A recent Royal Caribbean sailing aboard Symphony of the Seas had a surprising stowaway – a burrowing owl. The bird was spotted aboard the ship during the cruise, and was assisted with its debarkation when the ship returned to Miami after the two-week sailing.

Owl Stows Away Onboard

The burrowing owl, an aptly-named small raptor that nests in underground burrows, was found aboard Symphony of the Seas during a two-week sailing in January.

The bird was noticed during the sailing, but it was impossible to release the bird in a foreign location. Not only would doing so violate laws regarding the transport of wildlife, but the bird would have been in an unfamiliar habitat and unable to survive.

Instead, Florida Fish and Wildlife biologist Ricardo Zambrano came aboard the Oasis-class cruise ship after guests had debarked on January 21 and before the next sailing’s guests embarked the ship to safely capture the bird.

Crew members helped string mist nets – soft but sturdy nets used by wildlife biologists to capture birds humanely – across the Central Park area of the ship so the bird could be caught.

The crafty bird avoided many of the nets and spent time perching on balcony railings, but was eventually netted with a hand net as crew members distracted it from Zambrano’s approach. “I got lucky,” Zambrano said of the hour-long pursuit.

A Healthy Cruise Passenger

Burrowing owls typically eat insects and the occasional small lizard or rodent. While the ship’s Central Park area does have both natural and artificial trees and there likely were some insects for the bird to catch, it was underweight when it was disembarked from the cruise ship.

The owl was surrendered to wildlife officials at South Florida Wildlife Center where it was evaluated. Though skinny, the bird was uninjured and in otherwise good health. It remained at the rehabilitation facility for almost a month, fattening up on an appropriate diet before being released in Davie, Florida, approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of PortMiami and in prime burrowing owl habitat.

About Burrowing Owls

The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is a long-legged bird most active during the day, when it hunts on the ground or stands guard at its burrows. The birds are widespread in western North America, but also found year-round in much of south Florida and South America. They are easily identified by their sandy, spotted feathers, smoothly rounded heads, and bright yellow eyes.

Grasslands, deserts, and other open habitats are preferred by burrowing owls, and they are often seen on golf courses or in suburban habitats where conservation projects have installed artificial burrows for the birds to use.

This is not the first time a burrowing owl has enjoyed a visit to a Royal Caribbean ship. In 2010, a burrowing owl was spotted on the miniature golf course aboard Oasis of the Seas, but was quickly relocated to a more suitable inland habitat.

Sailing on Symphony of the Seas

While Symphony of the Seas may not have many amenities that will appeal to a burrowing owl outside of the open-air Central Park neighborhood, the 228,081-gross-ton ship has many amazing features guests will love.

Top picks onboard the ship’s 16 passenger decks include four pools, two FlowRider surf simulators, the 10-story Ultimate Abyss slide, a zip line, ice rink, Aquatheater, 14 specialty restaurants, the Bionic Bar, and much, much more.

Symphony of the Seas debuted in 2018, and is currently repositioning from PortMiami to Barcelona, where she will spend the summer offering Mediterranean sailings from Spain and Italy. In October, the ship will move to Fort Lauderdale to offer Caribbean sailings through the winter – but owls should plan to stay home.

Passengers aboard Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas cruise ship experienced a slight delay in arrival times at Port Canaveral and Nassau due to engine issues. The captain informed guests of the mechanical limitation affecting one of the vessel’s engines, which reduced the ship’s cruising speed.

The good news is that the engine issues did not affect the ship’s seaworthiness. As a precaution, the crew lowered the ship’s speed. In a gesture of goodwill, Royal Caribbean offered onboard credit to guests equal to the value of one day of their cruise fare paid. 

Anthem of the Seas Affected by Engine Issues

Anthem of the Seas, currently sailing a seven-night Bahamas itinerary, which departed New Jersey on March 5, has been forced to reduce its cruising speed due to issues that have affected one of the ship’s engines. 

In a letter to guests, the cruise line reassured passengers that their safety and comfort remained the top priority. The ship’s crew was working to repair the engine issue, and the vessel remained seaworthy.

The letter states: “Our crew is currently working through the issue and making the repairs as we speak.” The good news is that the seaworthiness of the ship was not affected by the engine issues. However, the reduced speed resulted in delays in reaching the scheduled ports of call. As a precaution, the crew lowered the ship’s speed, resulting in a delayed arrival time at Port Canaveral and Nassau.”

Anthem of the Seas was due to arrive in Port Canaveral at noon on March 7, but the Quantum-class cruise ship did not plan to arrive in port until 4 PM due to the reduced speed. Similarly, the arrival to Nassau in the Bahamas was delayed by an hour on March 8. 

