Key Aspects:
- Icon of the Seas will sail a Western Caribbean route instead of her planned Eastern Caribbean itinerary on her October 25 departure due to Tropical Storm Melissa.
- Additional ships with Eastern Caribbean itineraries as well as visits to Jamaica over the weekend and into next week may also be impacted.
- The Prime Minister of Jamaica has declared the entire nation a “threatened area” ahead of what will likely be a major hurricane landfall directly over the island.
Royal Caribbean has notified guests just hours before embarkation for Icon of the Seas‘ October 25, 2025 departure from Miami that they will not be visiting the Eastern Caribbean as originally planned. Due to the presence and prospective forecast from Tropical Storm Melissa, the massive ship will head for the Western Caribbean instead.
“Our Captain, along with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, has been tracking Tropical Storm Melissa that is expected to move through the area of our sailing,” the email notification reads.
“To safely avoid the impacts of the developing storm, we have decided to switch our itinerary to the Western Caribbean instead of the Eastern Caribbean for this sailing.”
The 7-night cruise from Miami had included St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Perfect Day at CocoCay as planned port visits. Instead, the ship will now visit Cozumel and Roatan, though the visit to Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas appears to remain unchanged.
Interestingly, this shift for Icon of the Seas is nearly identical to the shift her sister ship, Star of the Seas, had to make for Tropical Storm Imelda almost exactly one month ago.
All pre-paid shore excursions for St. Maarten and St. Thomas booked through Royal Caribbean will be automatically cancelled and refunded as onboard credit to guests’ ship accounts. If any funds remain at the end of the sailing, they will be reimbursed to the card on file.
In the meantime, guests can book tours for Cozumel and Roatan through the Royal Caribbean app or by visiting the Guest Services area on Deck 5 just aft of the Pearl.
At nearly 250,000 gross tons, the two Icon-class vessels are the largest cruise ships in the world. Because of their massive size, they may face unique difficulties with last-minute itinerary changes to ensure port facilities can adequately handle the up to 7,600 guests that may be aboard.
Safety is always the first priority for the cruise line, and Royal Caribbean will do everything necessary to keep the ship, guests, and crew members safe and as comfortable as possible no matter what the weather.
While Icon of the Seas is the first Royal Caribbean ship to confirm changes due to Tropical Storm Melissa, she undoubtedly won’t be the last. Any ships sailing near Jamaica through the weekend and early next week, as well as itineraries that include the Turks & Caicos or eastern Bahamas next week, may be impacted.
Within the Royal Caribbean fleet, this could include Adventure, Freedom, Harmony, and Rhapsody of the Seas, as well as other ships depending on their operational plans. Any guests booked on sailings in the region (for any cruise line) will want to stay in close contact with their cruise line for immediate updates as changes are confirmed.
Tropical Storm Melissa Saturday Morning Update (Image Credit: National Hurricane Center)
Tropical Storm Melissa Update
As of the Saturday 8 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Melissa remains a tropical storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 70 miles per hour, just four miles per hour below the threshold of an official hurricane.
The storm’s center is located 160 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica with a west-northwest movement of just one mile per hour. That slow speed is permitting the storm to gain strength, and it is expected she will become a hurricane on Saturday.
Read Also: The Best Way to Help Cruise Ports After a Hurricane
Jamaica is facing a direct landfall of what will likely be a major (Category 3-4) hurricane early next week. The island nation’s prime minister, Dr. Andrew Holness, declared the entire country a “threatened area” on Friday, October 24 as the storm approaches.
“This declaration empowers the Government to implement precautionary and protective measures to safeguard lives, property, and critical infrastructure,” the statement from the Office of the Prime Minister said.
“By declaring Jamaica a threatened area, we are activating the legal tools to move resources quickly, safeguard critical services, and protect the most vulnerable,” Holness explained.
“This declaration enables the Government to act swiftly and decisively. I have directed all agencies to execute their preparedness plans, including shelter readiness and the pre-positioning of supplies and equipment.”
Once the storm passes over Jamaica, Melissa is predicted to turn toward the northeast over eastern Cuba and head into the Greater Antilles. This will potentially impact more Eastern Caribbean or Bahamas cruises through the middle of next week.
Appeared first on: Cruisehive.com
