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Breaking news, cruise passengers stranded off australia coast over ‘marine growth’.

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It was a hull of a cruise.

Hundreds of passengers were stranded on a Viking cruise ship off the Australian coast for a week after a potentially harmful growth was found on its hull.

The Viking Orion was denied permission to dock in Adelaide due to the “biofoul,” an accumulation of microorganisms, plants, algae or small animals, the BBC reported .

The Australian Fisheries Department said the 745-foot-long ship, which can carry up to 930 passengers, had to be cleaned to prevent “harmful marine organisms” from infiltrating the country.

“Professional divers were engaged directly by the vessel line/agent to clean the hull while at anchor outside Australian waters,” the agency said.

The Orion was also reportedly denied permission to dock at Christchurch and Dunedin in New Zealand and Hobart, Tasmania, according to the BBC.

The vessel had not made a stop since it left Wellington in New Zealand on Boxing Day, according to ship tracking website VesselFinder.com.

Passengers fumed that their cruise was ruined because of the four canceled stops.

Kenn Heydrick said no one had been able to leave the ship since Dec. 26.

“The intensity of frustration and anger is growing among passengers,” he said. “The majority of passengers are trying to make the best of things and enjoy extended time at sea. But it is the excursions at four ports that we were looking forward to, and now are greatly missed.”

He slammed the company on Twitter.

“A dirty & biohazard ship bottom. After 2 years of waiting, Viking disappoints. Great food but poor ship hygiene. Buyer beware,” Heydrick wrote .

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On Monday, he said in another tweet that the ship finally docked in Melbourne.

“Sad for missing excursions. #CruiseCalamity  @VikingCruises,” Heydrick wrote .

But fellow traveler Matt Roberts said the passengers were notified that they would only be allowed off the ship briefly, to be checked by immigration.

The next chance for them to disembark will be on Wednesday in Sydney, according to the BBC.

Roberts said the disruption was a shame “because for many travelers, this might be their last opportunity to see this part of the world.”

The vessel reportedly dropped anchor about 17 miles off the coast for the hull to be cleaned.

In a statement, the company admitted that a “limited amount of standard marine growth” was being cleaned after causing the Orion to “miss several stops on this itinerary.”

It added: “Viking is working directly with guests on compensation for the impact to their voyage.”

In a letter, the captain apologized that “the current cruise falls short of your expectations” and said passengers would be provided with an “adjusted offer of compensation” for the inconvenience.

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Mixed reactions as Australia lifts cruise ship ban imposed during pandemic

A two-year ban on cruise ships in australia has lifted, resulting in joy for those whose livelihoods depend on the industry. however, there are concerns about the emissions impact that will come with the return of the ships..

People take photos as the Pacific Explorer cruise ship enters the Sydney Harbour on 18 April 2022. Source: AAP / AAP

Inside the Australian cruise ship that left four days after the COVID-19 pandemic declaration

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Cruises could return to Australia this summer after lengthy ban during COVID-19 pandemic

International borders will be lifted next month, but those wanting to travel by sea are still waiting to learn when they can set sail.

Key points:

• The federal government has flagged the potential for cruises to resume this summer
• International cruise ships have been banned since March 2020
• Cruise ships have made changes to the way they operate to reduce the risk of COVID-19

International cruise ships have been banned from entering Australia since March 2020, following a serious outbreak on the Ruby Princess leading to  more than 600 infections as well as 28 deaths .

The ban on cruises will remain in place until at least December 17.

Until a decision on cruises has been made, new rules allowing international travel for the fully vaccinated from November 1 means Australians can take a cruise overseas but not from their own country.

Ken Hodson, 76, and his wife, Joy, will fly to the United States in December to embark on a 136-day world cruise.

Australia and New Zealand were originally on the itinerary, but were later scrapped due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Mr Hodson said he booked the cruise a long time ago, thinking "the pandemic would be over".

As the departure date edged closer and the pandemic continued, the Hodsons thought they would have to postpone.

