Royal Caribbean is dealing with challenges with the cruise pier in San Juan, Puerto Rico, leading to surprising itinerary modifications for one in every of its largest ships.
San Juan is likely one of the hottest cruise ports within the Caribbean with its wealthy historical past and vibrant tradition; as well as, the capital of Puerto Rico can be used as a homeport for Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean provides many sailings that go to San Juan as a port of name. Nonetheless, itineraries onboard Symphony of the Seas have been significantly affected by this port concern due to the ship’s huge measurement.
In an e-mail despatched to company booked on the December 1, 2024 crusing onboard Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean defined the state of affairs concerning “technical points” with San Juan’s cruise pier. Royal Caribbean made it clear the problem is out of their management. Till the broken pier is repaired and subsequently cleared by america Coast Guard, Oasis class ships might be unable to dock.
The cruise line stated, “We’ve not too long ago been suggested by the port authority in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that because of technical points with the pier and the work that should be completed and cleared by the USCG for accepting a ship our measurement, we’ll have to regulate our itinerary for our crusing.”
Right now, it’s unclear when the pier – which is situated within the coronary heart of San Juan’s outdated city – might be cleared by authorities to simply accept bigger vessels. Neither Royal Caribbean nor the Port of San Juan have said when the problem is anticipated to be fastened.
Symphony of the Seas is likely one of the largest ships on the planet, measuring 228,081 gross registered tons. Initially, the ship was scheduled to sail on a 7-night Jap Caribbean itinerary from Miami on December 1, 2024. Due to the unexpected port points in San Juan, the itinerary was adjusted on the final minute.
Symphony of the Seas was scheduled to go to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Philipsburg, St. Maarten, alongside sooner or later at Royal Caribbean’s Good Day at CocoCay. Visitors had been notified that Symphony of the Seas will as a substitute go to Falmouth, Jamaica and Labadee, Haiti with an adjusted itinerary. Nonetheless, the ship will even preserve its scheduled go to to Good Day at CocoCay as deliberate.
Royal Caribbean said that company will obtain an automated refund to their unique type of cost for any pay as you go excursions booked for San Juan and Philipsburg. Moreover, excursions will even be out there to e-book for the brand new ports of name in Jamaica and Haiti.
Solely Symphony of the Seas has been impacted.
This isn’t the primary Royal Caribbean itinerary to be impacted by San Juan’s pier points. The cruise line was compelled to drop San Juan from Symphony of the Seas’ itinerary earlier this month as nicely. The ship’s November 17, 2024 itinerary was initially scheduled to dock in San Juan, St. Maarten and Good Day at CocoCay earlier than the adjustment was made.
In communication despatched to passengers, Royal Caribbean said, “After exploring all choices, and to give you one of the best expertise, we’ll now take pleasure in visits to our non-public vacation spot, Labadee, Haiti, and to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, as a substitute. To assist make up for these modifications, we have added a go to to Nassau, Bahamas!”
It’s additionally necessary to notice that San Juan, Puerto Rico has two totally different ports utilized by cruise ships. The present concern is barely impacting Royal Caribbean’s largest ships when docking for the day on the Port of San Juan close to the outdated city. The second port in San Juan is discovered throughout the harbor, often known as Pan American Pier, and is unaffected. This terminal is used as a homeport for ships which are departing from San Juan.
At the moment, Rhapsody of the Seas is crusing round-trip itineraries from San Juan and has not skilled any itinerary changes. No different Royal Caribbean ships are departing from San Juan within the coming months, though a number of ships are scheduled to go to town as a port of name.
Trying ahead, Symphony of the Seas is scheduled to go to San Juan once more on December 22, 2024. The ship additionally has extra sailings that includes the port into January 2025. The cruise line has not introduced any additional modifications right now for future itineraries. If the pier stays broken, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class ships might proceed to be impacted for months to return.
How was the pier in San Juan broken?
Visitors on Royal Caribbean sailings from earlier this 12 months began to report points with San Juan’s pier within the spring. In April 2024, folks began posting on-line about docking points in Puerto Rico, supposedly because of injury brought on by an MSC cruise ship.
