Key Facets:
- Icon of the Seas will sail a Western Caribbean route as an alternative of her deliberate Jap Caribbean itinerary on her October 25 departure resulting from Tropical Storm Melissa.
- Further ships with Jap Caribbean itineraries in addition to visits to Jamaica over the weekend and into subsequent week may additionally be impacted.
- The Prime Minister of Jamaica has declared all the nation a “threatened space” forward of what’s going to probably be a serious hurricane landfall straight over the island.
Royal Caribbean has notified friends simply hours earlier than embarkation for Icon of the Seas‘ October 25, 2025 departure from Miami that they won’t be visiting the Jap Caribbean as initially deliberate. As a result of presence and potential forecast from Tropical Storm Melissa, the large ship will head for the Western Caribbean as an alternative.
“Our Captain, together with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, has been monitoring Tropical Storm Melissa that’s anticipated to maneuver via the realm of our crusing,” the e-mail notification reads.
“To soundly keep away from the impacts of the creating storm, we’ve determined to modify our itinerary to the Western Caribbean as an alternative of the Jap Caribbean for this crusing.”
The 7-night cruise from Miami had included St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Good Day at CocoCay as deliberate port visits. As a substitute, the ship will now go to Cozumel and Roatan, although the go to to Royal Caribbean’s non-public island vacation spot within the Bahamas will nonetheless be on Friday, October 31, however with the ship arriving at 7 a.m. as an alternative of 8:30 a.m.
Curiously, this shift for Icon of the Seas is almost equivalent to the shift her sister ship, Star of the Seas, needed to make for Tropical Storm Imelda virtually precisely one month in the past.
All pre-paid shore excursions for St. Maarten and St. Thomas booked via Royal Caribbean can be routinely cancelled and refunded as onboard credit score to friends’ ship accounts. If any funds stay on the finish of the crusing, they are going to be reimbursed to the cardboard on file.
Within the meantime, friends can guide excursions for Cozumel and Roatan via the Royal Caribbean app or by visiting the Visitor Companies space on Deck 5 simply aft of the Pearl.
At practically 250,000 gross tons, the 2 Icon-class vessels are the most important cruise ships on this planet. Due to their large measurement, they might face distinctive difficulties with last-minute itinerary adjustments to make sure port amenities can adequately deal with the as much as 7,600 friends which may be aboard.
Security is at all times the primary precedence for the cruise line, and Royal Caribbean will do the whole lot essential to hold the ship, friends, and crew members secure and as comfy as doable it doesn’t matter what the climate.
Whereas Icon of the Seas is the primary Royal Caribbean ship to substantiate adjustments resulting from Tropical Storm Melissa, she undoubtedly received’t be the final. Any ships crusing close to Jamaica via the weekend and early subsequent week, in addition to itineraries that embody the Turks & Caicos or jap Bahamas subsequent week, could also be impacted.
Throughout the Royal Caribbean fleet, this might embody Journey, Freedom, Concord, and Rhapsody of the Seas, in addition to different ships relying on their operational plans. Any friends booked on sailings within the area (for any cruise line) will need to keep in shut contact with their cruise line for rapid updates as adjustments are confirmed.
Tropical Storm Melissa Replace
As of the Saturday 8 a.m. replace from the Nationwide Hurricane Heart (NHC), Melissa stays a tropical storm with most sustained wind speeds of 70 miles per hour, simply 4 miles per hour beneath the edge of an official hurricane.
The storm’s middle is positioned 160 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica with a west-northwest motion of only one mile per hour. That sluggish velocity is allowing the storm to achieve power, and it’s anticipated she is going to turn out to be a hurricane on Saturday.
Learn Additionally: The Finest Solution to Assist Cruise Ports After a Hurricane
Jamaica is dealing with a direct landfall of what’s going to probably be a serious (Class 3-4) hurricane early subsequent week. The island nation’s prime minister, Dr. Andrew Holness, declared all the nation a “threatened space” on Friday, October 24 because the storm approaches.
“This declaration empowers the Authorities to implement precautionary and protecting measures to safeguard lives, property, and important infrastructure,” the assertion from the Workplace of the Prime Minister stated.
“By declaring Jamaica a threatened space, we’re activating the authorized instruments to maneuver assets rapidly, safeguard crucial companies, and shield essentially the most susceptible,” Holness defined.
“This declaration allows the Authorities to behave swiftly and decisively. I’ve directed all businesses to execute their preparedness plans, together with shelter readiness and the pre-positioning of provides and gear.”
As soon as the storm passes over Jamaica, Melissa is predicted to show towards the northeast over jap Cuba and head into the Larger Antilles. This can probably impression extra Jap Caribbean or Bahamas cruises via the center of subsequent week.
Icon of the Seas Shifts Itinerary As a result of Tropical Storm Melissa
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