The seasoned cruisers were pleasantly surprised when they learned international borders would be lifted in time, allowing them to travel.

Their cruising company's generous cancellation policy, as well as strict COVID-19 management policies on board, gave the Wollongong couple confidence to proceed with their booking.

"They have a PCR lab on board and they test everybody everyday," Mr Hodson said.

"They only take vaccinated people on board."

The cruise line will operate with a reduced capacity of 930 passengers, and has made changes to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 on the ship.

"They've changed all the air-conditioning around, they've got social distancing, they've got masks where necessary," Mr Hodson said.

Along with navigating the risk of COVID-19 on the ship, the Hodsons also have to consider case numbers and restrictions in the various countries they will visit.

"All the ports, they have their own excursions and various countries have their various challenges, some are better than others," Mr Hodson said.

"So, when you go off the ship, you have to [make] a judgement call."

Mr Hodson said he and his wife will stick to cruise-run excursions, which he felt would be "fairly well controlled".

"You are confident about the people on the ship and the people on the tour," he said.

Mr Hodson said he was more nervous about a one-night layover in Florida, rather than the cruise itself.

"I feel very safe on board the ship because of all the tests and controls," he said.

Cruises could set sail this summer

The federal government has suggested that cruises could return to Australian waters this summer.

In a statement, a Department of Infrastructure spokesperson said that the resumption of cruises "continues to be considered by Australian government agencies" in the context of the national COVID-19 plan .

"Once 80 per cent vaccination has been reached, there is no reason why domestic and international cruising cannot begin this summer in a similar way to the opening up of international aviation," the spokesperson said.

"The government continues to work with the states and the Northern Territory on the process moving forward, including quarantine arrangements for the predominantly international crew and for foreign passengers." 

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet recently said he was keen to see cruising return .

"We will do whatever we can to get cruising back as safely as possible and as quickly as possible," he said.

'A matter of weighing up all those different risks'

Hundreds of COVID-19 infections were linked to cruise ships early in the pandemic, including on the  Diamond Princess in February 2020  and the Ruby Princess a month later .

Flinders University's head of microbiology and infectious diseases, David Gordon, said that, prior to the pandemic, cruise ships were already known to spread infections,  such as gastro.

"We do know that COVID and other infections do spread very well in cruise ships," Professor Gordon said.

He said the risk of transmission was higher on cruise ships because people spend prolonged periods of time together in the same environment, with ventilation systems that — like many other non-medical buildings — have not been designed to handle the transmission of respiratory viruses.

Cruise ships also usually have an older population on board, and that increases the risk of the disease spreading as well as the severity of the illness.

"[Older passengers] are much more likely to have other diseases. So, if there is an infectious disease going around, they are more likely to have a symptomatic infection rather than a non-symptomatic infection and they are more likely to get seriously ill as well," Professor Gordon said.

Professor Gordon said travellers have to "make their own decision" about whether they felt comfortable booking a cruise.

"The American CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] recommends that, if you are in a higher risk group, even if you are vaccinated, you probably shouldn't go on a cruise ship at this point in time," he said.

Professor Gordon said it was "a matter of weighing up all those different risks".

"There are a substantial number of people who, at least at the moment, should still think seriously about embarking on a cruise," he said.

"I guess the reason for that is, that if there is some COVID [that] somehow gets onto the cruise ship then you're stuck on the cruise ship and there's a higher likelihood that it might spread," he said.

"Whereas, if you go to Rome and the Colosseum and someone [who] walks through the Colosseum has COVID, you're not putting yourself in an environment where there's going to be an ongoing and escalating risk that you're going to be continually exposing yourself to."

Professor Gordon said mandatory vaccination, wearing masks, regular testing and "rigorous infection control" were all important in minimising the risk of transmission.

He expected cruise lines would implement "an enormous amount of precautions".

"I think the cruise lines will be very rigorous in what they're doing. It's in their interests to be very rigorous," he said.

"The last thing they want is an outbreak on their ship."

