Royal Caribbean International has begun reaching out to guests booked on the September 8, 2023 departure of Radiance of the Seas with the news that the sailing has to be cancelled.
This is due to the ongoing engine repair issue that began during the ship’s August 25 cruise and has already cancelled the September 1 sailing.
Another Radiance of the Seas Cruise Cancelled
Guests booked on the upcoming September 8 sailing for Radiance of the Seas have received the unhappy update that their cruise must be cancelled due to the ongoing engine repairs for the ship.
The cruise was to have been the ship’s last northbound, 7-night Alaska sailing of the season, departing Vancouver, Canada on September 8 and visiting Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, and Skagway, as well as scenic cruising by Hubbard Glacier, before arriving in Seward, Alaska, on Friday, September 15.
Instead, Royal Caribbean has reached out to booked guests to notify them of the cancellation.
“Despite our best efforts, we were unable to complete the needed repairs to make it in time to Vancouver. As a result, we’ll be canceling our Radiance of the Seas September 8th, 2023 sailing,” the notification read.
At the moment, the ship remains docked in Seward, where it has been stationary since arriving at the port on September 1. That first September cruise was cancelled on embarkation day due to the undisclosed propulsion issue.
What Does This Mean for Booked Guests?
Due to the unexpected issue, Royal Caribbean is offering compensation to impacted guests for the September 8 sailing. Passengers can choose to receive a full refund of their cruise, which includes any pre-purchased packages, that will be completed in 14 business days.
If the cruise was booked using a Future Cruise Credit, Royal Caribbean will still honor the credit so that it can be used for another booking instead.
In addition, all guests can receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for the Radiance of the Seas cancellation, which can be used on another sailing that departs within a year. This offer will be received by September 29, 2023.
Furthermore, guests will be reimbursed for non-refundable, pre-purchased travel fees – flights, hotels, trains, rental cars, etc. – up to $250 (USD) per guest for domestic changes, or up to $500 per guest for international changes. Receipts must be emailed to the cruise line’s Guest Relations company for review before reimbursement will be authorized.
What About Additional Cruises?
With two full 7-night sailings now cancelled for Radiance of the Seas and the ship still remaining in Seward, Alaska, guests on further upcoming sailings are naturally concerned.
After the September 8 cruise, the ship’s next voyage is schedule to be a reverse southbound Alaska sailing from Seward back to Vancouver, departing September 15. Since the ship is still in Seward at the moment, this might be a feasible cruise to set sail as planned.
The following sailing is a 7-night Alaska Glacier itinerary roundtrip from Vancouver departing on September 22, and is the ship’s last sailing of the Alaska season.
Following the Alaska season, Radiance of the Seas is scheduled to reposition to Tampa, Florida, via a pair of one-way sailings.
First, the ship will move from Vancouver to San Diego departing on September 29 with calls in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California along the way. The following cruise – departing October 7 – will transit the Panama Canal and visit ports in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia.
At the moment, sailings from September 15 onward are still scheduled to depart as planned. Guests booked on upcoming sailings, however, should be sure their contact information with Royal Caribbean is updated so they can be alerted to any delays, adjustments, or cancellations as quickly as possible in case of changes.
