About 1,700 passengers boarded Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas in Vancouver, British Columbia, for an Alaska cruise originally scheduled to depart on August 30, 2026. The cruise was planned for seven nights visiting Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Prince Rupert. Approximately a week before departure, Royal Caribbean shortened the itinerary to five nights and postponed the sailing to September 1, 2026.
On September 1, passengers boarded the ship expecting the delayed departure. However, the ship did not leave Vancouver’s Canada Place cruise terminal. Royal Caribbean announced a cancellation later that day due to ongoing maintenance and a technical issue with
the vessel. Passengers remained onboard as the ship was temporarily relocated to the Lynnterm terminal for repairs. Select amenities, including some bars, remained open, while areas like the casino were closed during the wait. Passengers had until midnight the following day to disembark.
The unforeseen cancellation forced many passengers to rebook flights, accommodations, and revise travel plans amidst emotional distress. Some passengers, such as Arielle Anderson from South Carolina, who had planned a birthday cruise for family and friends, described the situation as chaotic with guests trying to secure last-minute hotels and flights. While aboard, passengers could explore Vancouver but
faced significant disruptions to their vacation.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson stated, “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.” Alex Munro, spokesperson for the Port of Vancouver, confirmed that the Serenade of the Seas was docked at the Lynnterm terminal while undergoing repairs.
Royal Caribbean provided full refunds to affected passengers, issued 100% future cruise credits, allowed retention of onboard credits, and reimbursed eligible flight-change fees. After completing repairs, the Serenade of the Seas resumed its scheduled Alaska cruise departing
Vancouver on September 6, 2026.
