Another Royal Caribbean Cruise Cancelled for Charter Sailing

Royal Caribbean International has reached out to guests booked aboard the April 26, 2024 sailing of Allure of the Seas to let them know the cruise has been cancelled. The vessel will still set sail, but is now a full ship charter sailing and not available for guests outside the charter group.

Allure of the Seas Cruise Cancelled

Guests hoping to set sail for a spring weekend getaway on Allure of the Seas are not going to be able to take the cruise they’d planned, as Royal Caribbean International has now notified guests that the ship’s April 26, 2024 sailing has been cancelled for a full ship charter.

“The time and effort you took to plan your cruise is important to us, and we apologize for the inconvenience,” the notification read.

The now-cancelled sailing is a 3-night weekend “Bahamas & Perfect Day” cruise departing Port Canaveral on Friday, April 26 and visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay on Saturday plus Nassau, Bahamas on Sunday, before returning to Florida on Monday, April 29.

These weekend cruises are very popular as quick getaways for many travelers, especially as weekend sailings often mean less need to arrange time off work to enjoy the vacation.

This makes short cruises equally attractive as charter sailings, as they are accessible to many participants and may be easier to fill with charter bookings.

The 225,282-gross-ton Allure of the Seas is an Oasis-class vessel, one of the largest cruise ships in the world. The ship is capable of welcoming 5,484 guests at double occupancy, or up to 6,780 travelers when fully booked with all berths filled.

Compensation Offered

Guests already booked on the cruise are likely being given several options of similar itineraries – either on Allure of the Seas or other Royal Caribbean International ships – to shift their sailing to if they are able to reschedule their travel plans. Typically, onboard credit is offered as an incentive for guests to choose an alternate sailing.

Full refunds are also an option because the cancellation is mandated by the cruise line. The refund would be for the cruise fare and any pre-paid amenities, such as Wi-Fi packages, drink packages, specialty dining, shore excursions, spa treatments, or gratuities. All refunds will be returned to the original form of payment, and if guests used a future cruise credit for the booking, that credit will be reinstated.

Likewise, airfare booked through the cruise line will also be automatically refunded.

Guests who have made individual arrangements for airfare, port transfers, or shore excursions will need to contact their independent operators for cancellation or rescheduling options as necessary.

Why Can Charters Cancel a Whole Cruise?

The cancellation for this Allure of the Seas sailing comes as Royal Caribbean International has also cancelled a Freedom of the Seas cruise, also for a charter sailing. Incidentally, the now-cancelled Freedom of the Seas cruise is departing the same date – April 26, 2024 – and is also a 3-night weekend cruise, albeit departing from Miami rather than Port Canaveral.

It is unknown whether the two charter cruises are related, and the chartering party has not been revealed for either one.

Charter sailings vary in size and are often themed events around common interests or lifestyles. Music, craft, and fan experience sailings are common, often involving favorite types of music or groups of performers; specific types of crafts; or specific television shows, movies, or brands. Lifestyle cruises might be for LGBTQ+ travelers, church groups, dating companies, AARP members, or other types of lifestyles.

Occasionally, businesses will also charter a cruise either as a networking or professional development event, or else as a reward for employees. Team-building exercises, training sessions, leadership meetings, and similar events may be part of such sailings.

Cruise lines might even arrange their own internal charter events for media or press sailings, family events, or employee appreciation.

Most often, full ship charters are arranged months or even years in advance. While it can be disappointing for guests who have already booked their vacation to have their cruise cancelled, there is still time to arrange for a different getaway.