Guests aboard the Sky Princess Cruise ship have encountered an unexpected challenge on their journey. The cruise departed from Southampton, England on May 13 and was scheduled to visit a selection of picturesque Norwegian and Icelandic ports before returning to England on May 27. 

However, weather conditions, a medical emergency, and an upcoming storm have resulted in significant changes to this schedule, much to the disappointment of those on board.

Unpredictable Weather Forces Itinerary Changes

The original itinerary of a Sky Princess cruise that departed Southampton in the UK on May 13 promised a diverse Nordic exploration. The cruise started well, with idyllic ports such as Skjolden, Olden, and Alesund in Norway. 

The voyage onboard the 145,281 gross tons Royal-class cruise ship was then set to continue to a selection of Icelandic ports such as Akureyri, Isafjord, Grundarfjordur, and Reykjavik. Regrettably, the unpredictable weather patterns of the region have forced several changes to these plans, with the captain placing the safety of the guests first.

First on the Icelandic list was Akureyri, a much-anticipated port nestled at the end of Iceland’s longest fjord. However, due to adverse weather conditions, the visit to Akureyri had to be cancelled, much to the disappointment of the passengers.

Next was Isafjordur, known for its enchanting fjords and rich Viking history. This port was initially struck off the itinerary due to the weather conditions. However, Sky Princess was able to make a U-turn and visit Isafjordur as the weather improved, providing a silver lining to the many changes.

The picturesque port of Grundarfjordur was also originally on the itinerary. This quaint town is nestled between a mountain range and the ocean, making it a unique stop. However, unfavorable weather conditions also led to this stop’s cancellation.

Finally, Reykjavik, Iceland’s vibrant capital city, was meant to be a highlight of the journey—a much-anticipated destination for passengers eager to experience the city’s rich history, cuisine, and culture.

Unfortunately, due to the persistently adverse weather, the visit for May 23 has already been scrapped, adding to the list of weather-imposed changes.

Surely, That’s It?

Adding to the complexity, a visit to Akureyri, which had initially been cancelled due to weather, had to be reinstated on an emergency basis. Despite battling strong winds, the ship had to return to port due to a medical emergency onboard. Is this all? Not likely. 

With weather reports for May 23 predicting winds of up to 50 miles per hour, gusts of up to 70 miles per hour, and towering wave heights of over 33 feet, the journey remains fraught with difficulties.

The weather outlook for May 24, when the 3,660-guest Sky Princess is sailing back to Southampton, offers little relief from these conditions, with improvements only expected on the evening of May 24. The ship is scheduled to arrive at the British homeport on May 27.

This type of weather is not uncommon for the region, but the timing has been particularly unfortunate for the guests on this cruise. Icelandic ports are notoriously hard to get in and out of, mainly due to the sudden changes in weather conditions that this remote island experiences.

Impact on Guests

The repeated alterations to the itinerary have had a notable impact on the guests. Many passengers had organized their own tours with external companies. These plans were disrupted as guests found themselves needing to cancel and rebook their tours in line with the changing itinerary, adding an extra layer of complication to their cruise experience.

Fortunately, if guests booked their shore excursions through the cruise line, they will usually be refunded for any costs incurred for the missed tours. However, for those that do have arrangements with outside companies, it’s up to the Icelandic tour operators whether or not the missed tours will indeed be refunded.

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

In addition to the guests onboard the Sky Princess who were experiencing challenges with their current cruise itinerary, it is worth noting that some guests have booked a back-to-back cruise departing after this one. Unfortunately for them, the weather forecast does not look great around the Norwegian coast next week.

Guests booked aboard the May 20, 2023 departure of Caribbean Princess recently received a “Move Over Offer” that may indicate a possible overbooking situation.

The generous offer included several price protections and extra credits for guests willing to shift their travel plans at the very last minute.

Caribbean Princess Last-Minute Special Offer

Princess Cruises reached out to guests booked aboard Caribbean Princess departing on May 20, 2023 about a “special FREE cruise offer” to urge travelers to shift their date to an alternate cruise, but the offer was made just 24 hours before departure.

The impacted sailing is a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise, visiting Princess Cays, San Juan, Grand Turk, and the Dominican Republic.

The limited availability offer is quite generous – 100% of the cruise fare back as refundable onboard credit for the new, alternate 7-night Caribbean cruise, with up to two years to re-book the sailing. Credit that is not spent during the new cruise would be refunded back to the guest after that cruise ends.

In addition, airfare booked through Princess Cruises would be protected, as would any amenities and packages purchased for the May 20 sailing, which would then be applied to the new cruise when booked. Up to $300 (USD) per person for “private travel expenses” would also be protected. Those private expenses would generally include separately arranged airfare, hotels, or tours.

“Please act quickly as this offer has limited availability and will be accepted on a first come, first served basis,” the email urged.

Why Was the Offer Made?

No explanation for the offer was given, nor any reasoning for it to be made just one day before the original cruise sets sail.

