Royal Caribbean International recently cancelled a visit to Alesund onboard the Independence of the Seas due to ongoing maintenance.

Currently offering cruises departing from Southampton, England, the vessel was set to visit the Norwegian port on July 1, 2025.

According to a statement sent to guests onboard, the change is related to the propulsion system of the 2007-built ship.

“Due to speed restrictions from ongoing maintenance onboard, we’ve had to make some adjustments,” Royal Caribbean said.

Instead of visiting Alesund as scheduled, the Independence is now spending the day at sea, the company continued.

“Additionally, we’ll be arriving in Molde, Norway, one hour earlier than originally planned, so you’ll have extra time to enjoy everything this beautiful destination has to offer.”

After sailing from its homeport in the UK on June 29, the Independence of the Seas is offering a seven-night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords.

In addition to Molde and Alesund, the original itinerary also features visits to Olden and Haugesund, as well as two days at sea.

“We’re sorry for the inconvenience. Please know that all maintenance work is being conducted with the utmost safety,” Royal Caribbean added.

According to the statement, guests onboard were offered onboard credit as a token of appreciation for their understanding.

Earlier this month, the company also delayed a visit to Rotterdam by two hours to allow for maintenance onboard.

The ship arrived at the Dutch port on June 27, 2025, as part of an eight-night cruise to Scandinavia and Northern Europe.

As the third ship in Royal Caribbean’s Freedom class series, the Independence of the Seas was built at the Aker Yards shipyard in Turku, Finland.

The 3,864-guest ship is currently offering summer cruises out of Southampton before repositioning to Miami for the winter.

Starting from early November, the vessel offers seven-night cruises to the Caribbean departing from South Florida.