideaway Beach will be a new area reserved exclusively for adults, although that's about all the details we know.

Back in September 2021, Royal Caribbean announced that they would be building a new adults-only area.

Hideaway Beach was the first expansion of Perfect Day at CocoCay since Royal Caribbean launched the luxurious Coco Beach Club in 2020. 

Walking onto Perfect Day at CocoCay, it's apparent work is being done to add a new path to take guests to Hideaway Beach.

When guests walk to the Arrival Plaza, there are color coded pathways to make it easier to navigate to which area of the island someone wants to go.  It appears as the new path for Hideaway Beach will follow the coast and go around Thrill Waterpark and the tram area.

Walls prevent guests from getting close to the construction, so instead I took photos from the top deck of Independence of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean hasn't released any kind of previews of what the area will look like, nor what amenities will be available. 

It appears they have carved out a beach area that is rather large. We do know that in a past earnings call, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley indicated the new area will increase the island's capacity by 3,000 guests.

Zooming in closer we can see one large building being built close to the shore.

There's also concrete structures along the outer edge of the lagoon.

Opposite the building closest to shore is another large building, along with other structures in various stages of construction.

If you're wondering when Hideaway Beach might open, it's also not clear.

Royal Caribbean has promised Hideaway Beach will be ready by the time Icon of the Seas begins sailing, which will take place in late January 2024.

Beyond that, it's anyone's guess at this point when the expansion might be ready before then, if at all.

Perfect Day at CocoCay has been a home run for Royal Caribbean because of the high ratings its customers have given it, along with additional revenue it generates.

The combination of passenger-approved things to do, coupled with extra cost add-ons that have been quite profitable has resulted in a win-win for passengers and cruise line.

"Hideaway Beach will make perfect day at CocoCay even more perfect with an entirely new experience expanding capacity to the island," said Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty during the company's first-quarter earnings call in 2023.

Royal Caribbean confirmed it will be able to resume sailings on Radiance of the Seas.

The cruise line was forced to cancel two last-minute Alaska cruises on Radiance of the Seas due to a problem with the ship's propulsion.

It appears as though the issues are now resolved.

Guests booked on the September 15th sailing received the email they were hoping for. Royal Caribbean Blog reader Gord Wainwright shared a copy of the email Royal Caribbean sent out.

"Our Marine technical team has given us the green light and we’re thrilled to announce that Radiance of the Seas will be returning to service beginning with our September 15th sailing," is what Royal Caribbean conveyed in the announcement.

"With repairs wrapping up and sea trial preparations underway, we’re now able to confirm our ability to sail as intended."

In addition to informing booked passengers the ship is good to go, Royal Caribbean's  also wanted to address rumors of the ship's seaworthiness.

Royal Caribbean Associate Vice President, Guest Experience, mentioned the ship is ready to go.

"In response to some comments I've seen and heard, seaworthiness was never in question - the propulsion issue only impacted our speed and ability to make it to ports on time," is what the email stated.

The trouble began for Radiance of the Seas last week when the cruise line cancelled the September 1st sailing after the ship experienced problems with its propulsions. On the last night of the August 25th sailing before it concluded in Seward, Alaska is likely when the issues cropped up.

Radiance of the Seas has two Azipods, which are multidirectional pods that drive the ship and can be rotated 360 degrees and are have been the standard form of propulsion for all of Royal Caribbean's new cruise ships in recent years.

The September 1 and September 8 sailings were the sailings cancelled.

Royal Caribbean is issuing affected customers a full refund, plus a future cruise credit that can be used for a sailing departing within one year.

For the September 8 cancellation, the cruise line will also reimburse non-refundable, pre-purchased travel fees (such as a flight, hotel, train ticket, or rental car) of up to $250 per guest for domestic travel, or up to $500 per guest for international travel.

The September 1 cruise was canceled on the same day the ship was scheduled to depart, meaning many customers had already traveled to the ship's port of departure.

