Royal Caribbean passengers expecting a week of sunshine in Florida and the Bahamas have instead found themselves heading to Canada after severe weather forced a dramatic last-minute change to their cruise.
Oasis of the Seas departed Cape Liberty, New Jersey, on 18th October 2026 for what was supposed to be a seven-night Caribbean getaway, including three popular destinations.
However, passengers were informed on the evening before departure that their entire itinerary had been replaced, with the ship instead heading north to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The decision meant that guests would miss all three originally scheduled ports, including Royal Caribbean’s private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Initially, the replacement itinerary offered little consolation, with the ship scheduled to spend just 14 hours in Halifax, almost entirely overnight.
Royal Caribbean has since extended the visit, giving passengers a full day to explore the Canadian city, although the revised cruise remains substantially different from the holiday they originally booked.
Three Popular Cruise Destinations Removed From Itinerary
The original seven-night sailing was scheduled to visit Port Canaveral in Florida, Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, and Nassau, the Bahamian capital.
For passengers, the itinerary offered opportunities to enjoy warm weather, beaches, swimming pools and tropical excursions.
CocoCay is one of Royal Caribbean’s most popular destinations, featuring water attractions, beaches and private island experiences designed specifically for cruise passengers.
Port Canaveral also provides access to attractions in central Florida, while Nassau offers beaches, sightseeing and other activities.
Instead, passengers aboard the 5,602-guest Oasis of the Seas were informed that none of these destinations would be visited.
The change was made because of severe weather developing along the eastern coast of the United States, including strong winds and large swells that could have affected the ship’s planned route.
Rather than continuing south towards Florida and the Bahamas, Royal Caribbean decided to send the vessel north to Halifax, on Canada’s Atlantic coast.
While the decision was taken for safety reasons, it left passengers facing an entirely different cruise experience from the one they had anticipated.
October temperatures in Nova Scotia are considerably cooler than those typically experienced in Florida and the Bahamas, meaning passengers who had packed for a tropical holiday could find themselves without suitable clothing for sightseeing ashore.
The change also removed the opportunity to enjoy the beaches and attractions that may have been a major reason for choosing the original itinerary.
For families who had been looking forward to CocoCay, or passengers who had planned excursions at the other destinations, the revised itinerary represented a particularly significant disappointm
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