The ship, which can carry over 10,000 passengers and crew, has barely scratched the surface of its first year of service as Royal Caribbean cancels its next voyage.
“We are currently conducting unplanned maintenance onboard the Icon of the Seas. While our crew is working hard to address this as quickly as possible, there is still some work that needs to be done over a few days while the ship is docked,” the company said in a statement emailed to guests.
Launched in January, the Icon was a game changer for the cruise industry, pushing boundaries in size, luxury, and experience. Departing from Port Miami on September 28, 2024, the cruise was set to sail to destinations in the Western Caribbean, including Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Roatán, as well as Royal Caribbean’s private destination in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
“We understand the disappointment this news may bring and we’re truly sorry for the impact on your vacation plans,” the company wrote.
Guests on the current sailing are also already feeling the pinch. The ship had to scrap its scheduled stop in St. Thomas, leaving travellers with an unexpected day at sea.
To soften the blow, Royal Caribbean threw in an onboard credit equal to one day’s cruise fare. The rest of the itinerary remains mostly intact, with stops at Perfect Day and a return to Miami as planned for now.
So what’s the future for the “future of cruising”
Typically, cruise ships don’t face major issues early in their lifespan. These mechanical hiccups usually pop up on older, more worn-out vessels. Mechanical issues are forcing the ship to slow down, literally. It can’t hit its standard cruising speed, which is a pretty big glitch when you’re responsible for a floating metropolis.
The issue is propulsion problems—something that could make or break the pace of a ship this size. The silver lining here is that maintenance is expected to wrap up in a few days. If Royal Caribbean can fix the issue within this window, this could be the only trip affected.
Originally set to depart on Saturday, September 28, Royal Caribbean, to their credit, is offering a 100% refund and throwing in a Future Cruise Credit to match. “Additionally, we want you to come back and sail with us, so we’re providing you with an FCC in the value of 100 percent of your cruise fare paid to be used towards another sailing,” the company wrote. Essentially, passengers get their money back and a free cruise in the future.
A very generous make-good, but in an industry obsessed with scale and spectacle this cancellation is bound to raise questions about reliability and longevity.
