Royal Caribbean cancelled the entire Alaska cruise on Serenade of the Seas after about 1,700 passengers had boarded the ship at the Vancouver port. The original seven-night cruise, scheduled to depart on August 30, 2026, was first shortened to five nights and postponed to September 1, 2026, because of ongoing maintenance work on the vessel.
Passengers boarded Serenade of the Seas on September 1 but the ship did not depart Vancouver as planned. While waiting on board, several areas including the casino remained closed, but passengers were allowed to disembark and explore the city.
Initially, passengers were informed that the
departure was delayed. As the delay extended, the cruise line notified guests that the sailing was cancelled. Passengers were instructed to leave the ship by midnight the following day.
Royal Caribbean attributed the cancellation to ongoing maintenance on Serenade of the Seas, without providing specific technical details. A company 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.”
The cancellation caused logistical problems for many passengers who had made separate flight and hotel arrangements. Some, including families, relocated to
vacation rentals near Bellingham, Washington. Passenger Arielle Anderson, a 28-year-old lawyer from South Carolina, described the situation as stressful, noting that many were panicking and trying to rearrange travel plans while waiting on board.
Royal Caribbean offered full refunds, 100% future cruise credit, reimbursement for flight-change fees, and pro-rated refunds for dining and beverage packages to affected passengers.
Serenade of the Seas later resumed Alaska sailings, departing Vancouver on September 6, 2026. Passengers booked on subsequent voyages expressed concerns regarding the maintenance issues that led to the cancellation.
