Nor’easter Throws Oasis of the Seas Schedule Off by 10 Hours

The powerful nor’easter impacting the US Atlantic coast has continued affecting cruise ship operations. Now, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas will be delayed 10 hours in her return to Cape Liberty, New Jersey at the end of a 7-night Bahamas cruise that departed the New York area on Sunday, September 20, 2026.

Guests onboard the ship received the notification through public address announcements and letters delivered to their staterooms on Saturday, September 26, confirming the delay.

“Due to unfavorable weather conditions in and around the New York area and port operations, we’ll be delayed arriving to Cape Liberty, New Jersey,” the letter confirmed. “We’ll now be arriving tomorrow, Sunday, September 27, at approximately 4:00 pm. The debarkation process will begin at 4:30 pm.”

Oasis of the Seas was scheduled to arrive at Cape Liberty at approximately 6 a.m. With the 5,606-guest ship now expected 10 hours late, debarkation will be challenging to ensure so many guests can smoothly vacate the vessel before the next group of guests can begin boarding. Royal Caribbean is urging all guests to stick to their debarkation instructions for an easier process.

Because of the delay, many guests may need to change their post-cruise travel plans. The cruise line is providing a voucher for 60 minutes of internet use per stateroom through the Royal Caribbean app for those guests who do not have an internet package. Guests can also receive contact Guest Services from their staterooms if they prefer to make phone calls from the ship.

If guests have purchased airfare through the cruise line, those flights will be automatically adjusted to the ship’s new arrival and confirmation details will be emailed to individual guests.

Guests who have arranged independent airfare will need to contact their airline directly, and Royal Caribbean is recommending new flights departing no earlier than 8 p.m. Sunday evening.

The cruise line will reimburse air and other transportation change fees up to $200 (USD) per person for domestic flights and $400 per person for international flights. Reimbursement of up to $200 per cruise ship stateroom for hotel accommodations will also be available if guests are unable to book flights that depart on Sunday, September 27.

While the next sailing onboard Oasis of the Seas will also now be delayed for embarkation, those details have not yet been disclosed. The ship’s September 27 departure is another weeklong Bahamas cruise with calls scheduled for Port Canaveral, Florida as well as Nassau and Perfect Day CocoCay.

Any adjustment to that itinerary will be communicated to guests as soon as arrangements are confirmed.

Three Royal Caribbean Ships Now Impacted by Nor’easter

Oasis of the Seas is the third Royal Caribbean ship with confirmed changes due to the nor’easter, which is impacting ships and port operations from Virginia to Canada to Bermuda.

Read Also: All Cruise Ships Impacted by Powerful Nor’easter

Independence of the Seas was scheduled to depart Cape Liberty, New Jersey on Saturday, September 26 for a 5-night getaway with an overnight stay in Bermuda. The ship will now remain in New Jersey until Sunday and the visit to Bermuda will be shortened.

Vision of the Seas was originally scheduled for a 9-night Canada and New England itinerary departing Baltimore on Thursday, September 24. Instead, the ship remained in Baltimore overnight, and when she left on Friday, she turned south for a completely different Bahamas itinerary to avoid the storm.

In addition to Royal Caribbean ships, vessels from Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line also have confirmed itinerary changes, reroutings, and delays, while additional ships from Cunard, Virgin Voyages, Silversea, Celebrity Cruises, and more may yet be impacted.