Royal Caribbean International has diverted two ships to Canada after deteriorating Atlantic weather forced major changes to cruises originally heading for the Bahamas and Bermuda.
Oasis of the Seas has replaced three calls in Florida and the Bahamas with a single overnight visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Vision of the Seas, meanwhile, has dropped Bermuda and is heading to Saint John, New Brunswick.
The changes affect separate sailings from Cape Liberty and Baltimore, with Royal Caribbean telling passengers that the weather would make it difficult to provide a safe and comfortable journey on the original routes.
Oasis of the Seas swaps the Bahamas for Halifax
The seven-night Oasis of the Seas cruise departed Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, on 18 October 2026 and is due to return on 25 October.
Its original itinerary included Port Canaveral in Florida, Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau. All three calls have been cancelled, leaving Halifax as the ship’s only destination and creating five full days at sea.
Royal Caribbean initially scheduled the Halifax visit from 6pm on 20 October until 8am the following morning. A further notice delivered onboard has since extended the call until 6pm on 21 October, giving passengers a full 24 hours in port.
The cruise line is providing refundable onboard credit according to accommodation category, alongside a 50 per cent future cruise credit for each fare-paying guest. Shore excursions booked through Royal Caribbean for the cancelled destinations are also being refunded.
Vision of the Seas drops Bermuda
Vision of the Seas departed Baltimore on 17 October for a five-night voyage which had been scheduled to include an overnight call at Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda on 19 and 20 October.
Passengers were advised before departure that the ship would instead sail north to Saint John, New Brunswick. The revised programme lists an arrival at 6.30pm on 19 October and departure at 6.30am on 20 October.
Royal Caribbean’s passenger communication, as reported by Cruise Hive and Bermuda news service Bernews, said guests would not be able to disembark during the Saint John call. This makes the visit operational rather than a replacement day ashore.
Unusually extensive changes
Weather-related itinerary changes are a normal part of cruise operations, but these two diversions are notable for the scale of the difference between the holidays passengers booked and the routes now being sailed.
Guests on Oasis of the Seas expected warm-weather calls in Florida and the Bahamas but are instead visiting Atlantic Canada in October. Passengers on Vision of the Seas have lost their Bermuda stay without receiving a replacement port visit at which they can go ashore.
The ships are being kept away from poor conditions developing off the United States East Coast. Reports citing Royal Caribbean’s messages to passengers refer to strong winds, high swells and the cruise line’s meteorology team monitoring the system.
What has Royal Caribbean confirmed?
The itinerary changes and passenger arrangements have been communicated directly by Royal Caribbean through letters, onboard announcements and updates to the cruise line’s app. No separate public statement covering both vessels had appeared in Royal Caribbean’s newsroom at the time of publication.
Passengers should therefore follow the latest information shown in their Royal Caribbean app and any messages delivered directly to their stateroom, as timings can continue to change in response to weather and port availability.
Passenger guidance: Guests travelling on either ship should rely on their own Royal Caribbean documentation for the latest itinerary, immigration and disembarkation instructions. Information supplied directly to passengers takes priority over published schedules.
Frequently asked questions
Why has Oasis of the Seas been diverted to Canada?
Royal Caribbean said developing weather off the US East Coast would make it difficult to provide a safe and comfortable journey to Florida and the Bahamas.
Which Oasis of the Seas ports have been cancelled?
Port Canaveral, Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau have been removed from the 18 October sailing.
How long will Oasis of the Seas remain in Halifax?
The latest onboard update schedules the ship to arrive at 6pm on 20 October and depart at 6pm on 21 October, providing a 24-hour overnight call.
What compensation is Royal Caribbean offering Oasis passengers?
The passenger notice provides refundable onboard credit based on stateroom category and a 50 per cent future cruise credit for each fare-paying guest. Royal Caribbean shore excursions at the cancelled ports are also being refunded.
Can Vision of the Seas passengers go ashore in Saint John?
The communication reported by Cruise Hive and Bernews stated that guests would not be permitted to disembark during the overnight Saint John call.
Has the Vision of the Seas cruise been cancelled?
No. The cruise departed Baltimore, but its planned Bermuda visit has been replaced by an overnight operational call in Saint John.
Sources
- Cruise Hive — Royal Caribbean extends Oasis of the Seas Halifax stay after weather reroute (19 October 2026)
- Royal Caribbean Blog — Royal Caribbean diverts cruise ship to Canada due to East Coast storm (18 October 2026)
- Bernews — Vision of the Seas cruise diverted to Canada (18 October 2026)
- Cruise Hive — Royal Caribbean ship skips Bermuda for Canada (17 October 2026)