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Royal Caribbean has canceled greater than 20 scheduled sailings aboard its Freedom of the Seas ship for the summer season 2027 season, simply days after Carnival Cruise Line equally canceled 11 future sailings.
The impacted Royal Caribbean departures had been initially scheduled between Could and September 2027 and included a spread of itineraries from 4‑night time Bahamas journeys to five-night journeys within the Dominican Republic and 9‑night time journeys calling in Aruba and Curaçao, in line with the unofficial Royal Caribbean Weblog and The Journey.
Royal Caribbean emailed passengers this week to announce that Freedom of the Seas can be redeployed to Southampton, England, for the 2027 season, canceling its beforehand scheduled house‑port sailings as a result of an “ongoing itinerary planning course of,” in line with the blogs.
“Deployment planning is dynamic and commonly reviewed primarily based on demand, capability necessities, and broader fleet concerns,” a Royal Caribbean spokesperson instructed The Unbiased in an announcement. “As a part of this course of, we’ve made the choice to redeploy Freedom of the Seas to Southampton in 2027. Friends and journey companions are being contacted immediately with particulars about their sailings and obtainable choices.”
Some passengers hit by the cancellations vented their frustration on social media.
“That frustrates the heck out of me after they do that,” one individual wrote in a Fb touch upon a submit concerning the redeployment. “I had three ship sailings in a row cancelled two years in the past. By the point it was introduced within the UK we couldn’t rebook on the substitute because it was full. Then they needed twice the quantity to e book the same cruise. RC has grow to be too unreliable for lengthy cruises now.”
One other added, “Freedom is my favourite ship within the fleet, however it is a dangerous search for Royal. So many disenchanted folks. I might be particularly sad if I had a nine-nighter to these nice ports and now am caught with solely a 4 or five-nighter to the Bahamas.”
In response to the adjustments, Royal Caribbean is reportedly providing impacted friends a number of different choices to meet their bookings. These unable to safe house on a special Freedom of the Seas crusing could select from different ships within the fleet, together with Surprise of the Seas, Journey of the Seas or Jewel of the Seas, or go for a full refund of their cruise fare in addition to reimbursements for any pay as you go facilities similar to excursions or drink packages if no appropriate different will be organized, in line with the blogs.
Simply days earlier than the Royal Caribbean shock, rival Carnival confirmed cancellations of 11 voyages aboard its Carnival Firenze ship that had been scheduled to depart within the fall. Carnival instructed affected friends it was providing rebooking with fare protections and onboard credit, along with refunds for many who selected to not sail.
“On account of adjustments to itinerary plans, now we have cancelled sailings aboard Carnival Firenze scheduled between October 12, 2026, and November 16, 2026,” a Carnival spokesperson instructed The Unbiased in an announcement.
“Friends booked on the affected sailings, in addition to their journey advisors, have been notified immediately. We now have apologized to our impacted friends and are providing them the choice to rebook one other Carnival cruise with their cruise fare protected on a comparable crusing in related lodging, together with an onboard credit score. Friends who select to not reschedule will obtain a full refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased gadgets to the unique type of cost,” the assertion concluded.
