All skilled cruise vacationers know that the occasional port of name change is inevitable due to poor climate, medical diversions, technical issues, or different points.
When one port modifications, nevertheless, it might probably create a knock-on impact and impression far more of a ship’s itinerary. That is now the case for Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas.
Because of an issue in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the ship is unable to go to the favored port on her subsequent crusing, departing Miami, Florida on Sunday, November 17. This has impacted the entire ship’s deliberate Jap Caribbean itinerary.
Visitors had been knowledgeable of the change only a day or two previous to embarkation, which might be fairly a shock for vacationers who had hoped to go to the deliberate ports of name.
“We’ve lately been suggested by the port authority in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that resulting from technical points with the pier and the work that should be achieved and cleared by the USCG for accepting a ship our measurement, we’ll have to regulate our itinerary for our crusing,” the notification learn. “Consequently, we’ll skep our visits to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.”
Symphony of the Seas will nonetheless take pleasure in her deliberate go to to Good Day at CocoCay on Monday, November 18, however the the rest of the itinerary is now a lot totally different than initially scheduled.
The ship will spend Tuesday at sea, then take pleasure in a cease in Labadee, Haiti from 7 a.m. to five p.m. on Wednesday, November 20. This can be adopted by Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic from 8 a.m. to five p.m. on Thursday.
Friday can be a day at sea, and Nassau has been added for Saturday, November 23 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“We’re sorry for any inconvenience attributable to the modifications,” the e-mail notification concluded. “However, we’re excited to go to our non-public vacation spot and new ports with you!”
Symphony of the Seas has not modified her departure time for setting sail from Miami nor her return to her Sunshine State homeport, and no additional modifications are anticipated.
No particulars have been confirmed concerning the nature of the “technical points” on the pier in San Juan, however it might probably at all times be a problem to accommodate a ship as giant because the 228,081-gross-ton, Oasis class Symphony of the Seas. The ship measures 1,187 ft lengthy and 215.5 ft vast.
At many ports, bigger ships can solely use particular piers or terminal amenities. A ship’s gangway placement, gas necessities, and different elements can even decide what piers they’ll safely use.
Symphony of the Seas is homeported from Miami via April 2025, providing 7-night Jap Caribbean and Western Caribbean sailings. It’s unknown whether or not extra Jap Caribbean cruises can be impacted by the pier work in San Juan, however booked cruisers can be notified if their itinerary should be modified.
How Completely different Are the Ports of Name, Actually?
The non-public port of Labadee was closed for a number of months earlier this 12 months resulting from crime and violence ranges in Haiti, although there have been no direct incidents reported from Labadee.
Royal Caribbean ships simply resumed visiting the vacation spot in October. Regardless of the reopening, nevertheless, company could also be disenchanted because the cruise line is limiting what shore excursions and actions can be found in “phased rollout” of choices.
This implies much less to take pleasure in or discover on the vacation spot, which stays underneath a “Stage 4: Do Not Journey” advisory from the US Division of State.
Whereas no such restrictions are in place at Puerto Plata, some vacationers could also be lower than enthusiastic that it’s one more non-public vacation spot, making three out of 4 ports on the itinerary providing considerably comparable non-public experiences.
Learn Additionally: Labadee, Haiti – What You Must Know
Visiting non-public islands is usually a enjoyable time, however for some vacationers, they don’t seem to be almost as genuine as visiting native communities. In non-public locations, experiences are sometimes curated to offer simply what guests might “count on” on trip.
It’s unlikely, nevertheless, that any hidden gems are ready to be discovered, akin to a singular native store, family-owned restaurant, or budding artist.
Have you ever visited totally different non-public locations? Would you take pleasure in a cruise the place so many are included on the identical itinerary? Share your ideas on the Cruise Hive boards!
