All experienced cruise travelers know that the occasional port of call change is inevitable because of poor weather, medical diversions, technical concerns, or other issues.
When one port changes, however, it can create a knock-on effect and impact much more of a ship’s itinerary. This is now the case for Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas.
Due to a problem in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the ship is unable to visit the popular port on her next sailing, departing Miami, Florida on Sunday, November 17. This has impacted all of the ship’s planned Eastern Caribbean itinerary.
Guests were informed of the change just a day or two prior to embarkation, which can be quite a surprise for travelers who had hoped to visit the planned ports of call.
“We’ve recently been advised by the port authority in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that due to technical issues with the pier and the work that must be done and cleared by the USCG for accepting a ship our size, we’ll have to adjust our itinerary for our sailing,” the notification read. “As a result, we’ll skep our visits to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.”
Symphony of the Seas will still enjoy her planned visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay on Monday, November 18, but the remainder of the itinerary is now much different than originally scheduled.
The ship will spend Tuesday at sea, then enjoy a stop in Labadee, Haiti from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 20. This will be followed by Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Friday will be a day at sea, and Nassau has been added for Saturday, November 23 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused by the changes,” the email notification concluded. “Nevertheless, we’re excited to visit our private destination and new ports with you!”
Symphony of the Seas has not changed her departure time for setting sail from Miami nor her return to her Sunshine State homeport, and no further changes are expected.
No details have been confirmed about the nature of the “technical issues” at the pier in San Juan, but it can always be a challenge to accommodate a ship as large as the 228,081-gross-ton, Oasis class Symphony of the Seas. The ship measures 1,187 feet long and 215.5 feet wide.
At many ports, larger ships can only use specific piers or terminal facilities. A ship’s gangway placement, fuel requirements, and other factors can also determine what piers they can safely use.
Symphony of the Seas is homeported from Miami through April 2025, offering 7-night Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean sailings. It is unknown whether additional Eastern Caribbean cruises will be impacted by the pier work in San Juan, but booked cruisers will be notified if their itinerary must be changed.
How Different Are the Ports of Call, Really?
The private port of Labadee was closed for several months earlier this year due to crime and violence levels in Haiti, though there have been no direct incidents reported from Labadee.
Royal Caribbean ships just resumed visiting the destination in October. Despite the reopening, however, guests may be disappointed as the cruise line is limiting what shore excursions and activities are available in “phased rollout” of options.
This means less to enjoy or explore at the destination, which remains under a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory from the US Department of State.
While no such restrictions are in place at Puerto Plata, some travelers may be less than enthusiastic that it is yet another private destination, making three out of four ports on the itinerary offering somewhat similar private experiences.
Read Also: Labadee, Haiti – What You Need to Know
Visiting private islands can be a fun time, but for some travelers, they are not nearly as authentic as visiting local communities. In private destinations, experiences are often curated to provide just what visitors may “expect” on vacation.
It’s unlikely, however, that any hidden gems are waiting to be found, such as a unique local shop, family-owned restaurant, or budding artist.
Have you visited different private destinations? Would you enjoy a cruise where so many are included on the same itinerary? Share your thoughts on the Cruise Hive boards!