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‘A crushing blow’: what happens if your cruise changes to have too much sea and not enough sight-seeing?

Customers dismayed after cruise ship’s time in Hobart cut in half due to ‘port conflicts’, but experts say consumer remedies are difficult to obtain

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When Paul and Mary McGuirk booked their six-night cruise from Sydney to Tasmania , they were expecting to spend more than one day in the island state.

But two months after making their booking, the couple was told that due to a “port conflict” they would be spending just 26 hours on the ground in Hobart in March.

The McGuirks, who are based in Port Macquarie, booked the cruise in November and will be joined by relatives visiting from the UK. “We had the full intention of showing them a bit of Hobart,” Paul said.

“Some people love being on board but for those of us who wanted to spend a bit of time in Hobart it [the itinerary change] has been a crushing blow.”

The Celebrity Edge was originally advertised as sailing on 7 March to Hobart and Port Arthur before returning to Sydney. An itinerary change in 2022 cut Port Arthur from the route and added Eden in New South Wales before two full days and a night in Hobart.

But the 2,900-passenger vessel will now leave NSW and spend just one night and day in Tasmania before heading back to Sydney, due to changes that Celebrity Cruises – which is owned by the Royal Caribbean Group – say are out of its control.

Passengers received an email in early January announcing the schedule had changed due to a port conflict in Hobart. The stay was cut to just 26 hours – although after Celebrity Cruises was contacted by Guardian Australia it was extended to 32 hours.

The McGuirks paid a $400 booking fee in November and the $2,580 balance in late December.

“If I’d booked when Port Arthur was [still] on the schedule I’d be even more annoyed,” Paul McGuirk said, adding he would take a refund “in an instant” if it was offered.

Deviations “in any way” from the advertised itinerary are covered in Celebrity Cruises’ booking terms and conditions. The McGuirks say they “don’t have any expectation of compensation”.

“You could sign up for a cruise to Tasmania and end up in Queensland – you have no power whatsoever,” Paul McGuirk said. “Once [the operator has] got your money you’ve got to go with the flow.”

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Changes to cruise itineraries are not uncommon. One Facebook user who lives in a coal mining town in Australia went on a cruise to the “tropics” only to “wake in the morning to open the cabin blinds to be staring at two large piles of coal and a loading terminal”.

In November, a P&O Pacific Adventure cruise departed Sydney for New Zealand but was turned away because it did not meet the country’s strict biohazard entry requirements. Passengers dubbed it a “ cruise to nowhere ” and were compensated.

The TasPorts chief executive officer, Anthony Donald, said the McGuirks’ cruise had been impacted by a change to “berthing parameters” at the Port of Hobart which resulted in a double booking. TasPorts’ shipping schedule now shows the Royal Princess arriving seven hours after the Celebrity Edge departs.

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The port change was made in September – more than three months before the cruise operator alerted customers to the latest itinerary variation.

A Celebrity Cruises spokesperson told the Guardian the change was out of its control and due to “extenuating circumstances”.

“Celebrity Cruises and TasPorts work closely together. After being advised by TasPorts of port congestion we altered our arrival plans and have shared this update with our booked guests,” the spokesperson said.

Dr David Beirman, an adjunct fellow in tourism at the University of Technology of Sydney, said port double bookings were rare but when they occurred larger companies tended to relegate smaller operators.

Gerard Brody, the chair of the Consumers Federation of Australia, said cruise passengers’ rights were linked to the terms and conditions of their tickets.

“Commonly, terms and conditions will not provide for great consumer rights, as they are written by the cruise provider [and] so will be in their interests,” he said.

But passengers are also covered by Australian consumer law, and if an itinerary change “is one-sided and not reasonably necessary to protect the cruise line’s legitimate interests then it may be unfair”.

NSW Fair Trading said that consumer guarantee provisions were unlikely to apply to cancellations or itinerary changes that were a direct result of government restrictions which “may impact the remedies available to consumers”.

