Two recent Royal Caribbean cruises have been rerouted from planned tropical destinations to Canadian ports due to inclement weather, leaving passengers with few options, according to industry experts. This practice, while frustrating for travelers, is generally legal.
One such voyage, a five-night trip to Bermuda departing from New Jersey, was rerouted to Saint John, New Brunswick, just hours before its scheduled departure. Passengers were notified via email and advised to pack for cooler temperatures, as the forecast indicated daytime highs in the mid-50s.
This incident followed a similar rerouting on October 18, where over 5,000 passengers expecting a trip to the Bahamas found their cruise heading to Halifax, Nova Scotia, because of bad weather. Actress Mikayla Iverson, a passenger on that voyage, expressed her frustration on social media, noting the lack of notice and appropriate clothing for the altered destination.
Industry experts state that cruise lines possess broad authority to change itineraries when faced with factors like weather or safety concerns. "So there’s a cruise line contract that every guest signs – but nobody reads, because it’s very long – when they’re buying their ticket, whereby they agree to this clause as well as other clauses," veteran cruise journalist David Yeskel told The Post. He added that such clauses are standard across the industry.
In cases of significant itinerary changes, cruise lines typically offer compensation such as onboard credits or discounts on future voyages. For the rerouted Bahamas trip, passengers received 50% off a future cruise, in addition to onboard credits ranging from $100 to $600 per person, depending on their cabin category.
"We truly appreciate your understanding and flexibility regarding this unexpected change," the cruise line communicated to passengers. Yeskel described these offerings as "fair under the circumstances."
However, maritime attorney Frank Spagnoletti criticized Royal Caribbean's approach, stating that the company disregards its passengers. He encourages passengers facing such situations to organize and consult legal counsel, suggesting that collective action can make it economically viable to address grievances.
Several other Royal Caribbean cruises departing from the New York metropolitan area experienced delays and itinerary alterations last month due to a powerful nor'easter affecting the East Coast.