Princess Cruises has cancelled the Ruby Princess cruise ship’s scheduled visit to Nawiliwili port on Kauai Island, Hawaii, originally set for Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Instead of docking at Kauai from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the ship will extend its stop in Honolulu, arriving at 8 a.m. on September 22 and remaining overnight until its scheduled departure at 7 a.m. on September 23.
Hurricane Lowell Causes Widespread Damage and Power Outages on Kauai
The itinerary adjustment follows extensive damage to Kauai by Hurricane Lowell, which passed the island as a Category 2 storm on the night of Monday, September 14, and early Tuesday, September 15, after peaking at Category
5 earlier in its approach. Kaua’i Now reported that power outages exceeded 91% on the island, leaving more than 30,000 residents without electricity as of Wednesday, September 16.
Passenger Impact and Refunds on Ruby Princess Hawaiian Cruise
Guests aboard the Ruby Princess, which embarked from San Francisco on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at approximately 3 p.m. Pacific Time, will remain in Honolulu nearly 40 hours due to the itinerary change. All shore excursions initially booked for the Kauai stop will be automatically cancelled and refunded by Princess Cruises. The Ruby Princess is a 16-night round-trip cruise through the Hawaiian Islands and can accommodate over 3,000 passengers with 900 balcony
staterooms.
Utility Repairs Underway on Kauai After Hurricane Lowell
Brad Rockwell, Chief Operating Officer of Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative, confirmed ongoing efforts to restore power on the island. “We were pleased that some restoration could be made today, but unfortunately the majority of our members remain without power,” Rockwell said. He added that focus in the coming two days will be on transmission system repairs, aiming to complete them and transition to repairing distribution circuits by the end of the week.
Hurricane-Related Cruise Disruptions Remain Uncommon
Hurricane Lowell marks the first direct hurricane impact on Kauai since 1992. Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from mid-May to the end of November, though storms rarely
disrupt cruise schedules in Hawaii. In August 2026, Hurricane Lala caused cancellations and itinerary changes for ships including Pride of America and Norwegian Spirit when Honolulu port closed temporarily. The Ruby Princess adjustment represents the latest hurricane-related alteration to a Hawaiian cruise itinerary.
