In an effort to offer ever more enticing and immersive sailings, Royal Caribbean is refreshing multiple itineraries for Spectrum of the Seas during her upcoming season homeported from Shanghai.

Guests on various departures have received notifications of the changes, which vary by departure date for the Quantum-Ultra-class ship.

For example, the February 18, 2026 departure will no longer be visiting Okinawa, but instead will head to Jeju, South Korea. The ship’s departure for the sailing has also been moved 30 minutes earlier to 4 p.m., and likewise, the ship will return to Shanghai 30 minutes earlier at 6:30 a.m. at the end of the 4-night sailing.

Another significant change is to the ship’s February 27, 2026 departure, what was to have been a 5-night Japan cruise. Now, instead of two port visits to different destinations in Okinawa, Spectrum of the Seas will instead overnight in Seoul, South Korea.

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This will give guests the amazing opportunity to explore that destination in depth, with the ship in port from 7 a.m. on Day 3 and not departing until Day 4 at 5 p.m.

Other impacted cruises include the ship’s March 8 departure, which will now visit Jeju and Busan, as well as the February 1, February 14, March 8, and April 14 departures.

Undoubtedly, other itineraries, including visits to Japan, will be likewise impacted, with varying changes depending on available alternative ports and cruise length.

Why So Many Changes?

While Royal Caribbean is explaining these changes as “part of our ongoing itinerary planning process” and “a refreshed experience” it is likely the changes may be related to China’s recent warning to its citizens to avoid travel to Japan.

According to Channel News Asia, this warning is in response to escalating political tensions between the two nations regarding remarks about Taiwan, which remains disputed.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese embassy and consulates in Japan solemnly remind Chinese citizens to avoid travelling to Japan in the near future,” China’s embassy in Japan posted on Friday, December 5.

Because of this, any guests with cruises aboard Spectrum of the Seas to Japan should remain in close contact with Royal Caribbean in case of itinerary updates.

While it will be disappointing to miss such iconic ports of call in Japan, guests will still enjoy rich Asian culture and heritage at their alternative destinations, not to mention all the amazing features onboard Spectrum of the Seas.

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Royal Caribbean does acknowledge the disappointment as it notifies guests of the changes.

“While some will be happy about this change, we know others will not and we’re sorry for the inconvenience this may cause,” the notification emails read.

The 169,379-gross-ton ship can welcome 4,246 guests at double occupancy, or up to 4,905 guests when fully booked. She will be homeporting from Shanghai from January 28 through November 1, offering a range of sailings from 3-8 nights long.

Changes Not Unprecedented

It is not unusual for cruise lines to reroute dozens of itineraries when political tensions arise. These changes could be just temporary for a few itineraries, or may last for years if situations become violent or cannot be resolved.

For example, many cruise lines opted to shift itineraries away from Russia when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Similarly, many cruises have avoided the Red Sea for some time due to regional tensions and pirate activity that might threaten cruise ships and endanger guests and crew members.

In the Caribbean, Royal Caribbean has cancelled months of visits to its private destination in Labadee, Haiti due to the violent unrest in that nation.

Tendering can always be a tricky situation on cruises, as the small water shuttles need smooth water in order to safely ferry guests to and from the larger cruise ship.

To smooth out the tendering process on Anthem of the Seas‘ next sailing, Royal Caribbean has adjusted its port times for two South Pacific destinations. This will provide more time for the tendering operations and ensure everyone can have a fun and lengthy visit.

The impacted cruise is Anthem of the Seas‘ December 11, 2025 departure, a 9-night roundtrip voyage from Sydney.

Fortunately, the 168,666-gross-ton, Quantum-class ship will still be visiting all of her planned ports of call, just with slightly adjusted times.

“To provide you with the smoothest tendering experience in Port Vila and Mystery Island, Vanuatu, we’ve adjusted our arrival times to give you more time to enjoy everything these beautiful destinations have to offer!” the notification email sent to guests explained.

Anthem of the Seas will now visit Port Vila on Monday, December 15, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Previously, the schedule had the ship arriving one hour later, at 9 a.m.

Read Also: Beyond the Dock – Unveiling the Charm of Tender Ports

Similarly, the ship’s call to Mystery Island the next day, on Tuesday, December 16, will be from 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This is also one hour earlier than originally scheduled.

The call to Noumea on Sunday, December 14, has also been adjusted, with Anthem of the Seas departing New Caledonia at 2 p.m. instead of 3 p.m. This is a docked port, so guests do not need to worry about catching tenders to return to the ship earlier, but they will still need to be sure not to miss the ship.

Shore Tour Changes

Any shore excursions that have been pre-booked through Royal Caribbean will be automatically rescheduled if necessary.