A cancelled cruise is quite rare, but having two in a row is nearly unheard of in the industry.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley took to social media to talk about the progress being made to repair the ship, as many other people with booked cruises were concerned their sailings might also be affected.

On his Facebook page, Mr. Bayley celebrated the ship returning to service and thanked the people that made it happen.

“Thank you to our Marine Technical team who have worked tirelessly to get the Azipod back on track.”

“Thank you to all our guests for your understanding and our amazing Guest services team.”

“For anyone who has owned a boat you know the journey ! And this is a huge ship !   Boarding day the drinks are on us !  Enjoy !”

Lee is a major hurricane and a storm of its magnitude results in cruise ship itinerary changes.

The tropical storm went from a category 1 to a category 5 before falling back to a category 3 on Friday night.  After quickly reaching category 5 intensity 36 hours ago, Hurricane Lee has been struggling against wind shear.

Nonetheless, Lee is currently a Category 3 hurricane and larger than it was a few days ago. Lee's hurricane-force winds extend up to 90 miles from its center, with tropical storm-force winds extending for some 205 miles. 

As of early Tuesday afternoon, and it's expected to turn more northward by the middle of this week , with a potential impact to the U.S. Northeast and Atlantic Canada.

Lee is already impacting some cruise ship itineraries, with Royal Caribbean announcing course changes.

Royal Caribbean made these changes to ensure an enjoyable and safe experience, "To ensure we have a safe and smooth journey, and to stay well away from Hurricane Lee's path, we've adjusted our itinerary," said the email sent to booked passengers. 

Here's the list of cruise ship changes so far.

Last updated: September 13, 2023

Jewel of the Seas - September 14, 2023 sailing

Royal Caribbean informed guests booked on Jewel of the Seas that the ship will overnight in Manhattan, New York instead of visiting Halifax, Nova Scotia.

After that, the ship will proceed to Greenland and resume its normal itinerary.

Vision of the Seas - September 14, 2023 sailing

Vision of the Seas will remain in Baltimore on the 14th and then depart on the afternoon of September 15th.

Guests will need to be onboard the ship on the 14th.

Vision of the Seas - September 9, 2023 sailing

New: Vision of the Seas will return to Baltimore one day earlier, on September 13, with passengers staying aboard until their scheduled disembarkation date of September 14.  

Vision of the Seas is sailing from Baltimore and will depart as scheduled.

Instead of going to Bermuda, Vision will go to Perfect Day at CocoCay on Day 3 and Nassau, Bahamas on Day 4.

Liberty of the Seas - September 7, 2023 sailing

Liberty of the Seas will skip a scheduled visit to New Brunswick, Canada and instead head back to Cape Liberty for an overnight stay before the cruise ends.

Liberty will depart Halifax, Nova Scotia at 3pm on September 13 and head back to Cape Liberty, where the ship should arrive around 11pm on September 14.  She will remain in Cape Liberty until September 16th.

The ship's shops and casinos will remain closed while the ship is in Cape Liberty.

Guests on Liberty will receive compensation because of the skipped port and returning to the ship's homeport earlier than expected.

• Inside & Oceanview rooms: $75
• Balcony staterooms: $100
• Suites: $200
• $25 for each third and fourth guest

Adventure of the Seas - September 9, 2023 sailing

Royal Caribbean plans for Adventure of the Seas to depart Fort Lauderdale on Saturday as planned.

The ship will now visit Roatan, Honduras on Day 3 and Cozumel, Mexico on Day 4.

Wonder of the Seas - September 10, 2023 sailing

Royal Caribbean changed Wonder of the Seas to go from an Eastern Caribbean itinerary to the Western Caribbean.

The ship was scheduled to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.

Instead, the world's largest cruise ship will visit CocoCay on September 11; Cozumel, Mexico on September 13; and Roatán, Honduras on September 14. 

Harmony of the Seas - September 9, 2023 sailing

Harmony of the Seas is also swapping itineraries.