Anthony Cordato, a travel lawyer, said any attempt by the McGuirks and fellow passengers to secure compensation would “not be easy”.

Cordato said case law suggested the obligation of cruise operators was to provide a “safe, relaxing and pleasurable cruise holiday substantially in accordance with the advertised and booked itinerary”.

In a case brought against Scenic Tours in 2020, traveller David Moore claimed he was owed a refund and damages after his luxury European river cruise became, in part, a coach tour because of heavy flooding. Moore argued that Scenic had failed to comply with consumer guarantees under Australian consumer law and sought damages for disappointment and distress arising from that failure.

The legal battle went all the way to the high court which ruled in Moore’s favour , finding he was entitled to compensation on the basis that the cruise experience did not match the service that was originally advertised.

But not all passengers mind extra days at sea, said Dr Freya Higgins-Desbiolles of the University of South Australia’s business unit.

“For many passengers, the cruise is the experience and shore visits are just an added bonus,” she said.

Itineraries could change as a result of bad weather or industrial actions at a port, Higgins-Desbiolles said. Climate change could make cruising less predictable as could growing community opposition in some countries.

Higgins-Desbiolles suggested customers always book travel insurance with health cover.

According to consumer group Choice, some travel insurance plans cover missed ports. The group warns that some cruise operators may not allow customers to board without travel insurance and that, even if a cruise will not be leaving Australian waters, passengers may still need travel insurance as shipboard medical expenses are not always covered by Medicare.

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Passengers stuck on cruise 'to nowhere' after ship was denied entry to New Zealand

Passengers on an Australian cruise ship have been at sea for a week after a dirty hull prevented the boat from docking in New Zealand – with some experiencing long bouts of seasickness.

The 13-day-long P&O Pacific Adventure cruise departed from Sydney on Nov. 20 and was intended to take passengers around New Zealand, including stops at Wellington and Fiordland National Park, and return to Sydney on Sunday. 

The cruise has scrapped the New Zealand leg of the cruise and is slated to arrive in Hobart, a city in Tasmania, Australia, on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Carnival Australia, which owns P&O Cruises Australia, told USA TODAY. 

“P&O Cruises Australia can advise a change to the compensation for guests on board Pacific Adventure, after the ship was unable to visit New Zealand,” the cruise line said in a statement.

Upon arrival at the Bay of Islands on Nov. 23, the ship was not allowed to dock. 

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New Zealand has strict biosecurity laws that require a ship to be cleaned in order to reduce the risk of invasive species entering the country’s environment, Mike Inglis, Biosecurity New Zealand’s northern regional commissioner, told USA TODAY in an email. 

“We know that almost 90% of the exotic marine species already in New Zealand likely arrived here as marine growth on the submerged surfaces of international vessels,” Inglis said.

Can we have eco-friendly cruising? What to know about zero-emission ships.

A photo sent from the ship to Biosecurity New Zealand showed “high-risk organisms including mussel and oyster growth and could pose a risk to New Zealand if the ship cruised in our waters,” he said. 

Bad diving conditions prevented the cruise staff from finishing the cleaning of the hull.

As the ship revised its itinerary, the 2,781 passengers had to stay onboard “on this crummy cruise to nowhere,” one passenger wrote on a Facebook page for the cruise.

Guests have been reportedly feeling seasick because of the extended time out at sea and choppy waters. A passenger told The Guardian that sick bags are “quickly disappearing” from around the ship. 

On Facebook, multiple guests wrote they were going to abort the rest of the cruise and fly home after the board docks in Hobart. 

At first, the cruise line offered a 50% future cruise credit, but that was changed to a full refund and a $300 per person on board credit. 

“We have listened to the feedback from our guests and understand not all of them wish to cruise with us again,” the cruise line said in a statement. “Again, we apologise for the change in itinerary, and thank our guests for their patience and understanding.”

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected] .

Australia seeks to reassure citizens on COVID after cruise ship outbreak

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Third Australian cruise in weeks turns into 'nightmare' after fungus outbreak prevents entry into New Zealand

New zealand's regulations are meant to prevent invasive marine species from destroying reefs.

