Royal Caribbean Makes Port Change Some Guests Aren’t Happy About

With the upcoming opening of the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in the Bahamas, Royal Caribbean is adjusting a number of ship itineraries to ensure guests get a chance to visit the new destination.

Many guests aren’t pleased with the change, particularly with the reasoning given and what it means for their itinerary.

“As we plan our upcoming adventure together, we have an update to our itinerary,” the email sent to booked guests explains. “To allow our guests the opportunity to check out our newest addition to the Bahamas, we’ve decided to skip our visit to Cozumel, Mexico, and make our way to Nassau, Bahamas, instead.”

The impacted sailings are confirmed for Independence of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas in February and March 2026, though individual changes may vary.

Both ships are homeported from Miami. Independence of the Seas offers alternating 7-night Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean sailings, while Freedom of the Seas offers 4- and 5-night itineraries.

Independence of the Seas‘ Eastern Caribbean cruises already have visits to Nassau scheduled, but it is the Western Caribbean voyages that are being changed. Other ports on the itinerary, including Jamaica and Grand Cayman, remain unchanged.

Similar changes are being made for select Freedom of the Seas sailings, with Cozumel swapped out for Nassau.

Read Also: Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay – Full Guide

For these shorter Western Caribbean itineraries, the ship isn’t actually going anywhere near the Western Caribbean at all, but instead is remaining in the Bahamas.

It is possible that other Royal Caribbean ships will have similar changes in the coming months as Royal Beach Club Paradise Island opens.

Not Everyone Happy With the Swap

Some guests on the now-changed itineraries are unhappy with the swap, for various reasons.

“Cozumel is amazing. We planned our last cruise entirely around diving there,” one guest commented on Reddit.

It’s true that Cozumel has some of the most amazing diving and snorkeling in the Caribbean, and it can certainly be disappointing to miss those opportunities.

Other guests are upset that these changes are (so far) for winter itineraries, and the weather will not be as warm in the Bahamas as it might be in Cozumel.

For example, typical temperatures in Nassau in February are in the low 70s (Fahrenheit), but in Cozumel, typical February temperatures are closer to 80 degrees.

This might not seem like a significant difference, but it can certainly impact the comfort of a beach day, especially for travelers from winter climates.

Focus on the Royal Beach Club

This is not the first time Royal Caribbean has swapped Cozumel for Nassau on various itineraries. These changes were first spotted in November, but the explanation has changed.

On previous changes, the cruise line explained that the change was just part of the “ongoing itinerary planning process” and that “modifications can occur at any time.”

Now, however, the language of the notification email explains the reasoning behind the changes is “to allow our guests the opportunity to check out our newest addition to the Bahamas” which is angering many guests.

Unlike Perfect Day at CocoCay that nearly every impacted Royal Caribbean sailing already visits, general access to Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is not free.

Guests can enjoy CocoCay without spending any more money if they wish, with plenty of beach access, hammocks, beach games, lunch buffets, and other fun.

Just to enter the new beach club in Nassau, however, will cost $100-150 and higher per person, depending on whether they want an all-inclusive alcohol drink package or just soft drinks. Renting cabanas or other exclusive experiences will cost even more.

To be fair, no guests are forced to visit the club, as other shore excursions remain available in Nassau for those interested.

Guests can also choose to explore the capital of the Bahamas on their own, or just enjoy extra time onboard their ship when it may be less crowded.