Tropical Cyclone Jasper, now strengthened to a severe Category 3 storm, is forcing more changes for Royal Caribbean ships sailing in Australian waters.

First it was changes for Quantum of the Seas, and now Brilliance of the Seas is dramatically changing its December 8, 2023 sailing to steer clear of the dangerous storm.

Brilliance of the Seas Itinerary Change

Brilliance of the Seas will not be sailing her planned 11-night Great Barrier Reef cruise departing Sydney, Australia on Friday, December 8. Because of the influence of Severe Tropical Cyclone Jasper, the ship will instead be heading south to completely different Australian and Tasmanian ports of call.

This is similar to the complete change of itinerary already announced for Quantum of the Seas, sailing from Brisbane. Guests were notified of the change the day before departure, with a completely updated itinerary.

“We’ve been monitoring adverse weather along our intended path caused by Tropical Cyclone Jasper. To ensure a safe and comfortable sailing, and after exploring all options, we’ve decided to change up our itinerary,” the notification read.

The ship was originally scheduled to spend two days at sea, then enjoy Airlie Beach on Monday, December 11 and Cairns on Tuesday, December 12. Another day at sea was to follow, then a stop in Port Douglas on Thursday, December 14 and Willis Island on Friday, December 15. After two more days at sea, Eden would be the last stop on Monday, December 18 before the ship returned to Sydney on Tuesday, December 19.

Now, Eden is the only port of call remaining from the original itinerary. The ship will spend the first day at sea before visiting Eden on Sunday, December 10. Days at sea are interspersed throughout the new itinerary, with full, 10-hour visits to Adelaide on Tuesday, December 12 and Melbourne on Thursday, December 14.

An overnight call in Hobart, Tasmania is the last port of call and will stretch from 8 a.m. on Saturday, December 16 until 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 17. The cruise will still conclude as planned in Sydney on Tuesday, December 19.

“We’re terribly sorry for the last minute change caused by the weather – your safety is our top priority,” the email concludes.

Guests who have made independent tour arrangements in ports of call will want to contact their tour operators as soon as possible for cancellation and refund options. Pre-paid tours booked through Royal Caribbean International should be fully refunded.

Brilliance of the Seas began her Australian season on October 22, and the ship is scheduled to spend six months offering diverse sailings Down Under.

The 90,090-gross-ton ship can welcome 2,142 guests at double occupancy, or as many as 2,543 guests when fully booked. Also onboard are approximately 850 international crew members to ensure that everyone has a brilliant cruise, no matter what ports of call they visit.

Update on Severe Tropical Storm Jasper

According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (ABM), Severe Tropical Storm Jasper is currently spinning 1,100 miles (1,767 kilometers) north-northeast of Brisbane, and moving slowly south-southwest.

The storm is predicted to strengthen over the next day or two, potentially as high as a Category 5 storm with winds over 123 miles per hour (198 kilometers per hour), though it may weaken somewhat over the weekend.

The storm is expected to make a turn toward the west in the coming days, which will bring it to the Queensland coast for landfall early or mid-next week.

Any travelers with South Pacific or Australia cruises in the next few days will want to stay in touch with their cruise line about possible itinerary changes and updates.

Icon of the Seas is on her way to Spain following her delivery at the end of November, and along the way the massive ship has crossed a momentous landmark by passing beneath the Great Belt Bridge.

The 20-deck-tall ship had just feet to spare as she sailed smoothly beneath the span. Before doing so, Icon of the Seas had to perform an engineering feat that has not been done since the Oasis-class Allure of the Seas sailed beneath the bridge in 2010.

Icon of the Seas Clears Bridge on First Journey

Icon of the Seas was officially delivered on November 27, 2023, in Turku, Finland, two months to the day before she will welcome her first guests in Miami, Florida. The nearly 6,700-mile-journey (10,780 kilometers) between the shipyard and the ship’s official homeport, however, has several milestones the ship must cross.

The first major seagoing landmark is the Great Belt Bridge (Storebæltsbroen in Danish), a major connecting bridge in Denmark. The total length of the span is 11 miles, including a railway tunnel section, and the clearance is just 213 feet from the surface of the water.

On Friday, December 1, 2023, Icon of the Seas approached this landmark at good speed, passing beneath the span with just feet to spare between the deck of the bridge and the ship’s funnels, communication and radar towers, and the impressive AquaDome.

To make the passage safely, the ship’s funnels were lowered and secured, giving extra clearance to ensure there would be no contact between the ship and the bridge.

“The entire crew contributed their expertise in innovation and engineering to ensure the ship cleared the bridge safely,” Royal Caribbean stated in an impressive video of the momentous passage.

On final approach to the bridge, crew members onboard gathered in the AquaDome and along the decks to celebrate the historic moment. Cheers erupted as the bridge’s span passed over the tremendous glass dome.

