Royal Caribbean Still Skipping San Juan Due to Pier Issue

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Pier repairs that have forced Royal Caribbeanโ€™s Oasis-class vessels to reroute itineraries since late November 2024 are still hindering 2025 sailings.

The latest update sees Symphony of the Seas adjusting its February 23, 2025, voyage as San Juan Cruise Portโ€™s Pier 3 in Puerto Rico will still be closed and unable to welcome the 6,680-passenger ship.

The cruise line informed passengers the 228,081-gross-ton ship will now miss its scheduled stops in San Juan and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.

Instead, Symphony of the Seas will visit Royal Caribbeanโ€™s private destination in Labadee, Haiti, as well as Falmouth, Jamaica.

โ€œDue to ongoing construction at the pier in San Juan, the port authority has advised us that the port will not be ready in time for our visit,โ€ said Royal Caribbean in a letter to its guests.

โ€œWe understand how important each destination is to your vacation, so we have worked diligently to find the best alternatives for you,โ€ it added.

The altered 7-night roundtrip Eastern Caribbean itinerary is departing from Miami on February 23.

Originally scheduled to spend its first call at the cruise lineโ€™s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, the journey included a sea day followed by calls in Puerto Rico and St. Maarten and two more sea days before returning to Miami on March 2.

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

Now, following its visit to Perfect Dat at CocoCay, the vessel is adding a 9-hour visit to Nassau, Bahamas, which begins at 8 a.m. on January 25.

After a day at sea, Symphony of the Sea will arrive in Falmouth at 7 a.m. on January 27 and stay until 4 p.m. The following day, January 28, the ship will arrive in Labadee at 9:30 a.m., departing at 5 p.m.

There will be one additional sea day before guests return to Miami for a 6 a.m. arrival. The cruise line has also sent communications for guests booked on the February 16 voyage.

โ€œThank you for your understanding. Weโ€™re excited to share these wonderful destinations with you,โ€ said Royal Caribbean.

Excursions in San Juan and Philipsburg have automatically been cancelled and refunded, and passengers are invited to book excursions in the new destinations.

Repair Delays at Pier 3

The issues at Pier 3 began in April 2024 when MSC Cruisesโ€™ MSC Meraviglia inadvertently damaged its dolphin mooring structure, which secures and stabilizes ships while docked at port.

Port authorities have been diligently working on the repairs, with rumors suggesting they would be completed in January 2025.

The letter from Royal Caribbean indicates the repairs, which are subject to approval by the US Coast Guard, are ongoing and will not be complete until after late February.

Pier 3 in San Juan
Pier 3 in San Juan (Photo Credit: Nenad Basic)

โ€œWe understand the inconvenience of this matter, however, it is critical we ensure the safety of the port, the cruise ships, and the thousands of people who operate on or visit the island through this port facility,โ€ said US Coast Guard Sector San Juan Commander Captain Luis J. Rodriguez.

At 1,182 feet in length, Pier 3 was specifically designed to accommodate Oasis and Quantum-class vessels. Unfortunately, the portโ€™s additional docks cannot handle Royal Caribbeanโ€™s biggest ships, leading to a series of missed port calls.

Meanwhile, San Juan Cruise Port is bustling with construction activity as it also kicked off a $100-million infrastructure improvement plan in late September 2024.

The improvements include repairs to Pier 4, Pan American Piers, and the portโ€™s existing cruise terminals.

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Lissa Poirot
Lissa Poirot
Lissa Poirot has been covering travel for more than a decade, including sites such as TripAdvisor, CruiseCritic, The Points Guy, Family Vacation Critic, and Family Traveller. Her love of travel has led Lissa to visit more than 43 countries and has her on a mission to see every state in the U.S. (only 4 states to go!). When she's not traveling, she's exploring new attractions and events on the weekends, be it in New York City or Philadelphia, as Lissa lives between both fabulous cities.

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