Just when Dubai cruisers were getting used to enjoying a series of 2- to 5-night cruises from Dubai on Resorts World Cruises, the cruise line has announced it will cancel its 2025 season from February 26 on.
The cruise line, which began to offer the U.A.E. voyages on its 1,856-passenger ship, Resorts World One, on November 1, 2024, attributed the cancellations to operational issues, disappointing thousands of would-be guests.
In a letter sent to passengers on January 22, 2025, beginning with the feared “we regret to inform you,” Resorts World Cruises apologized.
“On behalf of Resorts World Cruises, we regret to inform you that the Resorts World One departures from Dubai will be cancelled from 26 February 2025 onwards,” the cruise line said.
“We understand your disappointment and would sincerely like to apologize for the inconvenience caused, as the cancellation is necessary due to a change in the operational schedule,” it continued.
The cruise line has been operating a series of roundtrip departures from Dubai, including a 2-night Doha sailing on Wednesdays, 2-night Sir Bani Yas journeys on Fridays, and 3-night Khasab and Muscat voyages on Sundays.
Resorts World One will maintain its January 29 and February 5, 12, and 19 departures to Doha; its January 24 and 31 and February 7, 14, and 21 sailings to Sir Bani Yas; and its January 26 and February 2, 9, 16, and 23 routes to Khasab and Muscat.
The cancellation, however, affects 20 voyages beginning February 26 through April 11, 2025, as the cruise line is repositioning the vessel to Mumbai, India, from March 5 through June 1, 2025.
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Passengers have been offered a full refund of their cruise, including cabin fare, port charges, and paid shore excursions made to the original booking source. (Those who booked through a travel agency will need to contact the agency for refunds.)
The cruise line has also offered guests a free voyage matching their cancelled itinerary on any earlier date departing by or on February 23, 2025.
The complimentary offering applies only to fares, and passengers will be responsible for port charges, gratuities, and shore excursions.
Keelung Cancellations
Resorts World Cruises’ move to India is also affecting passengers sailing from Keelung, Taiwan, to destinations in Japan.
The 75,338-gross-ton ship was slated to begin a series of 2- to 5-night sailings April 30, 2025, starting with a sea-day voyage. The Keelung itineraries will now begin June 13, 2025, forcing the cancellation of 14 cruises.
Resorts World One was scheduled to sail 2-night roundtrip journeys from Keelung to Ishigaki on May 7, 9, 16, 30, and June 6; Miyakojima on May 2; and two High Seas cruises on April 30 and May 23, all now cancelled.
Its 3-night roundtrip voyage to Naha and Miyakojima on May 4 and 5-night itinerary to Kagoshima, Kumamoto, and Naha on May 18 are also affected.
Additionally, the 5-day cruises to Osaka and Kochi on May 11 and 25 and June 8 have been cancelled.
Passengers on these voyages were given a selection of options, including the ability to cancel the cruise for a full refund or to cancel and receive a cruise credit.
Those electing to take the credit also receive a complimentary dining credit of NTD 400 per person per sailing.
An additional option allows guests to transfer their booking to any of the 27 available sailings from Keelung from June 13, 2025, onward, and they will also receive a NTD 400 dining credit per person.