This is similar to offers made to Royal Caribbean guests on Allure of the Seas and other ships in recent weeks, when select sailings have been overbooked and guests are urged to shift their travel plans in exchange for generous compensation.

Caribbean Princess is currently homeported from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, the third busiest passenger cruise port in the world, behind Port Canaveral and PortMiami.

The large metro area of Fort Lauderdale and all of South Florida means a fair number of passengers may drive to the cruise port, which could make it easy for them to shift their travel plans for an enticing offer, even at the very last minute.

Because the shift offer is not limited to Port Everglades, interested guests could also alter their plans to other homeports. With two years to rebook, guests could even opt to sail aboard Caribbean Princess from November 2024, when the ship relocates to Port Canaveral, 200 miles (322 kilometers) north of Port Everglades.

It is possible that cruise lines are making such last-minute, generous offers in an attempt to ensure ships are sailing at 100% or greater capacity, perhaps by booking “guarantee” cabin rates where staterooms are not assigned until the last minute.

If too many of these unassigned cabins are sold for a specific cruise, that sailing becomes overbooked and it will be necessary to make great offers to encourage guests to shift to a different travel date.

With generous enough incentives – refunds, onboard credit, price protection, etc. – guests with flexible travel plans are sure to take advantage of what can be great offers.

Caribbean Princess is a Grand-class ship, with the capacity to host 3,142 passengers at double occupancy. There is no information available about how many guests may be offered this special deal, nor how many acceptances will be made for the first come, first served arrangements.

Princess Cruises announced the deployment of three ships on Panama Canal voyages for the 2024-25 winter season. The scheduled cruises, now open for bookings, offer both partial and full transits of the engineering marvel that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Ships to Offer 26 Departures of Full, Partial Cruises

Cruisers can experience the “world’s greatest shortcut,” the manmade Panama Canal with the Pacific Ocean to its west and the Atlantic to the east, on a series of winter season cruises in 2024-25.

Three ships will offer 26 departures of varying lengths aboard Ruby Princess and Emerald Princess, both with a capacity for 3,080 guests, and the 1,970-guest Coral Princess. The Coral Princess has a special connection to the canal: She was christened there in 2003.

“Three ships will transit the historic Panama Canal during our upcoming 2024-2025 season offering full transit sailings, ocean-to-ocean or roundtrip options from Fort Lauderdale,” said Princess Cruises President John Padgett.

“We’re excited to bring Coral Princess back to the region, returning the ship to her roots where she was christened in the Panama Canal in 2003, by then-president of Panama, Mireya Moscoso,” he added.

Princess Cruises began operating transits through the canal in 1967, and was the first cruise line to experience the 51-mile-long waterway that cuts across the Isthmus of Panama. Its first set of locks opened in 1914.

The 2024-25 season of Panama Canal sailings will enable cruise guests to visit 23 destinations in 12 countries. The three ships will operate 24 transits through the canal’s newer Neo-Panamax locks and 13 transits through the historic locks. Ships sailing partial transits will use the new locks, while those on ocean-to-ocean voyages will go through the historic locks.

The latest expansion of the canal was completed in 2016. Its newest locks allow ships up to 168 feet wide to transit the canal, while smaller vessels continue to use the historic locks, which accommodate ships up to 106 feet wide.

Line Unveils New 12-Day Partial Transit Itinerary

Princess Cruises is offering one new cruise itinerary, a 12-day partial transit roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale aboard Emerald Princess.

The cruise combines the transit with Southern Caribbean port calls such as Bonaire or Curacao, depending on the departure, plus Cartegena, Colombia; Colon, Panama; Limon, Costa Rica; Grand Cayman; and a late-night stay in Aruba.

A 10-day partial transit also is offered roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. Ruby Princess, for example, will sail the itinerary in January 2024, featuring the partial transit plus port calls in Montego Bay, Jamaica; Cartagena, Colombia; Cristobal, Panama; Limon, Costa Rica; and Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.

Guests on full transit sailings can choose among departures from Los Angeles and San Fransisco. A November 2024 cruise on Coral Princess is a 16-day voyage from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale, with calls at Manzanillo and Huatulco, Mexico; San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Fuerte Amador, Panama; and Aruba, plus the full transit.

The Panama Canal cruises include shore excursion options to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Spanish Fortifications at Portobelo-San Lorenzo (from Colón), the Archaeological Site and Historic District of Panama, and the Port Fortress in Cartagena.

A limited number of Panama Canal cruises is offered during the remainder of this year, with Emerald Princess and Ruby Princess each sailing two departures between August and December.

The line’s Princess Premier plan, a value-enhancing package, is offered on all Panama Canal cruises for a per-person fee. The plan, which was launched in May 2022, covers services and amenities like two nights of premium specialty dining, reserved seating in the ships’ theaters, wellness classes, and WiFi for up to four devices, among other bonuses.