Outraged cruise passengers sound off about ‘immense disappointment’after abrupt cancellation

Passengers aboard Serenade of the Seas (not pictured) were allowed to remain on the ship while it was docked in Vancouver before Royal Caribbean canceled the cruise.(James MacDonald/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images)

“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 adjusttheir travel plans,�

“Repairs have now been completed, and the ship is ready to welcome guests on its next scheduled sailing,” the spokesperson added.

The problem started on Aug.22.Royal Caribbean emailed guests to inform them that the sailing would be reduced to five days to accommodate additional maintenance, “Cruise Critic” reported.

The ship is known for its floor-to-ceiling windows that offer views of the surrounding scenery.

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Guests who weren’t interested in the shortened trip were given several options, including a refundable onboard credit and a future cruise credit, according to the blog.

The ship ultimately did not leave Vancouver because the repairs were not finished, the blog said. 

All booked passengers will receive a full refund, retain their previously issued onboard credit, receive a future cruise credit for 100% of their cruise fare and receive reimbursement for eligible flight-change fees, the“Royal Caribbean Blog”reported.

Serenade of the Seas, a mid-sized Royal Caribbean vessel, can accommodate 2,143 guests at double occupancy. 

The ship is known for its floor-to-ceiling windows that offer views of the surrounding scenery, alongside amenities like a rock-climbing wall, a glass-domed solarium andmultiple dining venues.

Serenade of the Seas, pictured here, remained docked in Vancouver as Royal Caribbean crews worked to address a technical issue that ultimately led to the cancellation of the Alaska cruise.(Royal Caribbean Group)

The ship has experienced othertechnical difficultiesin recent years. 

In July 2025, Serenade of the Seas experienced engine trouble soon after leaving Vancouver for a seven-night Alaska cruise, forcing it to return to port for overnight testing, several publications reported. 

The vessel set sail again the following evening, but passengers missed out ona planned stopin Sitka, Alaska.

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Days earlier, technical problems on the ship’s June 29 sailing had caused it to skip Icy Strait Point and scenic cruising in Tracy Arm Fjord, with those passengers receiving onboard credit equal to one day of their cruise fare.

Some passengers affected by the canceled Alaska cruise took to Reddit to express their frustration.

“This has been an immense disappointment.This wasmy girlfriend’s birthday cruisewith my family and some family friends, and it has been an utter disaster and disappointment from start to finish,” a Reddit user said.

Affected passengers were offered refunds, future cruise credits and reimbursement for eligible flight-change expenses following the cancellation.(iStock)

“I was told [to] feel free to use my onboard credits on the ship — but for what?Only a few of the bars are open.None of the shops or casinos [are] open,” a Reddit user said in another thread.

“Oh my, what a disaster.Glad I canceled and didn’t board.Still waiting for my cruise fare refund, though,” said another person. 

Several online commenters expressed sympathy for those inconvenienced by the cancellation, while others expressed apprehension aboutfuture tripsthey’ve booked with the line. 

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One Reddit user asked what a group of eight can “absolutely not miss in Vancouver” as they planned to “enjoy the rest of the week and keep our flights home.”

Serenade of the Seas welcomed passengers aboard again on Sept.6 for its next seven-day, round-trip Alaska cruise, the “Royal Caribbean Blog” reported on Sept.7.