With the largest cruise pier in San Juan, Puerto Rico still unable to welcome an Oasis class ship, we’ve now got confirmation of yet another Symphony of the Seas voyage dramatically altered from its originally planned itinerary.
The impacted cruise is the January 12, 2025 departure, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean vacation from Miami. The ship was initially planned to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, San Juan, and St. Maarten.
Instead, Symphony of the Seas will be heading in the opposite direction, the same type of changes that have been made to multiple Eastern Caribbean sailings in the past few weeks.
“Due to ongoing construction at the pier in San Juan, the port authority has advised us that the port will not be ready in time for our visit,” the email notification read. “We understand how important each destination is to your vacation, so we have worked diligently to find the best alternatives for you.”
The ship will still make her planned call to Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas on Monday, January 13, and the next day will still be a full day at sea.
Wednesday, January 15, will now be a visit to Labadee, Haiti, rather than San Juan, Puerto Rico – 400 miles further west than the original itinerary, on a different island, and in a different country.
Following Labadee, Symphony of the Seas will head to Jamaica, calling on Falmouth on Thursday, January 16, the day that had originally been scheduled for Philipsburg, St. Maarten.
The last two days of the sailing are days at sea, the same as the original itinerary, with the ship returning to Miami on Sunday, January 19.
Booked passengers may well be disappointed in the itinerary change, particularly in exchanging the richness and history of a destination like Puerto Rico for the much more limited, private destination of Labadee. While there are some great options in Labadee, the two ports are radically different and offer very different experiences.
Furthermore, some travelers may be concerned that the US Department of State has listed Haiti as “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory due to kidnapping, sexual assaults, robberies, and more.
For several months, Royal Caribbean had suspended visits to Labadee due to these concerns. The cruise line resumed visits in October, however, with limited options available to travelers. The Dragon’s Tail Roller Coaster, beach relaxation, and a small Artisan’s Village are available, among other choices.
So Many Itinerary Changes
Symphony of the Seas has had multiple Eastern Caribbean itineraries changed in similar ways over the past few months as repair work on Pier 3 in San Juan continues. That particular pier is the only one that can host the massive ship, which measures 1,187 feet long.
Read Also: What Are the Different Oasis-Class Cruise Ships?
The pier was apparently damaged in April 2024 by an MSC Cruises vessel and while repairs are ongoing, inspections are required by the US Coast Guard (USCG) before cruise ships can resume using the pier.
“San Juan Port’s Pier-3 West remains closed to cruise-ships until further notice pending requested satisfactory assessment studies followed by a Coast Guard on-site inspection of the facility,” the USCG explained in November.
Thus far, the ship has continued to reroute impacted sailings to Labadee and Jamaica, occasionally including Nassau as an additional port of call if possible.
While travelers may be frustrated at having their itinerary changed just weeks – or even days – before departure, it is clear that the cruise line is trying to preserve the original scheduling if at all possible.
With the circumstances out of Royal Caribbean’s control, guests should remain patient and hopeful for their upcoming Eastern Caribbean cruises, but prepare for the possibility that additional itineraries will likewise be altered.
