Royal Caribbean has canceled this week’s cruise to Alaska on Serenade of the Seas, a sailing that was originally scheduled to depart from Vancouver on Sunday, August 30, 2026.
Guests were told that the ship would depart two days late so repairs could be made to the vessel. Royal Caribbean was planning for the ship to visit one port in Alaska (Ketchikan) and one in Canada on a shortened cruise.
The cruise director on the ship told guests that the team is working diligently to fix the technical issue affecting the ship.
A passenger on the ship said that some passengers were still boarding Serenade of the Seas today in hopes of departing at 7:30 pm.
This evening, guests were told the cruise was canceled and that they needed to be off the ship by midnight on September 2. The ship has to leave the cruise terminal at that time, so guests will need to be off the vessel.
In a letter to guests, Royal Caribbean said the following:
“As you may know, Serenade of the Seas has been experiencing a technical issue. Despite our teams’ around-the-clock efforts to complete the necessary repairs, we were unable to resolve the issue in time for the ship to safely depart. As a result, we must cancel this sailing.
“We understand how disappointing and upsetting this news is. We know how much our guests look forward to their vacations. That’s why we made every effort to deliver the cruise experience planned. We sincerely apologize for the frustration, disruption, and inconvenience this cancellation has caused.”
Compensation Offered to Guests
Guests who were booked on this cruise will receive a full refund, including taxes and fees, amenities, and shore excursions. If a guest used a Future Cruise Certificate, they will receive a refund of new funds paid above the certificate amount and will have their original certificate reinstated.
The cruise line is also offering a pro-rated refund for daily packages (beverage, dining, VOOM) and pre-paid gratuities.
Royal Caribbean said that refunds will be returned to the original form of payment within 14 days.
In addition, the cruise line is offering a 100% Future Cruise Credit of whatever guests paid for their cruise that will be good for one year. Royal Caribbean said that this is a token of their appreciation for understanding why the cruise was canceled.
Royal Caribbean will also offer each guest up to $200 for domestic flights and up to $400 for international flight changes.
Complimentary WiFi is being offered on the ship for guests as they make arrangements to fly home early.
Royal Caribbean ended the letter by thanking guests for their patience, understanding, and cooperation as they work through the next steps together. Their team will remain available to assist guests throughout this process.
They also said that they were truly sorry for the disappointment and disruption this cancellation caused, and they regret that they were unable to deliver the experience that they planned for.
Serenade of the Seas was originally scheduled to sail a seven-night roundtrip cruise to Alaska from Vancouver with stops in Sitka, Tracy Arm/Edicott Arm, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Prince Rupert.
The next scheduled cruise for the ship is on Sunday, September 6, 2026.
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