Tag Archives: Odyssey of the Seas

Three Royal Caribbean Ships in Drydock at Same Time

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Three Royal Caribbean Ships in Drydock at Same Time

Three ships in the Royal Caribbean International fleet are currently undergoing drydocks in Europe and Asia.

While two vessels are also getting significant updates as part of the company’s Royal Amplified refit program, a third is undergoing routine maintenance.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the Ovation of the Seas was the first of the brand’s vessels to enter drydock recently.

The Quantum-class ship is currently in Singapore to undergo major refurbishment work that includes a series of enhancements and updates.

The project is highlighted by the expansion of the ship’s Casino Royale, as well as the introduction of new dining venues and features.

Other changes coming to the 2016-built vessel include the addition of 40 new staterooms, which will take over areas that were previously occupied by public and technical rooms.

The Ovation is scheduled to welcome guests back on April 17, 2026, kicking off a repositioning voyage to North America.

As part of the Royal Amplified program, the Harmony of the Seas is also getting updates at a shipyard in Spain.

The Oasis-class ship arrived at the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz in early April for a refurbishment that will see the addition of the fleet’s largest casino.

Other changes include the addition of new specialty restaurants, as well as a refreshed solarium and pool deck.

The 227,625-ton vessel is scheduled to resume service on May 21, 2026, ahead of a spring season in the Mediterranean.

After crossing the Atlantic in March, the Odyssey of the Seas became the latest Royal Caribbean ship to enter drydock.

The 2021-built vessel is presently at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard to undergo routine maintenance.

Set to spend the summer sailing in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean, the ship welcomes guests back on April 16, 2026.

As part of the Royal Amplified program, a fourth ship, the Liberty of the Seas, is scheduled to enter drydock later this month.

Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey to Return to Cape Liberty One Day Later

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Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey to Return to Cape Liberty One Day Later

Royal Caribbean International warned guests set to embark on the upcoming cruise of the Odyssey of the Seas that their sailing will be delayed by one day.

According to a statement, the ship is scheduled to dock at its homeport in Cape Liberty on January 27, 2026, instead of January 26, 2026.

“Due to the major winter storm affecting much of the East and Northeast U.S., and the impacts on land-based travel and port operations, we are delaying our arrival into Bayonne,” Royal Caribbean said.

The company added that the decision will “allow for weather to improve and shore-based operations to recover.”

“For many guests experiencing difficulties getting to Bayonne, we hope this relieves some worry as you’ll have an extra day to make it there safely,” Royal Caribbean continued.

Originally set to offer an 11-night cruise to the Southern Caribbean, the Odyssey of the Seas is now set to offer a shortened voyage with a revised itinerary.

“Due to this change, our calls to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, will be cancelled and instead, we’ll enjoy some extra time onboard,” the company added.

Previously scheduled visits to St. John’s in Antigua, Bridgetown in Barbados, Castries in St. Lucia, and Philipsburg in St. Maarten will go ahead as planned.

As compensation for the last-minute change, Royal Caribbean is offering guests a pro-rated one-day refund of the paid cruise fare in the form of onboard cruise credit. Any refundable unused credit at the end of the cruise will be refunded to guests.

In related news, Royal Caribbean also shortened a cruise on board the Harmony of the Seas due to a winter storm in Texas.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the Oasis-class vessel returned to its homeport in Galveston one day earlier to avoid the weather system.

Royal Caribbean International Cancels More Calls at Labadee

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Independence of the Seas in Labadee photo credit Spacejunkie2 Flickr

Royal Caribbean International is canceling additional visits to Labadee, its private destination in Haiti.

In different statements, the company has confirmed that its ships will no longer be visiting the port of call over the next few weeks.

After suspending visits to Labadee earlier this month, the company has decided to evaluate the situation in Haiti on a continuous basis, said Royal Caribbean International’s President and CEO Michael Bayley.

“We’ll continue to suspension on a rolling basis with three days advance notification for our guests sailing on itineraries impact and changed as we monitor and evaluate the situation in Haiti,” he explained in a social media post.

Newly affected sailings include Independence of the Seas’ March 21 departure. Instead of going to Labadee, the four-night cruise will now visit Grand Turk on March 23.

The April 6 sailing of the Symphony of the Seas has also been impacted and will now include a visit to Falmouth, Jamaica on April 12.

For its April 7 departure, the Oasis of the Seas will now be visiting St. Maarten instead of Royal Caribbean’s private destination in Haiti.

Other vessels affected by the cancellations include the Adventure of the Seas, the Mariner of the Seas, the Explorer of the Seas, the Grandeur of the Seas and the Odyssey of the Seas.

Serving as a private destination for Royal Caribbean International ships since the 1980s, Labadee is located in Haiti’s Cap-Haïtien region.

After receiving significant upgrades in 2009, the fenced-off resort offers various features, including a flea market, a roller coaster, and a zip-line.

In addition to several beaches, Labadee also has a two-berth pier capable of receiving some of the world’s largest cruise ships.

In addition to Royal Caribbean, the destination is also scheduled to host ships from Celebrity Cruises during the 2024-25 winter season.