Royal Caribbean Changes Itinerary for First New Homeport Cruise

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Royal Caribbean International has reached out to guests booked on the first cruise Allure of the Seas will be taking from Port Canaveral later this year to advise them of an itinerary change with a port substitution.

That is the only change to the cruise at this time, but the switch in ports may be disappointing to some travelers.

Allure of the Seas Itinerary Change

The October 25, 2023 departure for Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas has been modified, according to notifications the cruise line has emailed to booked guests. What was to have been a Western Caribbean sailing is now much more of an Eastern Caribbean sailing, with a substitute port of call 950 miles (1,530 kilometers) further east.

“To provide you with the best experience, we’ve replaced our visit to Cozumel, Mexico with Labadee, Haiti,” the email read.

The call to Labadee will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 28, giving guests a full day to explore all the private destination offers, including beachside relaxation, superb snorkeling, and thrill-seeking mountain adventures.

Royal Caribbean Galveston Terminal

“We’re excited to take you to our private destination and know you’ll have an excellent time!” the email continued. At this time, the ship’s planned visit to CocoCay, the cruise line’s private island in The Bahamas, is unchanged.

All pre-paid Royal Caribbean shore excursions for Cozumel are being automatically cancelled and refunded back to guests’ original form of payment, and tours are available now to book for Labadee.

Read Also: Labadee, Haiti: What You Need to Know

The October 25 sailing is the Oasis-class ship’s first departure from Port Canaveral after repositioning from Galveston, Texas, where Allure of the Seas has been based since late November 2022, when she was the first ship to depart from the cruise line’s new Galveston terminal.

Why Switch Ports of Call?

Other than “to provide you with the best experience” Royal Caribbean has given no explanation for the change of itinerary.

On October 28, two other ships are scheduled to be in Cozumel – Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas as well as Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Valor. Meanwhile, on that same date in Labadee, Allure of the Seas will be the only vessel, ensuring guests a more exclusive and less crowded experience.

However, guests from Florida who were hoping to visit Mexico may be disappointed with the itinerary change. While Labadee is a great destination with amazing things to do, it lacks the access to ancient Mayan ruins, the famed Chankanaab National Park, and other unique opportunities found only in Cozumel.

Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas
Photo Credit: BA Arts / Shutterstock

Fortunately, because the change is being made six months before the sailing, guests have ample time to adjust their travel plans and rebook on a different Royal Caribbean ship that will be visiting Cozumel near the end of October.

The largest ship in the world, Wonder of the Seas, will be visiting Cozumel on October 25 as part of a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary that will also leave from Port Canaveral, with additional ports of call in CocoCay, Roatan, and Costa Maya.

Radiance of the Seas will be the next Royal Caribbean ship in Cozumel on October 26 during a 5-night Western Caribbean cruise from Tampa, with an additional stop in Costa Maya.

Voyager of the Seas will be in the port on October 28 during a 4-night sailing from Galveston, where Cozumel is the only port of call.

Finally, Mariner of the Seas will call on Cozumel on October 31 as part of a 5-night Western Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral that will visit Costa Maya the day before.

With so many options available, guests with some travel flexibility will have no trouble finding a cruise to make all their Mexican getaway dreams come true.

GigSky Cruise SIM

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Melissa Mayntz
Melissa Mayntz
Melissa has been offering her expertise on cruises since 2017 and reporting on cruise news since 2021. her work has been featured in newspapers, blogs, and websites on a wide range of subjects, but cruises remain her favorite topic to cover. She has been on more than 40 voyages to the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, and more, and always has at least one more sailing booked on the horizon.

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