Royal Caribbean did not specify whether the reduced cruising speed would impact the further itinerary of Anthem of the Seas. The seven-day cruise involves one more stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas, on March 9, before returning to New York City. The ship has two days to make its way back to New York City.

Royal Caribbean Offers Guests Compensation

If passengers had pre-booked Royal Caribbean International shore excursions in Port Canaveral, the cruise line is automatically refunding them as an onboard credit. For those who had booked tours for Nassau, the tours would be rescheduled automatically.

As a gesture of goodwill, Royal Caribbean also gives guests a full day’s fare as onboard credit to compensate for the delayed arrivals in the two cruise ports.

Royal Caribbean said the following: “Understanding this was an unexpected change, we’re providing you with an Onboard Credit in the value of one day of your cruise fare paid. Any prepaid Royal Caribbean International shore excursions booked for Orlando (Port Canaveral) will also automatically be refunded as an Onboard Credit. These credits will be applied to your SeaPass Account and can be used anywhere onboard.”

Also Read: Royal Caribbean Makes a Huge Step Forward in The Bahamas

Anthem of the Seas will continue to sail the same 7-day cruise to the Bahamas through May 1. Afterward, the vessel will embark on an 11-night transatlantic cruise from Bayonne, New Jersey. 

The itinerary for the transatlantic voyage includes stops at Ponta Delgada, Azores; Cherbourg, France; Le Havre, France; and Southampton, England, where the ship is expected to arrive on May 12.

Following the transatlantic crossing, Anthem of the Seas will be based out of Southampton, England, from where it will explore Europe. The itinerary includes stops in Northern Europe, Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Canary Islands. The 168,666 gross tons Anthem of the Seas will return to New York in October 2023. 

Royal Caribbean International will open its new Royal Beach Club resort in 2025. The 17-acre destination experience will be located at the western end of Paradise Island in Nassau, The Bahamas. The Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island will feature a combination of the island’s stunning beaches and the cruise line’s signature experiences.

The Royal Beach Club will differ significantly from the experiences guests can enjoy at Perfect Day at CocoCay; the beach club will be a destination where guests can enjoy the perfect day at the beach while enjoying Bahamian hospitality.

The beach club has been in the planning stages since 2020. The plans did not come to fruition due to the global pause in operations in 2020 and 2021.

Royal Caribbean Moves Forward with Royal Beach Club

Royal Caribbean International has announced it has received official approval from local authorities to move forward with its plans for the Royal Beach Club in Nassau, the Bahamas. 

The beach club will offer private cabanas, stunning pools, and more alongside the vibrant Bahamian spirit and culture. Cruise passengers will be welcomed by local architecture that complements the exceptional views of The Bahamas’ turquoise-blue waters and white sand beaches.

Experiences will feature Bahamian fare, island-style barbecues, live music, and local artisans, all designed to give guests the perfect day at the beach in the Bahamas.

Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International: “The Bahamas has been a phenomenal partner since the very start, when they became our first port of call more than 50 years ago. 

“As we continue to bring millions of visitors to experience attractions throughout Nassau each year, The Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island is the next bold adventure in Royal Caribbean’s commitment to both increasing tourism in The Bahamas and delivering memorable vacations to our guests.”

Opportunities for Local Businesses

Crafted in close collaboration with the Bahamian government, the new project will be a public-private partnership, allowing Bahamians to own up to 49% equity in the beach club. Local businesses and entrepreneurs will also be able to manage most of the experience. The project is expected to generate hundreds of jobs across its construction and long-term operation.

The beach club will comprise 13 acres of land owned by the cruise line and 4 acres of government land. The government land will be contributed as equity in the new venture to ensure a share of the profits return to the government and the people. 

This is a first-of-its-kind agreement in The Bahamas. In addition to a new tourism levy, profits will go into reinvesting in the local community. The collaboration between the government, the community, and Royal Caribbean will continue as the development moves through the stages of planning and completion.

What’s the Difference Between Royal Beach Club and Perfect Day?

At first, it would seem strange that Royal Caribbean would open a second private destination in the Bahamas. The cruise line already operates the hugely popular Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

However, the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island and Perfect Day at Cococay are two island destinations, but they offer different experiences.

Perfect Day at Cococay is a 125-acre island in the Bahamas that features thrills and adventure. The island offers attractions like waterslides, a helium balloon ride, and the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean. Royal’s cruise ships dock here, and guests spend the day at Perfect Day.

On the other hand, Royal Beach Club will be operated much the same way as an excursion. Guests can book the Royal Beach Club as an excursion during a port call to the Bahamian capital. Guests can also choose several other activities in Nassau instead of being at Perfect Day for the entire day.