A Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Anthem of the Seas, has announced that its upcoming sailing on January 27th has been canceled due to a technical issue experienced during its last voyage. Guests scheduled to embark on the 10-night New Zealand cruise from Sydney have been notified that the ship will require maintenance, which cannot be completed in time for the next sailing.
The propulsion problem came to light when guests on the current voyage reported that the ship halted briefly in the ocean. One passenger shared their experience, noting, “Anthem stopped for an hour in the ocean,” leading to delays in returning to Sydney. Some reports indicated that the issue pertains to the ship’s azipod, a multidirectional propulsion system standard in recent Royal Caribbean vessels.
Anthem of the Seas, which launched in 2015, is a Quantum Class cruise ship capable of accommodating up to 4,905 passengers. The ship is currently delayed, with its return to Sydney pushed to 4 PM on Tuesday, much later than the initially scheduled arrival time of 6:30 AM.
In light of the cancellation, Royal Caribbean has extended an apology to affected guests, expressing regret for the disappointment this news has caused. The cruise line is offering a full refund, including taxes and fees, for the canceled cruise. Additionally, passengers will receive a 25% Future Cruise Credit that can be applied to a future sailing. The cruise line will also reimburse non-refundable travel expenses incurred due to the cancellation, providing assistance for domestic and international flight changes, hotel accommodations, and other incidentals.
While technical issues occasionally arise in the cruise industry, they are not commonplace, especially in the context of how many sailings take place weekly. Despite the challenges, the proactive measures taken by Royal Caribbean to compensate affected guests reflect the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction. As Anthem of the Seas undergoes necessary repairs, passengers can look forward to future opportunities to enjoy cruising with the company.