‘We apologize to our guests’: Royal Caribbean’s 961-foot Alaska voyage descends into ‘disaster’ after 1,700 passengers count days praying for way out

For the 1,700 passenger who spent months excited about an Alaskan getaway, their journey aboard the Serenade of the Seas stuttered to a standstill on day one. After an already announced delay, the cruise was then cancelled even though some passengers had already been on board for two days. The 961-foot vessel couldn’t even leave the dock as a result of a technical issue and will remain in Vancouver, Canada till repairs can be completed.  

“To accommodate ongoing maintenance, we’ve had to cancel our sailing,” Royal Caribbean Group, the company’s parent organization, told USA Today in an emailed statement. “We apologize to our guests for the inconvenience and have worked with them to adjust their travel plans.” While the company confirmed the cancellation, they didn’t provide specific details regarding the nature of the mechanical problems plaguing the ship.

According to Cruise Critic, the trouble started back on August 22, when Royal Caribbean notified guests that the originally scheduled seven-night itinerary would be shortened to five nights. Those who didn’t want to join the new itinerary were offered several compensation options, like cruise credit. Departure was pushed back to September 1, but passengers were given the option to board the ship early and use it as a hotel while the maintenance work was completed.

When you don’t know what is happening

Arielle Anderson, a 28-year-old lawyer from South Carolina, told USA Today that her family had “been looking forward to this since Christmas.” When the trip was shortened, Anderson noted that they “were devastated then because we really wanted to go to places in Alaska.” Her family was traveling from different parts of the U.S. Thus, considering the logistical complexity of their flights, they decided to stick with the plan rather than cancel outright.

The experience reportedly got even more frustrating once they were onboard. Passengers were told they would clear immigration on September 1, but the previously announced times passed without any official word. While some parts of the ship remained open, other areas like the casino were closed. Eventually, the cruise line announced that the entire voyage was canceled, giving everyone until midnight on September 2 to get off the ship. 

The sudden change left many scrambling. “Everybody was kind of panicking, so we were all just sitting in one of the bar areas, and everybody was just on their phones,” Anderson said. “People were really upset because everybody was trying to find flights and hotels and stuff.”

Cruise critic noted that those passengers who had taken the refunds expressed relief across the internet that they hadn’t boarded the ship. One user wrote, “Oh my, what a disaster. Glad I cancelled and didn’t board. Still waiting for my cruise fare refund though.” 

Another user expressed sympathy for the passengers affected, noting, “I am so sorry for all of you. I can’t imagine your disappointment. So much planning and time wasted.” Interestingly, Royal Caribbean has been making the rounds on social media lately, even getting called out for a potential hygiene issue. 

The NY Post reported that to make things right, Royal Caribbean is offering a full refund to all impacted guests, along with a 100% future cruise credit. They are also providing reimbursement for flight change fees and a pro-rated refund for any pre-purchased dining or beverage packages. Recently, the cruise group’s customer service was praised for spoiling a mother with an unforgettable, if chaotic, experience.

Despite the compensation, the reality of the situation remains a major inconvenience. Anderson’s family, for instance, had to pivot quickly. She told USA Today that her family managed to find a rental car and drove to a vacation rental near Bellingham, Washington, to salvage some time together. 

“We just got an Airbnb down here, and have just been hanging out around here, hiking and whatnot,” she said. “Definitely not what we planned, but (we’re) trying to make the best of it.”

The outlet noted that cruise cancellations due to mechanical issues or necessary dry dock maintenance are relatively rare. However, they do happen, and this time, it left 1,700 passengers scrambling after their Alaskan adventure failed to launch.