Viking Orion cruise ship stranded 8 days at sea due to fungal growth outbreak

A passenger on the cruise ship Viking Orion describes what happened when a marine fungus outbreak on the ship’s hull prevented entry into New Zealand. Credit: Reuters

A total of three cruise ships over the past few weeks in Australian waters have been denied entry into New Zealand and forced to change itineraries due to a buildup of marine fungus.

The Seven Seas Explorer, a luxury cruise ship in the Regent Seven Seas Cruises fleet, was denied entry in New Zealand waters this week due to what New Zealand described as "higher than allowed levels of algae, barnacles, tube worms, and potential oysters present" on the ship’s hull, RNZ reported .

The ship departed Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 29 with plans to make stops at eight ports and three fjords, and spend three days at sea, but an American passenger on the ship told Fox News Digital the trip "turned into a nightmare" and will now consist of 11 days at sea and only one port after the ship was required to wait in the open ocean for a cleaning crew to eradicate the marine life.

The passenger explained that the trip has become a frustrating ordeal with changing plans, inconsistent messaging from the crew, and uncertainty about being compensated for the derailed vacations.

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The Seven Seas Explorer anchors in Alanya, Turkey, on Sept. 4, 2022. (Mert Canturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

"We have been in limbo all day with land in sight, going nowhere," the passenger said. "Very little information forthcoming and what we do hear keeps changing."

"As an option to staying on board for the remainder of the cruise, we are now told that when we reach Adelaide, we may disembark and make our own plans to get home all at our own expense and nobody on board to assist us in plans," the passenger said. "Regent Seven Seas claims their luxury cruises are ‘unrivaled experiences.’ This is not what we had in mind."

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Seven Seas Explorer docked in Adelaide, Australia. (Fox News Digital)

A spokesperson for Regent Seven Seas cruises told Fox News Digital the ship is "currently sailing a 14-night cruise which guests embarked on Dec. 29, 2022, and are scheduled to disembark in Auckland, New Zealand, on Jan. 12, 2023."

The company said it is "committed to working with our local partners across the globe to minimize our impact on the surrounding environment of the destinations we visit" and explained that local regulations in New Zealand required a cleaning of the Seven Seas Explorer's hull.

"The cleaning must be carried out by a company recognized by New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries, none of which have been available at ports the ship has recently visited or would have visited before its scheduled entry to New Zealand waters," the spokesperson said. 

The spokesperson said all guests on board have been offered 100% refund of their paid cruise only fare and "a number of guests chose to disembark in Adelaide to make their onward travels."

CARNIVAL, CELEBRITY CRUISE CREWS RESCUE DOZENS OF MIGRANTS DRIFTING IN SMALL BOATS OFF FLORIDA, VIDEOS SHOW

"We understand and apologize for the inconvenience, frustration and disappointment this disruption has caused to our valued guests, and we appreciate their continued understanding," the statement said.

Two additional cruise ships in recent weeks have failed to meet New Zealand’s environmental standards, including the 14-deck, 930-person cruise ship Viking Orion that was blocked from entering New Zealand ports and stranded for eight days at sea last week due to what the company told Fox News Digital was a "limited amount of standard marine growth."

Viking Cruises confirmed to Reuters that it will provide passengers with a voucher equal to what they paid for the cruise. 

Two weeks ago, a Princess Cruise Lines ship known as the Coral Princess was stopped from entering New Zealand due to a buildup of marine snails that resulted in an apology from the cruise line and a refund of roughly $100 to passengers and 15% off their next trip – an amount most on board were "not very happy with," a passenger told the outlet.

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The Viking Orion cruise ship berthed on April 16, 2020, in Melbourne, Australia.  (Udo Weitz/picture alliance via Getty Images)

The three cruise ships failed to meet New Zealand’s "biofouling standards," which are designed to prevent invasive species from damaging reefs. 

