While cruise lines do everything in their power to predict and avoid inclement weather, sometimes Mother Nature has a mind of her own. 

Those currently onboard Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas learned this the hard way on November 7, 2024, when the 137,308-gross ton vessel was hit by a squall – which is defined as a sudden gust of intense wind or a localized storm. 

In this case, the hurricane-force winds caused a massive wave that made the ship tilt significantly on her side – terrifying guests and sending loose items like plates and cutlery in the dining venues flying. 

“On Explorer now. We hit a squall that was unexpected. We tipped to one side pretty bad. Definitely scary,” one current passenger shared on Facebook, along with a photo of fallen bottles in a messy bar onboard. 

“I’m on the ship too, scary as hell in the dining room with plates smashing everywhere, people screaming and tables & food all over the place!,” another current guest shared.

Videos from passengers currently onboard even show seated guests sliding across one of the corridors in the Royal Promenade. 

Thankfully, no major injuries were reported, although a few passengers and crew members suffered minor injuries. The captain was also able to slow the cruising speed and turn the ship – properly righting the ship within five to ten minutes. 

The weather event didn’t delay the sailing – with the 4,290-passenger already carrying on with its Transatlantic voyage, which embarked from Barcelona, Spain, on November 2. 

The ship also never got the chance to visit Valencia, Spain, with a replacement for Cartegena instead. Explorer of the Seas is also visiting Tenerife in the Canary Islands instead of Malaga and Ponta Delgada due to the weather conditions. The ship will arrive in Miami, Florida, on November 14 – which will be her next homeport. 

According to cruise tracking data, as of the original publish date, the vessel is sailing at a speed of about 19 knots per hour off and is heading west off the coast of Morocco (North Africa). 

How Do Cruise Ships Handle Weather?

As much as possible, cruise ships are rerouted to avoid bouts of bad weather and storms. 

But in this case, the squall seemed to come out of nowhere, and is not actually visible as a storm system in weather tracking data – including on the National Hurricane Center (NOAA) website.

Even so, the approximately 1,185 crew members onboard still have established protocols in place to make sure everyone stays safe in these types of circumstances. 

For example, all guests were asked to return to their staterooms until the crew could verify everyone was accounted for and unharmed and to assess any possible damage to the ship.

Read Also: Can a Cruise Ship Tip Over? – All You Need to Know

While the tilting likely seemed scary, the captain and his skilled team of officers likely had everything under control – which was helped by being on a cruise ship that is designed to handle rough waters.

First, cruise ships are made of heavy steel. When this weight is combined with the weight of the passengers, crew, and their belongings, it actually makes it easier for ships to roll with high seas and high winds. 

During the construction process, thorough testing is done to check the ship’s center of gravity and buoyancy to make sure the ship can stay upright through storms, wind, and choppy seas.

Additionally, modern vessels, including the 2000-launched Explorer of the Seas, have stabilizers onboard that can provide extra support in rough seas – which some guests have already seen in action over the years. 

“Wow, we were on the explorer in some pretty rough seas, they put the stabilizers out. But it was nothing like this. That’s crazy!,” a former guest said in response to a post about the tilting. 

Of course, the goal is to avoid bad weather in the first place, as doing so is always safer and more comfortable for guests onboard – and especially those prone to sea sickness. 

Not only do the captain and his officers keep a close eye on the weather, but Royal Caribbean has its own Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, whose job is to model weather patterns, monitor forecasts, and advise on how the Royal Caribbean fleet will be impacted. 

Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas is currently experiencing technical difficulties that have forced the cancellation of the ship’s next sailing, her November 9, 2024 departure. The ship is homeported from Shanghai and the now-cancelled voyage was to have been a 4-night cruise with visits to Jeju and Nagasaki.

Guests booked on the upcoming cruise were notified of the cancellation and offered compensation for the disappointment.

“Unfortunately, due to a technical concern on our current sailing, we will be delaying our return to Shanghai (Baoshan), China. As a result, we will need to cancel our sailing altogether,” the notification read. “We know how much time and effort go into planning your cruise, and we’re truly sorry for this disappointing news.”

In the meantime, the ship remained at the Yokohama Daikoku Pier for repair work during her current 7-night cruise, meaning her return to Shanghai is significantly delayed. The weeklong cruise departed Shanghai on Saturday, November 2, with visits to Kyoto and Yokohama.

Worth Reading: Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Delayed Due to Technical Issue in Mexico

Guests have remained onboard the ship throughout the repairs, but were unable to debark for explorations ashore. The ship’s international crew members, however, have offered additional activities and worked hard to ensure everyone is enjoying their cruise despite the difficulties.

Now, the 169,379-gross-ton, Quantum Ultra class ship seems to have finished the repair work and is making her way back to Shanghai, but will not arrive until late Sunday, November 10 or early on Monday, November 11.

The nature of the “technical concern” has not been disclosed. As the ship is currently moving at her top speed of 22 knots (25 miles per hour), the propulsion system is either not involved or has been successfully repaired.

