Key Aspects:
- Utopia of the Seas will be visiting Cozumel, Mexico, on her October 26 sailing instead of her regular Bahamas destinations.
- King tides and expected near-gale or gale-force winds in the Bahamas are forcing the itinerary change.
- There is no change to the ship’s departure from Port Canaveral on Monday or her return on Friday, October 30.
Guests boarding Utopia of the Seas in Port Canaveral on Monday, October 26, 2026 won’t be sailing to the Bahamas as originally planned, but instead will be heading west: more than 650 miles west of their original destinations of Nassau and Perfect Day CocoCay, in fact, as they will be going to Cozumel, Mexico instead.
Royal Caribbean notified booked guests on Sunday, the day before embarkation, of the weather-related itinerary change.
“Due to a weather system expected to bring unfavorable conditions to the Bahamas next week, we’ve adjusted our itinerary. We will now enjoy two relaxing sea days, with a visit to Cozumel, Mexico on Wednesday,” the email, which has been posted to Reddit, explained.
Originally, the 5,668-guest ship was scheduled to visit Nassau from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, followed by a day at sea on Wednesday and Perfect Day CocoCay from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, before returning to the Sunshine State on Friday, October 30.
Instead, Tuesday and Thursday will now both be days at sea, with Utopia of the Seas in Cozumel from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28. There is no change to the ship’s departure from Port Canaveral at 4 p.m. on Monday or her return to her Florida homeport on Friday, expected to be roughly 7 a.m.
If guests had booked any pre-paid shore tours through Royal Caribbean for either Nassau or Perfect Day CocoCay, those excursions will be automatically cancelled and refunded to guests’ onboard SeaPass accounts.
Not the First Cozumel Visit for Utopia of the Seas
While Utopia of the Seas frequently visits both Nassau and Perfect Day CocoCay on her regular 3- and 4-night cruises, this is not the first time the Oasis-class ship has been to Mexico.
In May 2025, Utopia of the Seas made her first visit to Cozumel on a Mexico sailing rather than her regular Bahamas itineraries. According to Riviera Maya News, a welcome ceremony for the vessel included a commemorative plaque presentation and greetings from local dignitaries.
At the time, the ship was the second largest in the world, just after Icon of the Seas.
Strong Winds and Waves Expected in the Bahamas
The next few days are expected to be rough ones in the Bahamas. According to the Bahamas Department of Meteorology, strong winds of near-gale to gale-force are expected from Sunday, October 25 through Tuesday, October 27. Some marine hazards are likely to continue into Wednesday, and heavy rain and flash flooding are also possible.
Extreme conditions will be exacerbated by the king tides, the highest astronomical tides of the season, which will push water levels higher than usual, raising the risk of coast flooding. Seas from 9-14 feet are expected, with some local conditions even higher. Atlantic conditions are expected to be higher than sheltered conditions.
Any cruise guests on any line with destinations in the Bahamas over the next few days should stay in close communication with their cruise line in case of itinerary changes and updates as they are confirmed.
