Just a week after Royal Caribbean announced that 2025’s new Icon-class ship would be delayed, the cruise line has now revealed that the inaugural sailing for 2024’s Utopia of the Seas is also changing – but in the opposite way.
The cruise line has announced that Utopia of the Seas will actually be ready to launch early, and so has announced a new 3-night cruise that will become the inaugural cruise, departing before the original inaugural.
This could still be disappointing news to loyal Royal Caribbean fans. Being on a ship’s inaugural sailing is seen as a big deal, so to have that inaugural cruise become the second sailing for a ship devalues it.
Royal Caribbean has announced that guests booked on the 4-night 22nd July 2024 cruise can now move their booking to the new 3-night 19th July cruise if they wish.
The cruise line has said that anyone who does transfer will retain their original stateroom and will be given a pro-rated refund for one day of cruise fare along with any extras they’ve already paid, such as drinks packages, WiFi internet, and gratuities.
And anyone who has booked their airfare through Royal Caribbean will have flights amended automatically if they do transfer. The cruise line is also offering to cover up to $200 of non-refundable fees for guests who cancel non-refundable hotels or flights domestically, or $400 for international travel.
Guests must make their decision before Tuesday 12th March, as the cruise line needs to get the new 3-night sailing on sale for the general public for anyone who does not transfer their booking, as well as then selling the staterooms on the 4-night cruise on 22nd July for guests who have transferred and now left them unsold.
Royal Caribbean has also said that the second cruise will still have special events, and is asking guests to consider both cruises as inaugural, so that anyone unable to change to the new dates does not feel like they’re missing out.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
