Severe Storm Causes Delays for Four Cruise Ships in New York Harbor

Four cruise ships experienced delays in New York due to a low-pressure system affecting the eastern U.S. coast over the weekend. The vessels from MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, and Hapag-Lloyd remained docked after arriving over the weekend.

The Royal Caribbean ship, Symphony of the Seas, was particularly impacted, spending three days at Cape Liberty after a scheduled Sunday departure for a seven-night cruise to the Bahamas was postponed. The port was closed due to adverse weather, preventing the ship from leaving until Tuesday morning.

The ship’s itinerary had to be adjusted, with the initial stops in Port Canaveral, Nassau, and Perfect Day at CocoCay being skipped. Royal Caribbean communicated the situation to guests onboard, emphasizing that they closely monitored the weather conditions with their Chief Meteorologist. They confirmed the port closure and expressed their regret over the inconvenience.

As a gesture of goodwill, Royal Caribbean offered passengers a 50% discount on drinks for the day and a $35 non-refundable onboard credit for those with beverage packages. Additionally, guests were provided with Future Cruise Credits equivalent to two days of their cruise fare, valid for any sailing before October 12, 2026.

Other ships, including Norwegian Getaway and MSC Meraviglia, also delayed their departures from New York, each by two days. Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa was likewise delayed in its trans-Atlantic crossing to Europe.

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