Cruise itinerary changes can be extremely disappointing for passengers, especially for those who choose a particular sailing specifically for the destinations the ship will visit.
Cruise lines know this and always do what they can to avoid these changes, but sometimes the situation is out of their control. Often its poor weather conditions that prevent a cruise ship from docking in a port, but occasionally it’s a different kind of port issue.
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For Royal Caribbean, pier repair work has been the key issue for some time at one of its Caribbean ports of call.
The only pier that can accommodate Royal Caribbean’s giant Oasis-class ships in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has been out of commission for months. The ongoing situation has forced the cruise line to cancel Symphony of the Seas’ recent calls to San Juan and divert the ship to other destinations.
Recent San Juan local media reports on the construction progress gave passengers hope that the pier would reopen in late January and Royal Caribbean would be able to dock Symphony of the Seas there during its February sailings.
But it turns out that won’t be the case.
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San Juan pier won’t be ready for February cruise calls
Royal Caribbean (RCL) notified passengers booked on three of Symphony of the Seas’ February sailings that the port won’t be able to welcome them and their cruise itinerary has changed, according to RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com.
"Due to ongoing construction at the pier in San Juan, the port authority has advised us that the port will not be ready in time for our visit," the cruise line said in an email to passengers booked on the February 23 sailing that was shared with Royal Caribbean Blog.
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"You will now get to explore the beautiful Labadee, Haiti. Although we need to skip our visit to Phillipsburg, St. Maarten, you will get the enjoy the charming Falmouth, Jamaica," the email continued. "Thank you for your understanding. We're excited to share these wonderful destinations with you."
Royal Caribbean Blog reports that the cruise line also changed itineraries for the ship’s Feb. 9 and Feb. 16 sailings to replace planned calls to San Juan.
U.S. Coast Guard will decide when the port will reopen
The ongoing construction work at the pier in San Juan stems from an incident that occurred in April 2024 that resulted in the loss of a dolphin mooring structure just off the main pier.
After the incident, the U.S. Coast Guard established an operational control disallowing cruise ship operations at San Juan Port’s Pier-3 West.
In November, the Coast Guard announced that the pier would remain closed to cruise ships until further notice pending requested satisfactory assessment studies followed by a Coast Guard on-site inspection of the facility. The Coast Guard has not yet issued an update on whether they have received the requested studies or when the pier will reopen to cruise ships.
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Cruise ships are still permitted to dock at San Juan Cruise Port’s other piers, but only Pier-3 West can accommodate Symphony of the Seas and other Oasis-class ships.
“Since the loss of the facility's mooring structure, Coast Guard Prevention personnel have been actively working with the San Juan Cruise Port and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority to determine if the structure remains sound for cruise ship operations,” Capt. Luis J. Rodriguez, Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan and Captain of the Port – San Juan, said in the November statement.
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“We understand the inconvenience of this matter, however, it is critical we ensure the safety of the port, the cruise ships and the thousands of people who operate on or visit the island through this port facility,” Capt. Rodriguez continued. “My team stands ready to move ahead immediately once we receive the awaited studies from San Juan Cruise Port and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority.”
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