Key Aspects:
- The Port of Shanghai has been closed ahead of Typhoon Dolphin, and Spectrum of the Seas cannot return on schedule.
- The ship’s current sailing will be extended several days instead of returning on August 8 as originally planned.
- Likewise, the next sailing will be shortened to accommodate the delay, and the entire itinerary has been changed.
The strength and track of Typhoon Dolphin as it moves toward China have now affected two sailings of Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas.
The ship is homeported in Shanghai but will be unable to return from her current voyage as scheduled on Saturday, August 8. That sailing has now been extended, while the following cruise is delayed as a result.
Ship’s Return to Shanghai Now Delayed
Spectrum of the Seas departed on her current 5-night sailing on Monday, August 3, with visits to Busan and Yeosu in South Korea. Rather than returning to Shanghai as planned on Saturday, however, the ship must divert and remain at sea to stay safely away from the storm.
Ahead of the storm, the Port of Shanghai has been closed, which is a standard precaution whenever typhoons or hurricanes threaten ports. Satellite tracking now shows the ship already at sea after leaving Yeosu.
Typhoon Dolphin is expected to make landfall south of Shanghai, likely on Sunday, August 9. Rough waters and strong winds extending far out from the storm, however, as well as uncertainty in the exact path, make it unsafe for the ship to attempt to reach Shanghai on her planned schedule.
Next Sailing Delayed
Royal Caribbean has reached out to guests booked on Spectrum of the Seas‘ August 8 departure from Shanghai with adjustments to their now-delayed itinerary.
“Due to the development of the storm, its impact, and the government closure of the Port of Shanghai (Baoshan), the previous Spectrum of the Seas sailing has been extended, and as a result, our 8 August 2026, sailing has unfortunately been delayed,” the cruise line explained. “Our sailing will now begin on 11 August 2026.”
The 8-night itinerary was to have visited three destinations in Japan: Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo. On the shortened now 5-night cruise, however, those ports are no longer possible.
Spectrum of the Seas will now depart Shanghai on Tuesday, August 11 at 4 p.m. and spend Wednesday at sea. Thursday will be a visit to Jeju, South Korea followed by Friday in Nagasaki, Japan. Both port visits are 12 hours long, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Another full day at sea will bring the 4,246-guest ship back to Shanghai for debarkation on Sunday, August 16 with an expected arrival at 6:30 a.m.
The notification letter Royal Caribbean has sent to booked guests discusses compensation for these changes. Those who still want to set sail despite the changes will receive a refundable onboard credit, and any amount left at the end of the cruise will be returned to the card on file after final debarkation.
The credit amount varies based on the type of stateroom. Inside staterooms will receive $400 (USD), while outside staterooms will receive $550, balconies will receive $600, and deluxe staterooms will receive $1,100. Those amounts are the total for the stateroom with two guests, but if there are third or fourth guests in the stateroom, the amount will be increased by $150 for each extra guest.
In addition, guests will also receive a future cruise credit for the same amount per stateroom. The letter notes that these credits can be used for any future Royal Caribbean sailing booked no later than August 16, 2027. Those future cruises do not have to be aboard Spectrum of the Seas, but can be on any Royal Caribbean cruise.
Because the cruise has been shortened, Royal Caribbean is also prorating refunds of onboard gratuities and pre-paid packages such as drink packages, dining packages, and internet access. Those refunds will also go to guests’ onboard accounts as refundable onboard credit.
As is standard with any port cancellation, shore excursions booked through Royal Caribbean for the now-cancelled visits to Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo will be automatically cancelled and refunded to guests’ accounts.
If guests prefer not to set sail on what is now a dramatically different cruise than they had originally booked, they will receive a full 100% refund of their cruise fare as a future cruise credit.
“Please note, if you choose this option, we will not provide additional compensation,” the cruise line stated.
Which option guests select may well depend on where they are located before setting sail and if they are already in Shanghai. Guests who have already traveled to China may enjoy some extra (albeit rainy) days in Shanghai ahead of their sailing, while those who may be local to the homeport or who have not yet traveled to China could prefer to cancel.
Typhoon Dolphin Update
As of the most recent update at 8 a.m. (EDT), Weather Underground shows Typhoon Dolphin located approximately 635 miles southeast of Shanghai, moving west at 10 miles per hour. Current top winds are roughly 90 miles per hour, equivalent to a strong Category 1 hurricane. Gusts have been recorded at 100 mph.
The storm’s track is expected to curve slightly north, bringing it closer to Shanghai as it approaches the coast of China over the next couple of days.
