Royal Caribbean guests heading for PortMiami to set sail aboard Independence of the Seas on Monday, February 3, 2025 have been notified that their embarkation will be slightly delayed, as the cruise terminal will not open until noon.
Typically, the cruise terminal would open from 9-10 a.m. for passengers to check in, even though embarkation onto the ship may not begin until 11 a.m. or noon. For this sailing, however, guests are being advised not to arrive early.
“Due to anticipated delays in the debarkation process for our previous Independence of the Seas sailing, the terminal will not be open until 12:00 PM,” the email stated.
“Guests must arrive at their selected arrival time to ensure a smooth boarding process. Arriving earlier than your scheduled time will result in us having to turn you away until the terminal is open and ready for embarking guests.”
Guests should verify their cruise terminal arrival time in the Royal Caribbean app. All travelers should arrive at the cruise terminal no later than 3 p.m. for check-in, and must be onboard the ship by 4 p.m. for a smooth departure.
To be clear, there are no technical problems with Independence of the Seas and all her systems are fully functional, including propulsion, safety, and navigation.
Furthermore, there is no anticipated change to Independence of the Seas‘ itinerary and it should be smooth sailing for the Freedom-class ship for her next cruise.
Why the Embarkation Delay for Independence of the Seas?
No explanation is offered for the “anticipated delays” but the previous cruise, a 4-night voyage to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, is the chartered “70000 Tons of Metal” sailing.
That sailing is billed as “the world’s biggest heavy metal cruise” and includes 60 different bands and artists, special events onboard, artist-escorted shore tours, music clinics, and even more fun for dedicated metalheads.
In total, the sailing will feature 120 unique live shows, not to mention other onboard fun typical of a Royal Caribbean cruise – great food, activities, photo ops, and much more.
Different bands onboard for the heavy metal sailing will have a variety different needs for specialized or custom sound and lighting equipment and stage setups, however. Therefore, it is no surprise that debarkation for the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise will require extra time as those items are removed from the ship.
There may also be special logistical needs that must be met to remove large equipment, disassemble deck stage setups, or perform other changes that have been necessary for the unique sailing.
Read Also: Royal Caribbean Age Limits – What You Need to Know
This will have to be done carefully to ensure there is no damage to the decks, railings, or other structures onboard Independence of the Seas or in the cruise terminal as equipment is relocated.
Furthermore, there may likewise be special arrangements to disembark artists first so they have time to clear the cruise terminal and parking areas before fans leave the ship. Otherwise there could be overwhelming crowds and other bottlenecks with customs and immigration processing at the end of the cruise.
This has the knock-on effect for the February 3 sailing, a 5-night Western Caribbean cruise that will be visiting Grand Cayman and Cozumel before returning to Miami on Saturday, February 8.
Carnival Cruise Line’s recent ShipRocked sailing had a similar impact on Carnival Magic when the music charter concluded and extra time was needed for debarkation before new guests could board the ship.
Fortunately, all the work will be completed with just a couple extra hours and guests setting sail on Independence of the Seas are sure to have a fantastic time on their cruise, even without the extra bands.