"If they make it to our reefs, they might decimate the environment and cause some serious issues," Flinders University associate professor Sophie Leterme told AAP . 

Paul Hallett, manager environmental health Biosecurity New Zealand, told Fox News Digital that "nearly 90 per cent of marine pests arrive in New Zealand on the submerged surfaces of international vessels" and "such pests can adversely impact New Zealand’s environment, unique marine ecosystems, aquaculture industry and economy."

"It is incorrect to say that the three ships were denied entry to New Zealand," Hallett continued. "Only the Coral Princess was initially denied entry – due to its high levels of a high-risk organism, snails. The Coral Princess was cleaned in the EEZ 77km off the coast of Tauranga, after which it was allowed to visit New Zealand."

Hallet said the other ships were "allowed to visit approved ports, but not areas with special marine environments" such as Fiordland and "both visited approved ports in December, but were instructed to have biofouling removed before subsequent voyages to New Zealand."  

Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to [email protected].

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Australia and New Zealand cruise itineraries modified as both countries demand strict hull cleaning

Due to strict maritime bio-security rules, the hull cleaning issue is threatening the cruise sector in Australia and New Zealand. Ports of call are dropped from the schedule, and time is spent at sea waiting for the ship’s hull to be cleaned.

 At the last minute, New Zealand authorities took a sudden decision to prevent the Seven Seas Explorer from making its maiden voyage through the country by ordering the vessel to go back out into international waters and undergo further hull cleaning.

Later that day, passengers were advised that the ship would return to international waters and that the intended stop at the Bay of Islands had been canceled. This was the Explorer’s maiden visit to New Zealand, and it was greeted with a water salute.

According to statements made by passengers on social media platforms, they were lying 31 nautical miles off the coast of Tauranga. In their posts, they complained that “clearly the hull cleaning undertaken last week was a failure.”

This season, several ships, including the Princess Coral Princess, the Viking Orion, and the Cunard Queen Elizabeth, have been affected by the biosecurity issue that affects ships that visit New Zealand and Australia. As a result, these ships have been forced to make changes to their itineraries in order to satisfy the authorities of New Zealand and Australia.

Despite the disputes, people on board are well taken care of aboard the “most luxurious ship ever built,” with Regent Seven Seas Cruises also introducing last week its Upgrade Your Horizon offers of room upgrades, savings of up to 40%, and reduced deposits for sailings until 2025.

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Crew of the giant Icon of the Seas cruise ship rescues 14 people adrift in the sea

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MIAMI (AP) — The crew of what is considered the world’s largest cruise ship rescued 14 people clinging to a small boat adrift on the ocean, authorities said.

Passengers aboard the Icon of the Seas captured video of the crew using a small vessel to ferry the group to the safety of the cruise ship on Sunday. The cruise had begun in Miami, and the ship was headed for Honduras when the rescue happened, passengers said.

The cruise ship encountered the small vessel “adrift and in need of assistance,” Miami-based Royal Caribbean said in a statement to The Associated Press on Thursday.

“The ship’s crew immediately launched a rescue operation, safely bringing 14 people on board,” the company said. “The crew provided them with medical attention, and is working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard.”

The crew broadcast “Code Oscar, Code Oscar, Code Oscar,” over the loudspeakers around 3 p.m., Alessandra Amodio said in a report on FoxWeather.com .

Amodio said she watched as people on the tiny craft waved a large white flag.

“The boat turned around, and we pulled up as close as we could to them and stopped,” Amodio said. The cruise ship then launched “a small zodiac-type rescue boat to investigate.”

After the rescue, Amodio said the cruise ship’s captain announced that the crew had rescued 14 people stranded at sea for eight days.

The Icon of the Seas is considered by cruise industry experts to be the largest cruise ship in the world at the moment, the Miami Herald reported . It can host 5,610 guests and 2,350 crew members. The ship has 2,850 staterooms, 18 guest decks and seven swimming pools.

