Royal Caribbean has canceled an upcoming Alaska cruise after approximately 1,700 passengers spent two days aboard the Serenade of the Seas while it remained docked in Vancouver.
Initially, Royal Caribbean informed passengers via email on August 22 that an unspecified technical issue would shorten their seven-night cruise to five nights to allow for repairs. Passengers were offered a refund and invited to board the ship and use it as a hotel until its departure, which was rescheduled from August 30 to September 1. However, on Tuesday, passengers who had boarded were told the voyage was canceled entirely as repairs were not yet complete. They were given until midnight Wednesday to disembark.
"To accommodate ongoing maintenance, we’ve had to cancel our sailing," a Royal Caribbean Group representative confirmed. "We apologize to our guests for the inconvenience and have worked with them to adjust their travel plans."
Passengers who boarded the ship will receive full refunds, a 100% future cruise credit, and a pro-rated refund for any dining and beverage packages purchased. The cruise line has not provided details about the nature of the technical issue or indicated if it will impact the ship's next scheduled departure on Sunday.
The Serenade of the Seas, which entered service in August 2003, has 12 decks and a capacity of 2,490 passengers and 891 crew. The vessel is 961 feet long.