The last massive ship to pass beneath this landmark was Allure of the Seas in 2010. Wonder of the Seas, the largest of the Oasis-class vessels and the current title holder as largest cruise ship in the world – until Icon of the Seas welcomes guests – never passed under the span, as Wonder of the Seas was built in France rather than Finland.

All of Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis-class, Quantum-class, and now Icon-class ships have retractable funnels so they can pass beneath bridges more safely, no matter where in the world they may sail.

Where Icon of the Seas Is Heading Next

While Icon of the Seas will debut in January 2024 in Miami, the ship is not heading immediately to Florida.

Instead, Icon of the Seas is now in Cadiz, Spain, where she will continue final outfitting before her maiden voyage. Additional supplies will be loaded and more crew members will also join the ship in Spain, before she makes her first journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

The massive 250,800-gross-ton ship will arrive in Florida in late January. On Saturday, January 27, 2024, she will welcome her very first guests with great celebration and fanfare for what is sure to be a gloriously iconic vacation.

Icon of the Seas can welcome 5,610 passengers at double occupancy. The ship has many family-friendly features, however, including the Thrill Island waterpark with six record-breaking waterslides, the dedicated family Surfside neighborhood, the expansive Central Park, and much more.

When fully booked with all berths filled, Icon of the Seas can host as many as 7,600 travelers. Also onboard are 2,350 international crew members.

From January, the ship will offer both Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean itineraries, with all the 7-night sailings, including a visit to the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at Cococay.

Guests sailing aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas learned the day before embarkation that their 6-night Queensland cruise itinerary needed adjustment and every port of call was cancelled.

One substitute port was available for an overnight stay, but the cruise is very different than originally planned.

Quantum of the Seas Itinerary Change

Quantum of the Seas was to have departed Brisbane, Australia on a 6-night cruise to top ports of call in Queensland on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. The day before embarkation, however, booked guests received email notification of a dramatic itinerary change.

The cruise was to have first enjoyed a day at sea, then visited Airlie Beach, Yorkeys Knob (Cairns), and Willis Island over the next three days. After a final day at sea, the ship would return to Brisbane on Tuesday, December 12.

Now, every originally scheduled port of call is cancelled, and Quantum of the Seas will instead have a day at sea, an overnight visit in Sydney, and two additional days at sea before returning to Brisbane. The departure and arrival times in Brisbane are unchanged.

“We’ve been monitoring adverse weather along our intended path,” the notification email explained. “To ensure a safe and comfortable sailing and after exploring all options, we’ll skip our visit to Airlie Beach, Cairns, and Willis Island and enjoy an overnight in Sydney, Australia instead.”

The ship will be in Sydney from 9 a.m. on Friday, December 8 until 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 9. Guests should note that Quantum of the Seas will be anchored rather than docking, meaning that small tender boats will be used to ferry guests ashore.

While Sydney has plenty of space to accommodate the 168,666-gross-ton cruise ship, two other vessels are already scheduled in port on Friday – Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas and Seabourn’s Seabourn Odyssey – and berth space is limited. On Saturday, Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge will be joining Quantum of the Seas.

Read Also: Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas Overbooked, Guests Left Behind

“We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather – your safety is our top priority. Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because we are faster and can move out of the way of any inclement weather,” the email concluded.

Quantum of the Seas can welcome 4,180 guests at double occupancy, or as many as 4,905 passengers when fully booked. Also onboard are 1,500 international crew members who will help travelers weather any storm with as much fun and relaxation as possible.

What Poor Weather?

The poor weather impacting Quantum of the Seas is a tropical system that has formed northeast of the cruise’s route, but is already having an impact on regional weather patterns.

Tropical Cyclone Jasper is currently spinning near the Solomon Islands, creating strong winds and rough seas well away from the storm’s center. The storm is forecast to move south-southwest over the coming days, bringing it closer to the ship’s route.

In fact, Jasper is predicted to be just east of Willis Island over the weekend, just when Quantum of the Seas‘ original schedule had the ship visiting the island.

While the storm is still several days away from reaching Australia, the predicted landfall could be anywhere between Cairns and Brisbane, most likely early next week. By sailing south to Sydney, Quantum of the Seas will stay well away from the severe weather.

Worth Reading: Rough Seas on a Cruise Ship – How They Handle It

Depending on its overall track and what intensity it reaches, Tropical Cyclone Jasper may impact the ship’s return to Brisbane. Royal Caribbean International is keeping a close eye on the storm and will make further itinerary adjustments if needed.

Guests on the ship’s next sailing – a 9-night South Pacific itinerary departing Brisbane on Tuesday, December 12, will want to say in close contact with Royal Caribbean in case there may need to be adjustments to their sailing. At this time, however, it is too early for any such changes to be predicted.