A medical emergency led to changes in the itinerary of the current five-night cruise of the Freedom of the Seas, which departed from PortMiami on Saturday, January 25, 2026.

According to a statement issued by Royal Caribbean International onboard, the ship had to return to its homeport on Sunday after visiting Nassau in the Bahamas.

“Late yesterday (Jan. 26, 2026) evening, our medical staff determined that one of our guests needed urgent medical attention, and we headed back to Miami, Florida, to safely disembark them,” the company explained.

As a result, the 2006-built ship spent Monday at sea instead of heading to George Town, Cayman Islands, as originally scheduled.

The visit to the destination in the Western Caribbean had to be cancelled and will be replaced with a call to Freeport in the Bahamas.

The new visit to the island of Grand Bahama will take place on Wednesday, Royal Caribbean added in its statement.

“We appreciate your patience and understanding, knowing we’d do the same for you or a loved one in a similar situation,” the company said.

Any pre-paid Royal Caribbean shore excursions booked for George Town will be refunded to the guests’ onboard accounts as onboard credits.

The company added that these credits can be used anywhere onboard. Any remaining unused amounts will be refunded to passengers’ credit cards at the end of the cruise.

Royal Caribbean also highlighted the attractions of Grand Bahama, which are said to include a series of beach- and nature-related activities.

“In Grand Bahama Island, hike Rand’s Nature Center’s forest-lined trails and discover cascading waterfalls at the Garden of the Groves. Or, if relaxing is more your style, sip on a fruity Bahama Mama while enjoying the views of the crystal-clear waters,” the company said.

The Freedom of the Seas is scheduled to return to PortMiami on Thursday, January 29, 2026, to end its five-night cruise.