Resorts World Cruises has announced the cancellation of multiple cruise departures from Hong Kong between August 30 and October 6, 2024, due to a schedule change in operations.
The impacted itineraries include popular weekend cruises at sea, as well as extended voyages to Okinawa, Japan, and Vietnam. The announcement affects passengers who planned to travel on the 1,856-passenger Resorts World One.
“We understand this cancellation of departures … may affect our guests,” Resorts World Cruises stated in a notice sent to passengers. “Any inconvenience caused is regretted and we thank you in advance for your kind understanding.”
The cancellations affect Friday departures for the 3-day, 2-night Weekend Cruising at Sea on August 30 and September 6, 13, and 20, 2024. Additionally, Sunday departures for the 6-day, 5-night Okinawa Cruise Naha-Ishigaki on September 1 and Naha-Miyakojima on September 15, 2024, are cancelled.
The 6-day, 5-night Vietnam Cruise, Sanya-Da Nang Ha Long Bay on September 8 and 22 and October 6, 2024, are also affected.
However, Resorts World Cruises’ website is still advertising bookings for a Sunday Okinawa sailing for Naha-Ishigaki on September 29, 2024, and a Friday weekend getaway cruise on September 27 and October 4.
The weekend cruises depart from Hong Kong on Fridays, spend a day at sea on Saturdays, and return to Hong Kong at noon on Sundays. The 5-day cruise will depart from Hong Kong, spend a day at sea, and arrive in Naha for a 10-hour call. The following day, it arrives in Miyakojima for another 10-hour call before a day at sea and an arrival in Hong Kong.
Those three cruises will be the last cruises before the 75,338-gross-ton Resorts World One repositions to the Arabian Gulf, where the ship will make 75 calls in the region on cruises between Dubai, U.A.E., and Doha, Qatar, and Sir Bani Yas, U.A.E.; and Khasab and Muscat, Oman. The 2- and 3-night cruises will run from October 18, 2024, and April 13, 2025.
As the ships are sailing in the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf, they will not be affected by the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea that has forced the cancellations of many Middle East voyages.
Passengers Offered Three Options
Passengers with confirmed paid bookings on the cancelled cruises have three options. First, they can transfer their booking to another Resorts World One sailing of the same duration before or on September 29, 2024, or October 4, 2024.
This option includes complimentary onboard credits of HK$400 per cabin for a 2-night cruise and HK$600 per cabin for a 5-night cruise. Availability for these transfers is subject to the same duration, type, booking conditions, and cabin category as the original booking.
Second, passengers can cancel their cruise and receive a cruise credit for the full amount of their paid cabin fare, port charges, and shore excursion fees.
The credit must be redeemed within six months on Resorts World One or Resorts World Cruises’ flagship 150,695-gross-ton Genting Dream, which holds 3,352 passengers. If the fare or port charges for the new booking are higher than the original, passengers will need to pay the difference.
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Finally, passengers can cancel their cruise and receive a full refund of their paid cabin fare, port charges, and shore excursion fees. If passengers do not choose an option by the June 15, 2024, deadline, they will automatically receive a full refund.
