Royal Caribbean Cancels Cruise Onboard Icon of the Seas

Royal Caribbean International is cancelling the upcoming cruise of the Icon of the Seas to carry out unscheduled repairs onboard the 2023-built vessel.

“We are currently conducting unplanned maintenance onboard the Icon of the Seas. 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 company said in a statement sent to booked guests.

Departing from PortMiami on Sep. 28, 2024, the cruise was set to sail to destinations in the Western Caribbean, including Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatán, as well as Royal Caribbean’s private destination in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

“We understand the disappointment this news may bring and we’re truly sorry for the impact on your vacation plans,” the company added.

According to its statement, Royal Caribbean is issuing a 100 per cent refund for affected guests, which includes taxes and fees, as well as pre-paid packages, gratuities, amenities and shore excursions.

Passengers who paid for the cruise with Future Cruise Credits (FCCs) will receive a new credit certificate, as well as a refund of any new funds paid beyond previously certified amounts.

“Additionally, we want you to come back and sail with us, so we’re providing you with an FCC in the value of 100 per cent of your cruise fare paid to be used towards another sailing,” the company added.

Flights booked directly through Royal Caribbean will be automatically refunded, the company added, while passengers who made independent travel plans will also be entitled to reimbursements.

The company said it will cover any travel change fees up to $200 per guest for domestic travel and $400 per guest for international travel.

Royal Caribbean is also updating the current itinerary of the Icon of the Seas, which sailed from Miami to the Eastern Caribbean on Sep. 21, 2024.

“The ship is currently undergoing maintenance and will sail at a reduced speed. Unplanned maintenance happens, and our teams are hard at work to quickly address it,” the company told passengers onboard.

“As a result, we’ll have to skip our visit to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, and enjoy a sea day instead,” Royal Caribbean added.

As compensation, passengers will receive an onboard credit equivalent to one day of the paid cruise fare, the statement said.

The ship’s itinerary also included visits to St. Maarten and Perfect Day at CocoCay, which are set to take place as scheduled, Royal Caribbean added.

Costa Forced to Cancel Christmas and New Years Cruises

Costa Diadema.

Costa has cancelled its holiday cruise program, citing a request from the Italian government. 

“This is a temporary stop that, as stated by the Government itself, has never questioned the reliability of the health protocols adopted in collaboration with the Italian authorities,” the company said, in a press release. “Those protocols represent a unique model in the tourism sector at an international level, and have proven their full effectiveness in the last 4 months of operation in Italy.”

Costa said that during the holiday period, its ships would be in various ports and it would offer a special food donation program. 

Costa also said, in a prepared statement: “The cruise suspension does not only affect the Company but the entire ecosystem that depends on cruises, such as travel agencies, shipyards, ports and local activities of destinations visited by ships the ports and local activities of the destinations visited by the ships, that the Company helped to restart in the second half of the year.

“The cancellation of Christmas and New Year’s Eve cruises, among the most popular of the year, therefore represents a further economic sacrifice for Costa Cruises and the entire industry, in a period that was already very difficult for the entire sector, that relied on these operations.”

Costa said it will resume service with the Costa Smeralda on January 7, 2021, with the one-week itinerary, dedicated exclusively to Italy, that can be divided into two short cruises of three and four days each, departing from Civitavecchia. The four-day mini-cruise sails to Central and Southern Italy, with stops in Naples, Messina and Cagliari. The three-day cruise voyages to Central and Northern Italy, and includes visits to Civitavecchia, La Spezia and Savona.