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Crew medevaced from P&O Australia's ship Pacific Adventure

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter executed a medical evacuation of a crew member from the P&O Australia cruise ship, Pacific Adventure , who urgently required medical attention ashore.

The operation took place ~20 NM (37 km) east of Newcastle, New South Wales .

According to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service's statement on social media, a man onboard the vessel was experiencing a medical emergency necessitating the presence of a NSW Ambulance critical care paramedic and an NSW Health doctor.

Following the stabilization of the patient, they were airlifted into the helicopter and transferred to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.

Both passengers and crew expressed gratitude towards the aircrew and medical team for their crucial role in ensuring the safe execution of the mission, facilitating the patient's access to necessary medical care.

For more Pacific Adventure incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page .

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Royal Caribbean Postpones Radiance of the Seas Departure

• April 27, 2024

The current cruise of Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas will depart from Vancouver later than scheduled.

Currently kicking off its summer program in Alaska, the 2001-built vessel suffered a technical issue earlier this month .

As a result, the sailing originally scheduled to leave from the Canadian homeport on April 26, 2024, had to be postponed, Royal Caribbean said in statement sent to guests onboard.

According to the letter, the Radiance of the Seas is currently scheduled to sail from Vancouver on April 28, 2024.

“While repairs for the technical issue that we encountered on our previous sailing are still underway, we discovered that we’re going to need some extra time to get the ship in tip-top shape for you,” said Royal Caribbean International.

Although boarding took place as planned on April 26, 2024, the Radiance of the Seas will remain docked in Vancouver through Sunday afternoon.

Due to U.S. Customs and Border Protection restrictions, passengers will not be allowed to leave the ship, the company added.

“We’re terribly sorry for this last-minute change. We understand this news is disappointing, but we hope you’ll enjoy the alternate itinerary planned,” Royal Caribbean said.

Offering a seven-night cruise to Alaska, the Radiance of the Seas is now set to visit Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan.

A previously scheduled visit to Juneau had to be cancelled due to the delayed departure from Vancouver.

To make up for the changes, Royal Caribbean International is providing a refund of two days of the paid cruise fare in the form of onboard credit.

The company is also providing a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) in the value of two days of the paid cruise fare, in addition to complimentary drinks for all guests on April 26 and April 27, 2024.

Passengers with pre-paid shore excursions in Juneau will be refunded, while guests who purchased drink packages will also receive a pro-rated refund.

A similar situation took place earlier this month with a different Royal Caribbean ship in Australia. Also facing technical issues , the Brilliance of the Seas saw one of its cruises depart three days later due to onboard repairs.

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Royal Caribbean Forced to Cancel Alaska Sailing With Guests Already Onboard

Here’s something that isn’t a surprise and still is, all rolled into one.

Royal Caribbean International had to cancel a cruise. Not a shock.

What is surprising is that passengers were already on board the Radiance of the Seas. That’s right, instead of going on an Alaskan cruise passengers had to disembark and go home.

The ship was supposed to depart Vancouver on Friday, April 26. There was a maintenance issue on the ship and a revised itinerary was set and it was supposed to depart on Sunday, April 28. But officials couldn’t get it fixed, and now the entire cruise has been canceled.

“Despite our best efforts, circumstances beyond our control have delayed our sailing further,” a letter delivered to guests’ staterooms said. “Your patience throughout this time [has] not gone unnoticed, and we are immensely grateful for your understanding.”

All passengers will not only receive a full refund but will receive a full future cruise credit to sail on Royal Caribbean. The cruise line also made its Wi-Fi free of charge to help passengers better navigate the disembarkation. Other complementary features include an open bar until the ship officially disembarked as well as reimbursement for airline change fees.

The maintenance problem was apparently a propulsion issue.

“While repairs for the technical issue that we encountered on our previous sailing are still underway, we discovered that we’re going to need some extra time to get the ship in tip-top shape for you,” Royal Caribbean wrote in its letter to passengers.

This is the second time the propulsion problem has plagued the Radiance of the Seas.