HomeCruiseEmergency Diversion Delays Royal Caribbean Ship, Forces Itinerary Change

Emergency Diversion Delays Royal Caribbean Ship, Forces Itinerary Change


An undisclosed medical emergency that befell aboard Royal Caribbean’s Imaginative and prescient of the Seas on January 14, 2025, has delayed the ship’s present voyage and forces the cruise line to start out its subsequent cruise a day late.

In a letter shared with friends making ready for the ship’s January 16, 2025, upcoming 8-night Southeast Coast and Bahamas itinerary from Baltimore, Royal Caribbean mentioned it had skilled a medical emergency on its present 12-night Southern Caribbean crusing.

A passenger aboard the two,050-guest vessel, which had initially departed from Baltimore on January 4, mentioned that as Imaginative and prescient of the Seas was at sea and heading house on January 13, after a name in St. Kitts when the captain introduced the emergency.

“Round 2:45 p.m., the captain introduced we had circled and had been headed in direction of Puerto Rico for [an] emergency air elevate of a passenger,” mentioned the visitor. 

“Round 8 p.m., one other announcement from the captain that [the US Coast Guard] had deemed air elevate was not a viable possibility, and we had been headed to dock at San Juan.”

Cruise Hive place maps present the 78,491-gross-ton ship had, certainly, turned again and skilled an unscheduled docking in San Juan on the morning of January 14.

In response to the onboard visitor, the bothered passenger was efficiently transferred to a hospital and the ship instantly resumed its course. Nonetheless, the cruise line mentioned it will be unable to make up the misplaced time.

“Resulting from a medical debark on our earlier crusing, Imaginative and prescient of the Seas might be arriving on the Port of Baltimore later than initially deliberate,” mentioned Royal Caribbean.

Visitors of the present voyage, which had visited the US Virgin Islands, Antigua, St. Maarten, Martinque, and St. Kitts, haven’t been given an official arrival time.

As a substitute, passengers had been “supplied a specialty eating time that’s nicely previous our unique arrival time” of seven a.m. on January 16.

For these scheduled to go to Charleston, South Carolina; Port Canaveral, Florida; and Freeport and Nassau, Bahamas on an 8-night cruise set to depart at 3 p.m. on Thursday, January 16, the voyage will now depart at 3 p.m. on Friday, January 17, in keeping with Royal Caribbean.

Vision of the Seas in BaltimoreVision of the Seas in Baltimore
Imaginative and prescient of the Seas in Baltimore (Photograph Credit score: Cruise Maryland)

Passengers are instructed to maintain their pre-selected arrival occasions on the brand new departure date, with the all-aboard scheduled for two p.m.

To make sure the cruise line retains its schedule for its subsequent voyage, Royal Caribbean additionally introduced it was eradicating Charleston, South Carolina, from its itinerary.

“Due to this delay, we might want to skip our go to to Charleston, South Carolina, and luxuriate in a Sea Day as a substitute,” mentioned Royal Caribbean. “We’re terribly sorry for this last-minute change.”

Compensation Provided

Understanding {that a} late begin and skipped name will not be one of the simplest ways to start out a journey, Royal Caribbean is providing passengers on the now-January 17 voyage a one-day refund of the cruise fare and one-day refund for each day packages and pre-paid gratuities.

Each might be supplied as onboard credit for use anyplace onboard. Any unused parts of the refundable quantities might be refunded on the finish of the cruise.

Visitors will nonetheless earn loyalty factors for the unique size of sail of 8 nights.

Learn Additionally: Right here Is The way to Get the Finest Deal on a Cruise

The cruise line can be routinely cancelling and refunding any pre-paid shore excursions bought by way of Royal Caribbean for Charlestown.

Moreover, pre-booked flights and transfers made by way of Royal Caribbean might be routinely rescheduled, with adjustments despatched to friends through e mail.

These passengers who didn’t e book by way of Royal Caribbean are eligible to obtain as much as $200 for home and $400 for worldwide journey change charges incurred.

Though particulars of compensation for passengers who might be arriving in Baltimore later than anticipated, it’s possible an analogous providing might be made to help with journey preparations.

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