Royal Caribbean's 9-month world cruise gets rerouted to Africa to avoid Red Sea

Unable to sail to the Red Sea due to the geopolitical issues there, Royal Caribbean’s first world cruise is headed to Africa.

Guests onboard Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise were alerted with their new cruise itinerary after it was announced that they’d no longer cruise through the Red Sea due to unrest in the area. 

Earlier this month, the cruise line allowed those onboard to vote on their updated itinerary. They had two options, with the first being “Immersive Africa.” Royal Caribbean apparently called this the “scenic route,” whereas the second option, “Africa & Greece,” was called “the highway.” 

“Immersive Africa” is comprised of numerous ports in Africa, effectively nixing Egypt from the schedule. This means that there are far fewer days at sea compared to “Africa & Greece,” as this route has more sea days to catch up to the originally scheduled ports in Egypt and Greece. 

According to previous reports, guests will receive 25% off the pro-rated Segment 3 cruise fare in the form of a refundable payment. 

When Royal Caribbean confirmed the itinerary change, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson provided the following statement: “As we’ve continued to monitor what is taking place in and around the Red Sea for the safety of our guests and crew, we have made the decision to adjust plans for Serenade of the Seas’ transit through the Suez Canal this May.” 

“In keeping with the adventurous spirit of our guests, we are engaging them for their thoughts and preference between two alternative itineraries that will take them on an epic adventure to Africa. They will receive compensation for the adjustment, and guests who prefer to not sail on the updated itinerary will receive a full refund and support for their travel arrangements.”

Read more: Why the Internet is obsessed with 9-month world cruise on Royal Caribbean cruise ship

A TikTok posted by @drjennytravels confirmed that the majority of passengers voted for “Immersive Africa”

In the TikTok, Jenny is seen celebrating the news with other passengers. “We just received word that it is option one. ‘Immersive Africa’ here we come!” she exclaims at the beginning of the video. 

Unfortunately, she was climbing the rock wall during the broadcast, so she was unable to capture it via camera; however, she said that Captain Kjell made an announcement on the PA system, which was then followed up with an email. 

“We are so excited onboard for this opportunity to visit Africa in this way,” she says.

Later in the video, the Cruise Director popped onto the speaker to play Africa by Toto. Jenny and others were in the ship’s Centrum recording and rejoicing together. 

@DmCredible⚓🛳️🚢commented, “Excited crew member here🤗🥰,” revealing that it was a popular choice for both passengers and crew. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean is letting passengers vote on 9-month world cruise itinerary change

Others took to social media to celebrate the news, including @iambrandeelake

In Lake’s video, she can be seen cheering and dancing with African crew members, allowing them to teach her dances native to their respective cultures, including Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. 

She was also sporting a festive African outfit to celebrate the announcement. 

What’s the new itinerary? 

(Photo by Pat Bell)

The new 42-day route will visit the following ports of call: 

• May 9: Dubai, United Arab Emirates 
• May 10-13: Cruising 
• May 14: Mahé (Victoria), Seychelles 
• May 15: La Digue Island, Seychelles 
• May 16: Cruising 
• May 17: Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Madagascar 
• May 18: Cruising 
• May 19: Port Louis, Mauritius 
• May 20: Pointe Des Galets, Reunion Island 
• May 21-23: Cruising 
• May 24: Port Elizabeth, South Africa 
• May 25: Mossel Bay, South Africa 
• May 26-27: Cape Town, South Africa
• May 28: Cruising 

• May 29: Luderitz, Namibia 
• May 30: Walvis Bay, Namibia 
• May 31-June 1: Cruising 
• June 2: Luanda, Angola 
• June 3-4: Cruising 
• June 5: Takoradi, Ghana 
• June 6: Abidjan, Ivory Coast 
• June 7-8: Cruising 
• June 9: Dakar, Senegal 
• June 10-11: Cruising 
• June 12: Tenerife, Canary Islands 
• June 13: Cruising 
• June 14: Gibraltar, United Kingdom 
• June 14-16: Cruising 
• June 17: Corfu, Greece 
• June 18: Bari, Italy 
• June 19-20: Ravenna, Italy

It appears as though the latter half of the original itinerary is unchanged, with the voyage concluding in Barcelona, Spain on July 10. 

It hasn’t been smooth sailing for the Ultimate World Cruise, which gained viral attention on TikTok as it set sail 274-night voyage in December 2023

In February, a passenger, unfortunately, passed away while on the cruise. Before that, rough seas resulted in onboard flooding, with some ports being canceled in South America. There have also been reports of passengers fighting and visa issues for later destinations. 

Of course, with all cruises, even if it’s a short 3-night getaway to The Bahamas, it’s important to remain flexible. Throughout the first few months of 2024, for instance, some Royal Caribbean ships haven’t been able to dock at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Recently, Freedom of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas had to have passengers return early, as weather conditions were deteriorating. 

All in all, though, it seems like the majority of guests on the ship have had a positive attitude regarding the major itinerary change. While they’ll no longer be visiting Petra, Jordan (one of the World Wonders on the list), there are some pretty amazing ports of call that World Cruise passengers get to look forward to! 

Is this the itinerary that you were rooting for? Let us know in the comments!