Royal Caribbean has announced a cruise cancellation for the Mariner of the Seas just over two weeks before the departure. The cancellation is due to a dry dock currently taking place in Cadiz, Spain, which is taking longer than anticipated.
The maintenance work being done on the ship includes new paint, an upgrade to the pool deck and waterslides, maintenance to the propellors, and general hotel and engine maintenance work.
Mariner of the Seas Cruise Cancelled
It seems like a terrible prank. Still, guests booked onboard the Mariner of the Seas for a 5-night cruise on April 1, 2023, from Port Canaveral will be disappointed to learn that Royal Caribbean has indeed cancelled their cruise.
The cancelled voyage was a western Caribbean cruise scheduled to depart from Port Canaveral, Florida, and make stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, before returning to Port Canaveral.
Guests booked on this voyage have been notified of the cancellation. They have been provided with options to either re-book on a future Royal Caribbean sailing or receive a full refund.
In the letter sent to guests, Royal Caribbean stated: “We’re continuously working to enhance our ships and the many amenities they have to offer. Mariner of the Seas is currently undergoing dry dock for routine maintenance and exciting, which will require some extra time for these upgrades to be completed.”
“Regrettably, this means our April 1st, 2023 cruise has been canceled. We know this news is disappointing, and we apologize for the impact on your cruise.”
As the maintenance is relatively straightforward, it seems strange that Mariner of the Seas would be delayed. However, as with many other European countries, Spain, including Cadiz, has seen a fair share of strikes, in particular in the metal industries. This would explain any delays that the vessel incurred during the dry dock, which started at the end of February.
Refund and Rebook Options for Guests
Royal Caribbean outlined several options for affected guests to either rebook or get a full refund.
Under Option 1, guests can re-book on any Royal Caribbean sailing with a future cruise credit. The cruise line will waive non-refundable deposit change fees, but guests will be responsible for any price difference.
Guests will receive a refund if the cruise fare rate decreases. They’ll also be reimbursed for non-refundable transportation change fees and receive a 50% future cruise credit to book and sail on a new sailing by April 1st, 2024.
Under the second option, guests can receive a full refund of any paid portion of their cruise fare, including non-refundable deposits and pre-paid amenities. They’ll also be reimbursed for non-refundable transportation change fees and automatically receive a 50% future cruise credit to book and sail on a new sailing by April 1st, 2024.
Guests who don’t make a decision by March 29th, 2023, will automatically be included in the group of guests that chooses option 2.
Mariner of the Seas is expected to return to operation on April 6, 2023, with a 4-night Western Caribbean Cruise departing from Port Canaveral, Florida, stopping in Cozumel, Mexico, before returning to Port Canaveral.
Mariner of the Seas is one of the five Voyager-class cruise ships owned by Royal Caribbean International. The ship can accommodate up to 4,252 passengers. After a month-long refit costing US$120 million in 2018 under the Royal Amplified program, the ship’s tonnage was increased from 138,279 to 139,863 gross tons.
