World Cruise Rerouted by Royal Caribbean Following Onboard Vote

Royal Caribbean International is rerouting its Ultimate World Cruise to avoid the Red Sea region.

After an onboard vote, the company confirmed that the Serenade of the Seas is now taking an alternative itinerary around Africa.

With 18 ports of call in Africa and Europe, the new route includes exotic destinations, such as the Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius, Royal Caribbean said.

Sailing from Dubai to Italy via South Africa, the 43-night segment of the Ultimate World Cruise takes place between May 9 and June 20, 2024.

Passengers had five days to vote for their preferred option via a unique onboard voting process that started in late February.

“We have all been closely monitoring the unrest in the Red Sea and were hopeful everything would settle down,” Royal Caribbean’s President and CEO Michael Bayley said in a statement that presented guests with voting options and alternative itineraries.

“However, as we are approximately 90-days away from the impacted itinerary, we would like to present various options for your consideration, as we need to prepare and arrange logistics,” he continued.

With a spirit of adventure in mind, Bayley noted, Royal Caribbean presented two options of alternative itineraries sailing around Africa.

The second option featured more days at sea and fewer ports of call but added more destinations in the Mediterranean, including Turkey, Egypt, Greece, and Italy.

While not what the itinerary expected by guests, the chosen alternative will mark the first time Royal Caribbean International visits Africa, Bayley added.

Passengers will receive a 25 percent pro-rated refund of the segment cruise fare in the form of a refundable onboard credit, the statement said.

Guests also have the option of disembarking the Serenade during this portion of the journey and receiving a pro-rated refund for their days off the ship.

The Ultimate World Cruise departed Miami in early December for a 274-night journey across different parts of the globe.

The original itinerary featured over 150 ports of call in 60 countries and seven continents, including Antarctica, Asia, South America, and Europe.