Key Aspects:
- Oasis of the Seas will be skipping her port visit to Florida but arriving in Nassau three hours earlier on her September 27, 2026 sailing.
- The previous cruise is delayed 10 hours returning to New Jersey due to the nor’easter, so these changes to the next cruise are not unexpected.
- Guests will receive pro-rated refunds as onboard credit for one day of any package purchases as well as pre-booked tours for the now-cancelled visit to Port Canaveral.
Not unexpectedly, given the 10-hour nor’easter-related delay as the ship returns to New Jersey on her current sailing, the next cruise for Oasis of the Seas will now have delayed boarding and an adjusted itinerary.
Royal Caribbean has reached out to guests with updated embarkation instructions and details on how their cruise has been impacted for her Sunday, September 27, 2026 sailing.
“Due to unfavorable weather conditions in and around the New York area impacting port operations, our prior Oasis of the Seas sailing will be delayed in returning to the terminal,” the email confirmed. “As a result, the boarding process will not begin until 8:00 PM.”
Originally, cruise terminal arrival times for the 7-night cruise started as early as 10 a.m. on Sunday. Now, the earliest arrival time is 8 p.m. and the latest arrival time will be 10:30 p.m. Despite the lateness of the embarkation, Royal Caribbean is firm that guests should stick to the new schedule.
“Guests who arrive early will be turned away, potentially in uncomfortable weather, and asked to return at their scheduled time,” the email stated.
If guests have booked transfers from the airport to the cruise terminal, those arrangements will be adjusted to the ship’s new schedule and will now depart the airport at 8 p.m.
All guests must be checked in and onboard Oasis of the Seas no later than 11:30 p.m. The ship will likely depart shortly after embarkation has been completed.
Itinerary Adjusted for Late Departure
Originally, the 5,606-guest ship was to have set sail from Cape Liberty at 3 p.m. Because of the significant delay, Oasis of the Seas is unable to complete her Bahamas and Perfect Day itinerary as previously scheduled.
“We’ll now skip our visit to Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida, on Tuesday, September 29 and instead enjoy a Sea Day,” the email confirmed. “We’ll also now be arriving at Nassau, Bahamas earlier at 7:30 AM and depart at 5:30 PM.”
Oasis of the Seas was to have visited Port Canaveral from 12:30-7:00 p.m., but that is no longer possible. The ship was not originally scheduled to arrive in Nassau until 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 30, but the earlier arrival now gives guests three extra hours to explore the capital of the Bahamas.
The ship’s departure from Nassau was always scheduled for 5:30 p.m., so that remains unchanged, along with the visit to Perfect Day CocoCay on Thursday, October 1, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Royal Caribbean has noted that any pre-paid shore excursions guests have booked through the cruise line for Port Canaveral will be automatically cancelled and refunded to guests’ accounts as onboard credit.
Guests will also receive a pro-rated, one-day refund for any pre-purchased packages, including beverage, Wifi, and Ultimate Dining packages. That will also be added to guests’ onboard accounts.
While guests are understandably disappointed at the delay and the loss of a port visit and the disruption to the first evening’s onboard activities, safety is always the first priority for any cruise line.
Oasis of the Seas is expected to return to New Jersey on time at the end of the sailing on Sunday, October 4. There is no anticipated impact to the next sailing, also a 7-night Perfect Day Bahamas cruise.
