Simply days after Royal Caribbean Worldwide introduced that the second Icon-class ship could be delayed and her first two sailings cancelled, the cruise line has simply confirmed that the subsequent upcoming up – Utopia of the Seas – will likely be able to enter service ahead of anticipated.
A brand new 3-night inaugural crusing is being provided, and visitors booked on what is going to now be the ship’s second crusing may have the choice to maneuver as much as the sooner cruise if they like.
New Inaugural Crusing for Utopia of the Seas
Royal Caribbean Worldwide has reached out to visitors booked on what was to have been the primary crusing of Utopia of the Seas to tell them that the brand new ship is definitely going to be welcoming visitors sooner than initially deliberate.
This implies a brand new, earlier inaugural crusing for the sixth Oasis-class ship, and a missed alternative for vacationers who had eagerly booked the July 22, 2024 departure for the once-in-a-ship’s-lifetime very first cruise. These visitors are, nonetheless, being supply the chance to alter their reserving if their journey plans are versatile.
“Utopia of the Seas is forward of schedule and arriving at Port Canaveral sooner than initially deliberate. Though the July twenty second, 2024 inaugural season crusing that you just booked will nonetheless happen, we’re including an additional voyage previous to this one,” the e-mail notification learn.
“Now, the primary inaugural season crusing will likely be a 3-night weekend cruise on July nineteenth, 2024 as an alternative of the 4-night crusing on July twenty second, 2024.”
The cruise line acknowledges that many vacationers could have booked the precise July 22 cruise to be the primary onboard the ship, and to accommodate that want, these visitors have the choice to maneuver their reserving to the brand new cruise.
If booked passengers do choose to switch their cruise three days earlier, they are going to be in the very same stateroom as their authentic reservation, and they are going to be given a prorated one-day refund of their cruise fare to compensate for the shorter size of the brand new inaugural cruise. An analogous pro-rated refund can even be offered for pre-paid gratuities, Wi-Fi packages, beverage packages, and different add-on choices.
Any vacationers who booked airfare for the unique cruise by means of Royal Caribbean may have their flights modified as wanted, and the cruise line will cowl any non-refundable change charges for visitors with impartial flight or lodge preparations, as much as $200 (USD) per particular person for home journey or $400 for worldwide journey.
Receipts will should be submitted for reimbursement consideration, as is normal process with these kind of modifications.
The supply to maneuver to the brand new crusing is just out there for a restricted time, and visitors should make their resolution no later than Tuesday, March 12. After that date, it’s doubtless the brand new inaugural crusing will likely be opened for bookings for different vacationers.
Learn Additionally: Carnival Cruise Line Company Aggravated Over New, Earlier Inaugural Crusing
If visitors don’t reply to the supply, they’ll stay on the July 22 departure with no influence to their reservation.
It ought to be famous that Utopia of the Seas will likely be homeported from Port Canaveral, and each cruises will go to Nassau in addition to CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s personal island in The Bahamas. The one distinction between the 2 cruises is that the 4-night cruise can even embrace a day at sea.
Two Inaugural Sailings
A cruise ship’s maiden voyage is usually stuffed with particular occasions equivalent to further events, memento items for passengers, and distinctive moments vacationers don’t get to expertise on different sailings.
Royal Caribbean has reassured visitors that each of Utopia of the Seas‘ first two sailings will embrace such particular moments so everybody can benefit from the expertise.
“Whether or not you be a part of us in your authentic crusing or the brand new one, we’re thrilled you’ve chosen to set sail on Utopia of the Seas for the inaugural season! Make sure that to look out for some candy commemorative objects to have fun our latest ship within the fleet in your stateroom in the course of the first and second crusing, regardless of which of those sailings you find yourself selecting,” the e-mail mentioned.
Utopia of the Seas would be the sixth Oasis-class ship in Royal Caribbean fleet, and was lengthy believed to be the ultimate ship within the immensely well-liked class – particularly after the wildly profitable debut of the subsequent class with Icon of the Seas.
On February 15, nonetheless, the cruise line introduced a brand new order for what would be the seventh Oasis-class ship, which isn’t but named.
Whereas building for the brand new ship has not but begun and financing is but to be organized, she is predicted to debut as early as 2028 – providing cruise visitors but yet another alternative for an inaugural crusing aboard an Oasis-class ship.
