Royal Caribbeanโs Grandeur of the Seas canโt catch a break.
After departing for a 5-night cruise from Tampa on October 7, 2024, the 73,817-gross-ton ship had to alter its course from Mexico to the Bahamas to avoid what was then-Tropical Storm Milton, which formed in the Gulf of Mexico on October 5.
As Milton gained strength and, at several points, reached Category 5 status, it headed straight for Tampa with a vengeance, forcing Port Tampa Bay to close.
The ship, fearful of damage to the port, made a contingency plan to return its passengers to shore on October 12 from either Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale or PortMiami, bussing guests back to Tampa.
However, now that Milton has passed, Royal Caribbean will instead return to Tampa a day later than expected and has altered the shipโs itinerary yet again by adding an additional day in Nassau, Bahamas, on October 11 and spending another day at sea on October 12.
As a result,ย Grandeur of the Seasย will be delayed in returning to Tampa in time for its upcoming October 12, 2024, sailing. While passengers on the current voyage get an extra day, the following 5-night roundtrip Western Caribbean cruise to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, will be cut short a day.
The 2,440-passenger ship will now set sail on Sunday, October 13, 2024, skipping its call in Costa Maya. It will cruise directly to Cozumel as its only port of call before returning to Tampa, as scheduled, on October 17, 2024.
โAlong with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, we have been tracking the aftermath of Hurricane Miltonโs impact to Port Tampa Bay. As a result, our previous sailing will be delayed,โ Royal Caribbean wrote in a letter to passengers.
โWeโre terribly sorry for this last-minute change caused by the weather,โ it continued.
The cruise line also noted its return to port is fluid and that times are not yet finalized, although the letter suggested the ship aims to arrive in Tampa by 7 a.m., and anticipates a 4 p.m. departure.
October 14 and 16 will be days at sea, and October 15th’s call in Cozumel will extend from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., as originally scheduled.
Compensation and Refunds
With the shortened duration, Royal Caribbean is offering refunds to passengers on the affected voyage. Guests will receive a refund equivalent to one day of their cruise fare, credited back as an onboard credit.
Additionally, the cruise line announced passengers will receive a prorated refund for any pre-purchased packages, including beverage plans, dining, VOOM Internet access, and pre-paid gratuities, as a way โto give us another opportunity to make it up to you.โ
โAll Onboard Credits can be used anywhere onboard, and any remaining refundable amounts at the end of our sailing will be refunded to the card on file up to 14 business days from final disembarkation,โ wrote Royal Caribbean.
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Any excursions booked through the cruise line in Costa Maya will also be refunded. Passengers who booked independent excursions will need to contact their providers to cancel and receive refunds.
As Cozumelโs schedule remains intact, pre-booked excursions remain unchanged.
Guests facing any out-of-pocket expenses, such as hotel expenses needed for the additional day in Tampa, can use the cruise lineโs letter for insurance purposes.