Guests who may have arranged independent tours, however, should consider reaching out to their tour operator for any adjustments and to be sure their tour can still be accommodated.

If guests haven’t yet booked any tours for their South Pacific port visits, they can check the cruise line’s website or visit the Shore Excursions desk portside on Deck 5 near the Bionic Bar once they board Anthem of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean is also reminding guests that because Port Vila and Mystery Island are tender ports, guests who require mobility assistance must be able to take a few steps to get on and off the tenders.

Collapsible wheelchairs can typically be accommodated on tenders, but larger scooters or wheelchairs may not be able to use the smaller boats. Guests who require those aids may not be able to go ashore at tender ports.

Can One Hour Make a Difference?

Guests might wonder if one hour can make a significant difference for tendering operations, but yes, it can.

Because tender boats can ferry 100-200 guests at a time or more, even what seems like just a little more time can bring everyone ashore sooner than expected. This will ensure that every guest has the maximum time to explore their destinations.

Anthem of the Seas can welcome 4,180 guests at double occupancy or up to 4,905 guests when fully booked. This can mean a lot of tender trips to bring everyone to and from the ship.

Local conditions, including tidal schedules and potential rough weather, can also impact tendering. Having more time to bring guests ashore can help give everyone plenty of time to enjoy the port of call, even if some pauses in tendering might be necessary.

With the upcoming opening of the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in the Bahamas, Royal Caribbean is adjusting a number of ship itineraries to ensure guests get a chance to visit the new destination.

Many guests aren’t pleased with the change, particularly with the reasoning given and what it means for their itinerary.

“As we plan our upcoming adventure together, we have an update to our itinerary,” the email sent to booked guests explains. “To allow our guests the opportunity to check out our newest addition to the Bahamas, we’ve decided to skip our visit to Cozumel, Mexico, and make our way to Nassau, Bahamas, instead.”

The impacted sailings are confirmed for Independence of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas in February and March 2026, though individual changes may vary.

Both ships are homeported from Miami. Independence of the Seas offers alternating 7-night Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean sailings, while Freedom of the Seas offers 4- and 5-night itineraries.

Independence of the Seas‘ Eastern Caribbean cruises already have visits to Nassau scheduled, but it is the Western Caribbean voyages that are being changed. Other ports on the itinerary, including Jamaica and Grand Cayman, remain unchanged.

Similar changes are being made for select Freedom of the Seas sailings, with Cozumel swapped out for Nassau.

Read Also: Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay – Full Guide

For these shorter Western Caribbean itineraries, the ship isn’t actually going anywhere near the Western Caribbean at all, but instead is remaining in the Bahamas.

It is possible that other Royal Caribbean ships will have similar changes in the coming months as Royal Beach Club Paradise Island opens.

Not Everyone Happy With the Swap

Some guests on the now-changed itineraries are unhappy with the swap, for various reasons.

“Cozumel is amazing. We planned our last cruise entirely around diving there,” one guest commented on Reddit.

It’s true that Cozumel has some of the most amazing diving and snorkeling in the Caribbean, and it can certainly be disappointing to miss those opportunities.

Other guests are upset that these changes are (so far) for winter itineraries, and the weather will not be as warm in the Bahamas as it might be in Cozumel.

For example, typical temperatures in Nassau in February are in the low 70s (Fahrenheit), but in Cozumel, typical February temperatures are closer to 80 degrees.

This might not seem like a significant difference, but it can certainly impact the comfort of a beach day, especially for travelers from winter climates.

Focus on the Royal Beach Club

This is not the first time Royal Caribbean has swapped Cozumel for Nassau on various itineraries. These changes were first spotted in November, but the explanation has changed.

On previous changes, the cruise line explained that the change was just part of the “ongoing itinerary planning process” and that “modifications can occur at any time.”

Now, however, the language of the notification email explains the reasoning behind the changes is “to allow our guests the opportunity to check out our newest addition to the Bahamas” which is angering many guests.

Unlike Perfect Day at CocoCay that nearly every impacted Royal Caribbean sailing already visits, general access to Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is not free.

Guests can enjoy CocoCay without spending any more money if they wish, with plenty of beach access, hammocks, beach games, lunch buffets, and other fun.

Just to enter the new beach club in Nassau, however, will cost $100-150 and higher per person, depending on whether they want an all-inclusive alcohol drink package or just soft drinks. Renting cabanas or other exclusive experiences will cost even more.

To be fair, no guests are forced to visit the club, as other shore excursions remain available in Nassau for those interested.

Guests can also choose to explore the capital of the Bahamas on their own, or just enjoy extra time onboard their ship when it may be less crowded.