The September 9th sailing is now going to Roatán, Honduras; Cozumel, Mexico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Monitoring the hurricane

Royal Caribbean employs its own full-time meteorologist to help track the path of the storm.

Craig Setzer has been Royal Caribbean's Chief Meteorologist since August and is involved with the National Hurricane Center, teaching at World Meteorological Organization workshops, and presenting at American Meteorological Society conferences around the country.

Guests on ships with revised itineraries were informed by Aurora Yera-Rodriguez, the Assistant Vice President of Guest Experience for Royal Caribbean International, how the company is making these changes: "Along with our Chief Meteorologist and nautical experts, we’re closely monitoring the development of Hurricane Lee and any potential impacts to our itineraries."

The path of Lee

Most weather experts are calling for Lee to make a turn to the north, but it's unclear when that may occur.

Hurricane Lee is about 440 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The hurricane is moving west, northwest at 13 mph, and is forecast to pass to the north of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico over the weekend and into early next week.

According to Mr. Setzer, the uncertainty occurs when & where the turn to the north takes place on Wednesday. A sooner turn, a more likely recurve (out to sea), a later turn/faster motion before the turn, a less likely recurve (out to sea).

"I cannot stress this point enough. Until that turn takes place, and we observe where it happens, we will not know exactly who in the US, Canada, Bermuda will be impacted, or if impacted at all," he posted in a tweet on Friday.

He was also quite blunt about providing any kind of accurate predictions, "With that in mind, there is no need to ask me about your specific area and its threat, because I have no idea, nor does anyone else."

If you have a Radiance of the Seas cruise booked in the near future, there's good news to share.

Royal Caribbean has had to cancel two Alaska cruises so far on Radiance of the Seas because of problems with the ship's propulsion.  This has others with upcoming cruises worried about the fate of their sailings.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley posted an update on Thursday to provide more context into what is happening.

On his Facebook page, Mr. Bayley posted three "thumbs up" emojis with some positive news to share, "The team report continued positive progress and increased confidence all will be good to go for the 15th.    

He added that the ship is scheduled to put the repairs to the test this weekend, "We have a sea trial on the 10th and if all goes as expected then Bingo off we go!  Thanks for the patience and understanding."

The trouble began for Radiance of the Seas last week when the cruise line cancelled the September 1st sailing after the ship experienced problems with its propulsions. On the last night of the August 25th sailing before it concluded in Seward, Alaska is likely when the issues cropped up.

Radiance of the Seas has two Azipods, which are multidirectional pods that drive the ship and can be rotated 360 degrees and are have been the standard form of propulsion for all of Royal Caribbean's new cruise ships in recent years.

Royal Caribbean cancelled the September 1st sailing on the same day guests were boarding the ship for their cruise. They received the unfortunate news while the ship was docked in port.

A cancelled cruise is quite rare, and two cancelled cruises is even rarer.

The September 8th sailing was also cancelled just a few days later.

Guests on the cancelled cruises received a full refund, as well as a future cruise credit equal to what they paid for the sailing.

Mr. Bayley originally commented that the issue was troubling, but the company had a plan, "One of the ships Azipod’s had a problem requiring highly specialized technicians from Northern Europe to travel to Alaska to fix and repair that problem."

He added for those on the next scheduled Radiance of the Seas sailing, the plan is still for that cruise to happen, "To our September 15th guests we are confident repairs will be completed in the next few days in time for your sailing. and we will keep you informed should that change."

Mr. Bayley also thanked the crew members and shoreside staff working to manage guests affected by the cancellations, "To our shipboard Crew and shoreside Staff who have worked tirelessly to manage this situation and support getting our guests home safely a big thank you and to our guests whose vacation was so rudely interrupted our apologies."

As of the publishing of this article, data shows Radiance of the Seas is sailing outside of Seward.

