Cruise passengers could spend months planning for his or her excellent oceangoing trip, however what occurs when too many vacationers e-book the identical trip?
Whereas cruise ships don’t usually get overbooked, precisely that has occurred to Royal Caribbean’s Attract of the Seas for her Might 15, 2025 departure from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy.
The cruise line has reached out to booked company with some very tempting choices in the event that they select to adapt their plans, together with refunds, rebookings, and future cruise credit.
“Forward of our Attract of the Seas, Might 15, 2025, crusing, we wish to see if you happen to and your journey get together have versatile journey plans,” the e-mail famous.
Three choices have been described. The primary is to stay on the identical crusing, however to maneuver to a “cozy inside stateroom” (the cruise line’s description!). Friends would obtain a full refund of the present reserving, plus a $200 (USD) onboard credit score.
Significantly? A full refund plus onboard credit score, and also you’re STILL on the cruise? That’s a fantastic provide for anybody who doesn’t thoughts an inside cabin. Whereas they are often “cozy” certainly, vacationers nonetheless get all the identical leisure, eating choices, and different onboard enjoyable – a unbelievable worth.
The second choice is to switch to a 7-night Odyssey of the Seas cruise departing from Rome three days later, on Might 18, 2025. It is a Greek Isles itinerary visiting Santorini, Ephesus, Mykonos, and Naples.
The unique Attract of the Seas cruise was to have visited Naples, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and La Spezia – a considerably completely different expertise, despite the fact that the 2 cruises are the identical size.
Moreover, the ships are additionally completely different in dimension and structure. The Oasis-class Attract of the Seas is bigger and options completely different leisure, together with aqua reveals, whereas the Quantum Extremely-class Odyssey of the Seas roughly 25% smaller.
To sweeten the deal, Royal Caribbean is providing a full refund of the primary cruise to company who switch to Odyssey of the Seas. The cruise fare aboard Odyssey of the Seas can also be fully lined, although vacationers might want to pay taxes, charges, and gratuities.
The third choice is for company to easily cancel their Attract of the Seas cruise for a full refund, together with any non-refundable deposits, taxes, and different charges.
These company may also obtain a 100% future cruise credit score for the worth of their unique Attract of the Seas fare for use on any upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise departing no later than Might 15, 2026 – one 12 months from their unique crusing date.
If company select both the Odyssey of the Seas swap or just cancel altogether, Royal Caribbean may also reimburse any non-refundable, pre-paid journey bills corresponding to motels and flights.
As a result of the impacted crusing is simply 10 days away, company have a restricted time to reply with their selection, if they like any change in any respect, and should make their choice no later than Wednesday, Might 7.
To be clear, no visitor is obligated to make any swap in any respect. If passengers favor to stay aboard Attract of the Seas for his or her unique cruise reservation, that’s the default choice and no change is important.
Not the First Overbooking for Attract of the Seas
The Might 15, 2025 crusing isn’t the one overbooked crusing for Attract of the Seas in current weeks.
Royal Caribbean beforehand provided related choices to company booked aboard the ship’s April 24, 2025 cruise, which was additionally a 7-night Western Mediterranean crusing from Civitavecchia.
Apparently, the identical ship at practically the identical time of 12 months – on the finish of April and once more two weeks later in mid-Might, 2023 – additionally had overbooking considerations with related offers provided to impacted company.
However how do overbookings happen? Cruise traces sometimes do oversell staterooms based mostly on their information evaluation, understanding that it’s extremely doubtless there will probably be a sure variety of cancellations within the days main as much as embarkation.
At different occasions, solely sure classes of cabins could also be oversold. This appears doubtless aboard Attract of the Seas, for the reason that first choice is to maneuver company to an inside stateroom, indicating there are a number of inside cabins nonetheless obtainable.
Learn Additionally: Cruise Ship Cabins to Keep away from – Stateroom Reserving Ideas
If company do choose the stateroom swap, the cruise line will have the ability to fill within the unique stateroom classes – balconies, oceanviews, or suites – with out problem, and with out forcibly cancelling any traveler’s itinerary.
However what if nobody switches rooms? It’s attainable such swaps could develop into needed, or else company is perhaps left wanting on the cruise terminal because the ship sails away, as occurred aboard Quantum of the Seas in November 2023.
For me, the most suitable choice could be the primary – a full refund, beneficiant onboard credit score, and nonetheless attending to take the cruise. As for the inside stateroom, whereas it wouldn’t be my first selection, it’s all of the extra purpose to get out of the cabin and revel in extra time on deck!
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