Don’t be surprised if your cruise suddenly changes its itinerary. Itinerary changes are more common than you think, and usually, they are done at the last minute.
Reasons for Cruise Itinerary Changes
There are many reasons why cruises change their itinerary. Often, it is due to a storm or hurricane, but it can also be due to technical issues. The main priority is keeping everyone safe, so if an itinerary change is required, the captain will make the call.
Notifying Cruise Passengers
When a cruise itinerary changes, the cruise line will immediately notify the affected passengers. If you’re already on the cruise ship, the captain will announce the changes over the loudspeaker to let everyone know.
If your embarkation time is delayed, you will receive a text, email, or notification via the cruise app. That’s why it’s important to opt-in to the cruise line’s text and email notifications so you can be updated on any changes to your cruise.
New Cruise Port
Some itinerary changes will result in your cruise ship going to a new port instead. For example, if there is a hurricane, a cruise ship sailing in the Eastern Caribbean might reroute and change course to visit Western Caribbean cruise ports instead.
More Sea Days
Sometimes, the captain can’t find an alternate cruise port, so instead of substituting the missed port with a new one, you will get an extra day at sea instead. This is common on Bermuda cruises where there aren’t any cruise ports nearby, so as a result, you will get an extra sea day instead and fewer days in Bermuda.
Overnight at Cruise Port
Sometimes, an itinerary change will result in you staying an extra day at a cruise port. This usually happens when you’re already docked or are near a cruise port, and the captain finds out that it’s too dangerous to sail. Instead of trying to find an alternate cruise port, the cruise ship just stays docked overnight.
Extra Day on the Cruise
Some cruise itinerary changes result in an extra day on the cruise. Instead of a 7-day cruise, your cruise will be extended to 8 days. What usually happens is that any add-on packages, such as cruise beverage packages and WiFi, will be provided to you for free, and you will not be charged for the extra day of vacation!
Fewer Days on the Cruise
Alternatively, you can also lose a day of your cruise. Instead of a 7 day cruise, you will end up with a 6 day cruise because the ship arrives a day late. You will most likely receive some type of compensation for the missed day. Check out 11 Fun Things to Pack on Your Next Cruise
New Arrival Port
On rare occasions, your cruise ship will end at a different cruise port. That means you will disembark the cruise ship in a port not originally on the itinerary.
Return Flights
Some cruise itinerary changes result in missed flights because passengers might arrive a day late or in a different cruise port. If their flight is affected, the cruise staff will help passengers make new flight arrangements. Check out 7 Worst Things to Forget to Bring on a Cruise
Shore Excursion Changes
When a cruise itinerary changes, your shore excursion will be canceled, and a refund will be issued. Otherwise, if they can find an alternate tour, they will reschedule you to a new one.
For passengers who booked a shore excursion with an outside tour operator, the shore excursion team can help you reach out to the tour operator to see if you can get your tour canceled and refunded. That’s why it’s best to book refundable tours in the event of changes in the cruise itinerary. Check out 10 Things to Never do in Cruise Ports
New Daily Schedule
Whenever an itinerary change occurs, the cruise director immediately updates the cruise’s daily schedule to accommodate the new itinerary. This will be reflected in the cruise daily planner. For example, if there is an extra sea day, onboard activities will be added to the cruise planner, so cruise passengers stay entertained and enjoy their cruise vacation. Check out How Cruise Lines Trick You into Spending More Money: 12 Tactics
Onboard Credit
Cruise lines sometimes give passengers onboard credit when an itinerary changes. It’s not always the case, but they sometimes compensate passengers for the inconvenience. Check out 6 Not So Obvious Cruise Tips You Need to Know About
Port Fees
If you skip a cruise port, the cruise line will refund the port fees to your onboard account. This will appear as a credit in your account. Check out 25 Things People Forget to Pack for a Cruise