Radiance is wrapping up her 2023 Alaska cruise season, where she's offering alternating 7-night Northbound and Southbound Alaska and Glacier sailings.  It's also a popular option to add-on a cruisetour, where guests can include a tour of inland Alaska before or after their cruise.

Radiance of the Seas is a 90,900 gross ton Radiance Class cruise ship. She had her maiden voyage in 2001.

Radiance is a smaller ship by today's standards, and has a capacity of 2,466 guests at double occupancy.

She is 962 feet long.

Another Alaska cruise has been canceled on Radiance of the Seas because of a problem with the ship's engine.

Guests booked on the September 8th cruise received an update on Tuesday that their sailing has been cancelled due to time needed to complete repairs to Radiance of the Seas' engines.

This is the second sailing in a row to be cancelled.

Radiance of the Seas was scheduled to offer a 7-night Northbound Alaska & Hubbard Glacier sailing.

Royal Caribbean had intended to conduct this sailing, but evidently repairs will take longer than anticipated.

Reddit reader legilimensmaster posted a copy of the letter.

The email to guests stated they tried their best to get the work done, but need more time.

"As you may know, Radiance of the Seas' propulsion system experienced a technical issue. Our crew started working on restoring the system immediately and we deployed the best experts."

"Despite our efforts, we were unable to complete the needed repairs to make it in time to Vancouver. As a result, we'll be canceling our Radiance of the Seas September 8th, 2023 sailing. "

As of the publishing of this article, Radiance of the Seas is still in Seward.

Royal Caribbean also apologized for having to cancel the cruise, "We know how much time and effort go into planning your cruise, and we're truly sorry for this disappointing news."

The problem began on the last night of the August 25th sailing before it concluded in Seward, Alaska, when guests reported hearing a strange noise overnight.  Radiance made it to Seward, but it became apparent the cruise had to be cancelled.

Unfortunately for the people booked on the September 1st sailing, they didn't know the cruise would cancelled until they boarded the ship that day.

Later on embarkation day, it was announced the sailing was cancelled.

Guests booked on the September 8th sailing received an email update on Monday to inform them that "repairs are underway and we are progressing to resolve the issue."

"At this time, we intend to sail as planned on September 8th".

The Tuesday update confirmed many guests fears that their sailing would also be impacted.

Compensation

Just like anyone booked on the September 1st sailing, those affected by the September 8th cancellation are entitled to a 100% refund, including taxes and fees, pre-paid packages and gratuities, amenities, shore excursions and any flights purchased through Royal Caribbean.

Additionally, to make up for this, passengers will also receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) to be used towards a future sailing departing within one year.

Any non-refundable, pre-purchased travel fees will be re-imbursed (such as flight, hotel, train ticket or rental) car for up to $250 for domestic changes and up to $500 for international changes.

The problem with the cruise ship

We don't have many details as to the exact nature of the issue, other than the ship's propulsion system is damaged in some way.

Royal Caribbean's only official comment on the problem is that the ship's "propulsion system experienced a technical issue."

Radiance of the Seas has two Azipods, which are multidirectional pods that drive the ship and can be rotated 360 degrees and are have been the standard form of propulsion for all of Royal Caribbean's new cruise ships in recent years.

On the final night of the August 25th sailing, some guests reported hearing a noise that seemed to come from the direction of the engines. 

There's all sorts of speculation as to what the possible malfunction could be, but there's nothing but rumors at this point.

Given that Radiance is headed south, it stands to reason the ship needs to go somewhere else to conduct repairs.  Seward is not a major cruise port, so it may not have the personnel, parts, or both needed.

"We're gutted"

As you might imagine, anyone booked on on the cancelled cruise is likely disappointed and disheartened of the change.

"We're gutted. Months planning this trip to celebrate our 10 year anniversary down the drain with no time to pivot," is what SnuggleCookie posted on Reddit about the now cancelled cruise.

"This was so much more than a cruise or anniversary for us. It's been a hard couple of years and this trip has felt like our only light to look forward to."

"Absolutely devastated."