Royal Caribbean International has cancelled multiple 2024 cruises for Jewel of the Seas due to a change in the ship’s upcoming deployment and repositioning plans. Guests are being notified about the change and offered the opportunity to rebook on similar itineraries or receive a full refund.
Cruises Cancelled for Jewel of the Seas
Royal Caribbean has reached out to guests booked aboard Jewel of the Seas for the July 29 and August 10, 2024 departures to notify them that those cruises have been cancelled.
“Our original plan for Jewel of the Seas was to offer sailings departing from Amsterdam, Netherlands through August 10th, 2024. However, due to change in our itinerary planning, Jewel of the Seas will now sail from Haifa, Israel beginning August 16, 2024,” the email explained.
“To accommodate the ship’s repositioning to Haifa, your upcoming Jewel of the Seas cruise has been cancelled.” The impacted sailings were to have been Iceland and Arctic Circle itineraries, truly once-in-a-lifetime cruises for eager travelers.
The July 29, 2024 cruise was a 12-nigth roundtrip Iceland and Ireland exploration, visiting multiple ports in both those destinations, including Akureyri, Reykjavik, Isafjordur, and Seydisfjordur in Iceland, Belfast in northern Ireland, Holyhead in Wales, and Cobh (Cork) in Ireland, returning to Amsterdam on August 10.
The August 10, 2024 departure was then to have been a 12-night round-trip Arctic Circle cruise, calling on seven different ports of call along the western coast of Norway, including Honningsvag and Tromso, both above the Arctic Circle and some of the northernmost cruise destinations in the world.
“We know how much time and effort go into planning your vacation, and we’re terribly sorry for the inconvenience,” the email continues.
Once Jewel of the Seas begins sailing from Haifa, Israel, the ship will be offering a variety of itineraries including visits to Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Spain, ranging from 3-10 nights depending on the departure date.
Options for Cancelled Cruises
Impacted guests have several options to choose from in place of their now-cancelled 2024 cruises.
While a full refund is an option, guests with some flexibility in their travel plans can also rebook to different 2024 itineraries, including a very similar 13-night Arctic Circle sailing departing on July 5, 2024, as well as a 12-night Iceland and Scotland cruise departing on June 23, 2024.
Rebooking windows vary, and other compensation offers may also be available depending on which cancelled cruise guests were previously booked aboard, as well as what stateroom category they had selected and how the cruise fare has been paid.
Other Iceland and Arctic Sailings
Guests who can no longer sail aboard Jewel of the Seas may want to consider different Royal Caribbean ships or dates for this dream voyage.
If guests are able to move up their travel plans by a year, Jewel of the Seas is offering similar 2023 Iceland & Ireland cruises departing on June 5 and June 29, and 2023 Arctic Circle cruises sailing on June 17 and July 11.
Departing August 10 2024, Serenade of the Seas is offering a 9-night Ultimate Norwegian Fjords cruise that will see a great deal of the same beautiful region, if not above the Arctic Circle.
For guests whose dream destination is Iceland, Serenade of the Seas is also offering a 22-night Ultimate Iceland, Greenland & Caribbean Cruise departing Amsterdam on August 19, 2024.
Both Serenade of the Seas cruises are part of the ship’s “Ultimate World Cruise” that will encompass 274 nights, visiting 150 destinations in 65 countries, one of the longest cruises ever offered.
Itineraries have not yet been announced for 2025, but at least one ship is sure to be offering amazing Arctic Circle and Iceland sailings for that summer.