As cruise ships are incredibly complex engineering projects, any number of systems – navigation, air conditioning, safety, restaurant operations, etc. – could have required repairs that were unable to be completed at sea.

Spectrum of the Seas is homeported from Shanghai through early December, at which time the ship will move to Hong Kong to offer a series of Japan itineraries, including overnight calls to Okinawa and visits to other top ports.

Read Also: FlowRider on Royal Caribbean – What You Must Know!

Of special interest is the ship’s January 3, 2025 departure, which is a 4-night sailing to Nha Trang, Vietnam.

In mid-January, Spectrum of the Seas will return to Shanghai and will remain homeported there through November 2025. The ship can welcome 4,246 travelers at double occupancy, or up to 4,905 passengers when fully booked.

Refunds and Credit Offered

It can be incredibly disappointing for travelers to have their cruise cancelled, especially at such short notice. Royal Caribbean is providing significant compensation for the inconvenience, however.

All passengers will receive a 100% refund of their cruise fare and all associated taxes, fees, and pre-paid packages such as drinks, dining, or gratuities. Any flights or transfers purchased through Royal Caribbean as well as travel protection through the cruise line will also be fully refunded.

Refunds will be processed back to the original form of payment within 14 days of the end of the now-cancelled cruise. Travelers should note, however, that some financial institutions may take longer to make refunds available.

In addition, all travelers will also receive a 50% future cruise credit for a future Royal Caribbean sailing. The new cruise must be booked by November 9, 2025, and the credit can be applied toward any available sailing on any ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

If guests booked independent airfare, the cruise line will consider reimbursement of travel change fees up to $200 (USD) for domestic travel and $400 for international travel. Receipts must be submitted for review to be considered for reimbursement.

Hopefully, the repairs are successful and Spectrum of the Seas will continue sailing full speed ahead to welcome guests without difficulties on her upcoming sailings.

After avoiding Labadee, Haiti, due to safety reasons for much of 2024, Royal Caribbean has officially returned to its second private island destination with the arrival of Adventure of the Seas on October 8, 2024. 

But while the cruise line made a big deal about returning to its exclusive destination, it’s been quieter about limiting its roster of activities for the time being. 

Normally, there are dozens of shore excursions to choose from while visiting the peninsula, which is located in the north coast of Haiti in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea. 

A quick glance on Royal Caribbean’s website shows options for things like zip lining, kayak adventures, jet ski tours, speed boat tours, historic walking tours, snorkeling, water slides, and even riding the famous Dragon’s Tail roller coaster. 

However, guests from various sailings are getting emails from Royal Caribbean stating that their booked shore excursions have been cancelled and they have been refunded. 

“We are on the Grandeur leaving on Nov 15th. I just got a refund to my account for our reservations to Amiga Island…Looks like they took it off of the excursions page also,” one future cruiser posted on Reddit. 

Amiga Island is a popular choice for visitors and can be accessed quickly and easily from Labadee via a short boat ride – which was offered through the cruise line in the past.

In the comments of the post, another soon-to-be-guest shared a letter they received from Royal Caribbean after their own Labadee excursion was cancelled. 

“As we return to visiting Labadee, we’re phasing the rollout of some of our tours and temporarily adjusting our tour offerings. As a result, we’ve cancelled your excursion and issued a full refund to your original form of payment,” the letter stated. 

The cruise line has not offered specifics about which tours have been cancelled and how long it will take to resume full operations. 

Is Labadee Safe to Visit?

The cruise lines always operate with the safety of their guests and crew as the top priority, and Royal Caribbean is no exception. So, if the family-friendly brand has decided to return to Labadee, it is very likely safe to do so. 

Labadee is also generally considered to be safer than other Haitian hot spots – as it is monitored closely and operated by Royal Caribbean. 

However, some are speculating that excursions are being cancelled due to continued unrest in the Caribbean country – especially for tours that take place outside of the immediate area surrounding the cruise port. 

Read Also: Labadee, Haiti – What You Need to Know

Haiti as a whole remains under a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory from the US Government – which is the highest warning available. 

“Venturing a guess, but that island [Amiga] may be far enough outside the protected resort of Labadee that Royal has been advised to remove travel there,” one person mused on Reddit.

Thus far, Royal Caribbean has not confirmed or denied this theory. That said, it isn’t outside of the realm of possibility considering the cruise brand stopped sailing to its 260-acre resort destination in the first place due to safety concerns.

On Sunday, March 3, 2024, the government of Haiti declared a state of emergency after a massive prison break saw the escape of around 4,000 prisoners. 

The escaped prisoners had been put in jail for serious crimes, including kidnapping, murder, and other violent offenses. 

In response to the prison break, as well as rising gang violence and civil unrest, Royal Caribbean initially opted to cancel select shore excursions for cruise ships calling on Labadee. 

But the very next day after making this announcement, on March 14, 2024, the cruise line announced a total suspension from visiting the peninsula – which ultimately lasted for months.