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Thousands of cruise travelers hit with abrupt vacation plan changes: ‘Apologize for the inconvenience’
Royal Caribbean has scrapped the itineraries for 20 upcoming voyages, impacting thousands of passengers.
“Deployment planning is dynamic and regularly reviewed based on demand, capacity requirements and broader fleet considerations,” the cruise line said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“As part of this process, we’ve made the decision to redeploy Freedom of the Seas to Southampton in 2027,” it also said.
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“Guests and travel partners are being contacted directly with details about their sailings and available options,” it added.
Booked passengers reportedly received the news via email, according to the Royal Caribbean Blog, which is not affiliated with the cruise line.
The letter notified passengers that voyages aboard Freedom of the Seas that were set to depart from May through September 2027 would not travel to the planned destinations.
The deployment affects 5-night cruises to the Dominican Republic and Perfect Day at CocoCay, 4-night Bahamian getaways and 9-night voyages with stops in Aruba and Curaçao.
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The Royal Caribbean blog said that booked passengers received an emailed letter that said, “As part of our ongoing itinerary planning process — which sometimes requires flexibility due to scheduling, port agreements, or operational needs, Freedom of the Seas will be redeployed for our summer 2027 season.”
The note reportedly went on, “As a result, your Sept. 18, 2027, sailing has been redeployed. We know how much effort goes into planning your vacation and apologize for the inconvenience. We’ve put together some alternative options that we hope will work for you and those in your party.”
Booked guests were reportedly offered a move to a new 4-night Perfect Day at CocoCay & Bahamas cruise onboard Wonder of the Seas departing on Sept. 20, 2027, round trip from Miami, Florida.
If travelers choose not to travel on the new date and aboard the alternate vessel, they will reportedly receive a full refund of the cruise fare they’ve already paid, as well as any prepaid amenities, according to the Royal Caribbean blog.
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Freedom of the Seas premiered in 2006 as the largest passenger ship in the world.
It underwent a major $116 million transformation in 2020, adding modern amenities including water slides, a Caribbean-themed pool deck and revamped kids’ and teens’ spaces, according to Travel Weekly.
Royal Caribbean’s change to its Freedom of the Seas lineup is the latest shakeup in the cruise industry.
Last week, Carnival Cruise Line canceled 11 sailings on its Carnival Firenze ship, all scheduled for fall 2026.
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“Due to changes to itinerary plans, we have canceled sailings aboard Carnival Firenze scheduled between Oct. 12, 2026, and Nov. 16, 2026,” Carnival said in a shared statement with Fox News Digital, as previously reported.
News about the Carnival cancellations was shared by the company with its booked guests.
In recent months, many cruise lines have been thrown into chaos after the killing of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” and most recently due to the Iran conflict.
Safety concerns rattled cruise passengers after the U.S. government issued security warnings for Mexico Feb. 22.
Puerto Vallarta was of particular concern to cruise ship operators.
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Additionally, thousands of passengers were on ships in Doha and Dubai during the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Cruise lines have been facing the volatility in oil prices during the industry’s busiest booking period, known as the “wave season,” which runs between January and March.
These cruises tend to run during the third quarter and have a disproportionately large contribution to cruise operators’ incomes, according to Lizzie Dove, an analyst at Goldman Sachs.
Dove noted that the oil shock could affect Americans’ bookings to Europe, particularly for higher-priced transatlantic trips.
Eric Revell of FOX Business contributed reporting.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, R-Ark., said the mainstream media’s coverage of President Donald Trump reflects what she described as a loss of control in the industry.
Appearing on “The Riley Gaines Show” Tuesday, the former White House press secretary argued the media’s criticism of Trump stems from his ability to bypass traditional gatekeepers and reach the public directly.
“That’s one of the things they hated the most is that he didn’t need them,” Sanders said.
“He was able to talk directly to the American people without having to use the media in a way that everybody who had come before him had to,” she added.
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The president has consistently used social media sites to share his thoughts with the public. Trump later created his own platform, Truth Social, after he was banned from Twitter prior to its acquisition by Elon Musk.
“This was somebody who decided that he wasn’t just [going to] stick with the traditional types of media,” Sanders said. “And if they were [going to] continue to attack him relentlessly, which they have done, he would simply go around them.”
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Trump has routinely tapped nontraditional media sources to share his message. During his 2024 presidential run, he turned to major podcasts, including “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von,” to reach a larger audience, specifically younger voters.
“He has proven that he can still be successful. He can still get his message out without having to use them as the only tool to do so,” Sanders added.
Trump has continued to use alternative media sources to communicate with the public, frequently posting updates on the conflict with Iran on Truth Social.
The White House also revamped the briefing room, adding a “new media” seat to press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s briefings. The seat rotates among new media voices who produce content but are not typically represented by legacy outlets.
Trump, however, continues to have an adversarial relationship with several traditional news outlets. Last week, he criticized The New York Times and CNN for their coverage of the Iran conflict.
“Think of it — we militarily decapitated the country, and every day I read about how well they’re doing militarily. They have nothing left. They’re done,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
“And yet, I read in The New York Times, I see on stupid CNN, which I only watch because you have to watch a little bit of the enemy, so I watch it for a very short period,” he continued.
“And if you see CNN, you’d think they’re winning the war. If you read The New York Times, it’s actually seditious, in my opinion. You read The New York Times, you actually think they’re winning the war… it’s a terrible thing.”
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