Based on company onboard on the time, Marvel of the Seas was compelled to vary course because of the injury brought on in San Juan in April 2024. Oasis class ships can solely dock on the broken pier because of their measurement. Due to this fact, Royal Caribbean is on the mercy of the port to restore the broken pier in an effort to resume regular operations.
In April 2024, consumer @Brooke posted on our web site’s discussion board, “On the Marvel of the Seas and simply bought diverted from going to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. [Now we are] going to St. Maarten and St. Thomas. They stated a ship crashed into the port in San Juan. Does anybody have info on that?”
Consumer @Austin commented, “Simply to make clear for anybody on a Puerto Rico itinerary on an Oasis class ship, Captain stated the [pier] that Oasis ships use is unstable from the MSC ship putting it in Puerto Rico.”
Persevering with, the cruiser shared, “They tried to work with the port authority to dock on the east aspect of the pier as a substitute of the standard west aspect, however the port authority rejected this selection and instructed them that we can not dock till the dolphin is repaired (unknown downtime).”
As well as, a headline from elnuevodia, a neighborhood information supply, confirmed the incident again in April. The headline reads, “MSC Meraviglia cruise ship hits Pier 3 in San Juan”. The article continued to clarify how the San Juan Cruise Port was compelled to shut the west aspect of the ability till additional discover, because of the injury brought on by the accident. Neither Royal Caribbean nor the Port of San Juan have confirmed the pier injury by MSC Meraviglia.
Most company are sad with the last-minute itinerary modifications.
Impacted company are understandably upset by the itinerary modifications. Final-minute modifications to an itinerary are at all times disappointing, particularly when company e-book sailings to go to particular locations. Whereas cruise traces try to interchange cancelled ports of name, the itinerary updates are usually not at all times thought of adequate.
Royal Caribbean expressed to its company, “We’re sorry for any inconvenience brought on by these modifications. Nonetheless, we’re excited to go to our non-public vacation spot and a brand new port with you!” Even nonetheless, impacted passengers are annoyed by the modifications.
“I’m fairly upset about it. I used to be actually excited to take my children to San Juan as they’ve by no means been and St. Martin seemed good as nicely. I really feel just like the ports they switched us too are usually not on the identical degree as those we had earlier than. Each cruise pricing clever and exercise clever,” commented one impacted visitor on a Reddit thread.
Royal Caribbean solely not too long ago began crusing once more to its non-public island in Haiti, which is getting used instead port for San Juan. Though Labadee is a safe, distant and personal space operated fully by Royal Caribbean, the nation of Haiti has been in turmoil not too long ago.
On account of civil unrest within the spring and over the summer season, Royal Caribbean suspended operations for months “out of an abundance of warning”. Citing security issues, the cruise line eliminated Labadee from Caribbean itineraries all through the spring and summer season. Royal Caribbean solely returned to Labadee in October 2024, though unrest continues within the nation.
Even after three industrial planes had been struck by gunfire within the nation’s capital this month, Royal Caribbean confirmed there have been no deliberate modifications for itineraries visiting the non-public vacation spot. Due to this fact, it is not stunning to see Labadee getting used as a alternative port for altered itineraries.
One visitor said on-line how they might not be comfy with Symphony’s itinerary modifications contemplating the violent state of affairs in Haiti. The commenter said, “Man, I’d personally be so upset on the modifications; Skip San Juan however preserve St. Maarten. I personally wouldn’t really feel secure in Haiti proper now.”
“I am on this cruise proper now. It was a serious bummer, however we tailored. We booked our St. Martin tour by means of a third celebration, and so they refunded us after notifying them of the last-minute itinerary change,” said one cruiser that was onboard the impacted November 17 crusing.
Persevering with, the poster said, “So far as the change goes, lots of people had been very upset in regards to the change, however the phrases and circumstances you conform to when reserving a cruise with Royal state that they will change the itinerary for any cause at any time, and with out prior warning. In fact they may let you recognize as quickly as attainable, as a matter of fine enterprise apply.”
“So primarily based on the opposite feedback on this thread, it seems like this has been a identified concern since April, and mainly there’s no hope in sight of getting it repaired? We picked this particular itinerary for Puerto Rico and St. Maarten,” exclaimed one other cruiser on-line.