Voyager of the Seas, which has temporarily been out of service to undergo routine maintenance and inspections in dry dock, isn’t making the grand return to service she was hoping for.
Instead, her first cruise back in business will have to be delayed by one day due to inclement weather.
The sailing was supposed to embark from Barcelona, Spain, on November 10, 2024, and will take guests to the Voyager-class vessel’s next homeport, Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, over the course of 16 nights.
However, the 1999-launched ship’s arrival in the Spanish port will be delayed by one day due to weather – which is also pushing back embarkation by one day in a domino effect.
“Due to a delay in our current dry dock operations caused by adverse weather, Voyager of the Seas will arrive in Barcelona one (1) day later than we initially planned. As a result, we will now depart Barcelona on Monday, November 11, instead of Sunday, November 10,” Royal Caribbean informed guests on November 6, 2024.
As a consequence of the delay, the planned visit to Valencia, Spain, scheduled for November 12 will be cancelled – with the port call on Palma De Mallorca, Spain, being pushed back from November 11 to November 12 instead.
That said, it’s also possible that the visit to Valencia would have been cancelled regardless – as the Spanish city is still recovering from catastrophic flash flooding that killed hundreds.
The remaining ports of call on the itinerary are unaffected, and include Cartagena and Malaga, Spain; Madeira (Funchal), Portugal; and Gran Canaria and Tenerife, Canary Islands.
The rest of the itinerary consists solely of sea days until the 4,269-guest vessel reaches Port Canaveral on November 26.
How Serious is the Weather?
After a particular intense hurricane season in the Atlantic, many may be wondering if the bad weather has now made its way to Europe. But cruisers can rest easy knowing that the current weather forecast isn’t too severe.
The weather in the Barcelona Cruise Port on November 10, when the sailing was originally supposed to begin, will be rainy, with a chance of thunder and lightning.
Winds will be low and cruise ships can typically navigate rain with no issue – but the skies should be clear and sunny when embarkation day finally arrives on November 11.
But in this case, the delay is more likely the result of high winds anticipated for Cádiz, Spain. Per cruise tracking data, this is where the Royal Caribbean ship is currently docked.
Indeed, there is currently a coastal event warning in place from Cádiz to around Tarifa, with strong winds reaching up to around 38 miles per hour expected – which can make navigating ports unsafe and lead to rough seas.
Read Also: What to Do Onboard a Cruise Ship in Bad Weather
But even with a delay, Voyager of the Seas should make it to Port Canaveral on time to begin her season sailing the Caribbean and the Bahamas – which she will do until she returns to Barcelona in May of 2025.
Throughout the winter and early spring, the Royal Caribbean vessel will alternate between three separate itineraries.
The first option is a Bahamas sailing that visits Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay – which is Royal Caribbean’s original private island destination in the Bahamas.
The next voyage in the mix is a 5-night Eastern Caribbean cruise, which will visit Puerto Plata / Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, and Labadee, Haiti – where Royal Caribbean has another private destination.
Last but not least, the cruise ship will operate 5-night Western Caribbean voyages, which will call on Cozumel, Mexico, and CocoCay, Bahamas.
