Royal Caribbean International is canceling cruises onboard the Brilliance of the Seas. According to the company, a technical issue is impacting the vessel, which is completing a winter program in Australia & the South Pacific.
Affected sailings include an 11-night voyage to the South Pacific Islands that departed on March 19, and a five-night cruise to Tasmania that was scheduled to sail on March 30.
In a statement sent to guests, Royal Caribbean said that the first sailing was cut short on March 22, while the second sailing is no longer taking place.
“As you may know, the Brilliance of the Seas experienced a technical issue on its last sailing, and we’re returning early to begin required maintenance,” the company explained.
“Our crew has started working on restoring the system and we’re deploying the best experts. Despite our efforts, we are unable to complete the needed repairs to be ready in time on March 30, 2024.”
As a result, the sailing scheduled for that day had to be cancelled, the company added.
“We know how much time and effort go into planning your cruise and we’re truly sorry for this disappointing news,” Royal Caribbean concluded.
Passengers who were set to board the Brilliance on March 30 will receive a full refund, the company said, in addition to a 50 percent Future Cruise Credit (FCC) that can be used toward any future sailing departing within one year.
Guests will also be reimbursed for non-refundable, pre-purchased travel fees incurred, such as flight, hotel, train tickets or car rentals, Royal Caribbean added, noting that it will cover up to $250 per guest for domestic changes, and up to $400 per guest for international changes.
Passengers who left Sydney on March 19 and had their cruise cut short are also set to receive a 50 percent FCC, the company said.
Wrapping up its winter program in Australia, the Brilliance of the Seas is scheduled to depart on a trans-Pacific voyage to Hawaii on April 12, 2024.
The ship will then depart on a repositioning cruise to Canada before starting a summer program in Alaska.
