Royal Caribbean Ship Drops Bonaire, Adds Rare Colombia Port

The “ABC” itinerary that visits Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao is a highly coveted schedule for cruise travelers, but guests onboard one upcoming sailing of Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas will now be missing a letter in their cruise vacation. A substitute port has been added instead, giving them a rare port visit opportunity.

Booked guests on the ship’s Saturday, January 23, 2027 sailing have received notification of the itinerary change for their 7-night roundtrip sailing from Colon, Panama.

“On Day 3, we’ll now visit Santa Marta, Colombia instead of a Sea Day, arriving at 8:00 AM and departing at 5:00 PM,” the email noted. “As a result, we’ll enjoy our Sea Day the following day in place of our previously scheduled visit to Kralendijk, Bonaire.”

The ship’s departure from Colon is unchanged, as is the first port visit scheduled for Cartagena, Colombia on Sunday, January 24.

Now, the 1,992-guest vessel will visit the second port in Colombia the very next day, on Monday, January 25. A day at sea will follow, which was to have been the visit to Bonaire.

The stops in Willemstad, Curacao and Oranjestad, Aruba on January 27 and 28, respectively, are unchanged. Similarly, the ship’s return to Colon for debarkation on Saturday, January 30 is also unchanged.

Royal Caribbean has noted that any pre-paid shore tours booked through the cruise line for Bonaire will be automatically cancelled and refunded back to the original form of payment.

Why Is Bonaire Dropped?

No exact reasoning for the schedule change has been confirmed. Royal Caribbean only notes that “from time to time, updates are necessary as we finalize scheduling, port arrangements, and operational details.”

Grandeur of the Seas was to have been the only vessel docked in Bonaire on Tuesday, January 26, so port crowding at that destination is not impacting this particular itinerary. It is possible that maintenance, dredging, construction, or other non-cruise port traffic may be causing the schedule change.

Bonaire is also not listed under any elevated US Travel Advisories, only a “Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions” advisory, so the change is not due to safety or security concerns.

The Dutch Caribbean island is the most distant on the itinerary, however, at more than 800 miles from the ship’s Colon homeport. Cruise lines will occasionally adjust itineraries to improve fuel efficiency and conservation, which could cancel distant destinations.

Because Grandeur of the Seas is still visiting Curacao, however, this explanation is also unlikely. Willemstad and Kralendijk are just 42 miles apart, hardly worth a fuel savings change.

Guest feedback, port taxes, shore tour availability, and other factors are all part of itinerary refinements.

Cruise Hive regularly reports on similar itinerary changes, most recently aboard Royal Caribbean’s largest and newest ship, Legend of the Seas. Staying informed on such changes can help guests confidently plan their cruise vacations.

Visiting Santa Marta

While some guests may be understandably disappointed in this change, the opportunity to explore another port in Colombia is a rare option.

Founded in 1525, Santa Marta, Colombia, is the second-oldest city in South America and offers a rich history for visitors to explore, including being the place of death of Simón Bolívar.

It is not, however, a frequently visited cruise port. In January 2027, only three other ships are scheduled for Santa Marta: Oceania Marina, Ambassador Cruise Lines’ Ambience, and Star Clippers’ Star Clipper.

Though she is the oldest and smallest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, the 73,817-gross-ton Grandeur of the Seas will still be the largest ship to visit the city that month.

Royal Caribbean is planning new shore tours for the destination that will be available for guests to book through the Royal Caribbean app and the cruise line’s website in the coming days.