Approximately 1,700 passengers boarded Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas in Vancouver on September 1, 2026, for an Alaska cruise initially set for August 30. The original seven-night itinerary was shortened to five nights, and the departure delayed to September 1 due to maintenance concerns.
The passengers boarded the vessel on the revised departure date but the ship never left port. Initially informed of a delay, passengers later received notice that the entire sailing had been cancelled. Guests were allowed to explore much of the ship and leave the vessel to visit Vancouver while waiting. However, some areas, including the
casino, remained closed. Passengers were instructed to disembark by midnight the following day.
Royal Caribbean attributed the cancellation to ongoing maintenance work on Serenade of the Seas. The company had alerted guests about this issue before the original August 30 departure, resulting in the itinerary change and delayed sailing. A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said, “To accommodate ongoing maintenance, we’ve had to cancel our sailing. We apologize to our guests for the inconvenience and have worked with them to adjust their travel plans.” No further technical details were disclosed.
The abrupt cancellation disrupted the travel plans of many passengers who had
already arrived in Vancouver and arranged flights and accommodations around the cruise. Arielle Anderson, a 28-year-old lawyer and mother from South Carolina, described the scene onboard: “Everybody was kind of panicking, so we were all just sitting in one of the bar areas, and everybody was just on their phones.” Anderson added her family had “been looking forward to this since Christmas.”
Royal Caribbean offered affected travelers full refunds for the cancelled voyage, 100% future cruise credit based on the fare paid, reimbursement for flight-change fees, and pro-rated refunds for dining and beverage packages. The company worked with passengers to
facilitate adjustments to their travel arrangements.
Some passengers altered their plans following the cancellation. Anderson’s family rented a vehicle and stayed at a vacation home near Bellingham, Washington, while maintaining their originally booked flights home from Vancouver. Others chose to visit destinations such as Whistler, Canada, while awaiting alternate travel options.
The cancellation raised concerns among those booked on later Serenade of the Seas Alaska cruises. The ship subsequently departed Vancouver on September 6, 2026, for its next scheduled Alaska itinerary.
