Royal Caribbean Diverts Bahamas Cruise to Halifax Over Storms

More than 5,000 passengers aboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas found their planned tropical vacation replaced by a trip to chilly Halifax, Nova Scotia, after storm forecasts off the US East Coast prompted an itinerary change. The ship departed New Jersey on October 18 for a seven-day cruise originally scheduled to visit Florida and the Bahamas.

According to reports cited by Fox News, Royal Caribbean announced the revised itinerary on the evening before departure, giving passengers little time to prepare for the unexpected change in destination.

The ship spent approximately 24 hours in Halifax before departing Wednesday evening. According to the published itinerary, it was scheduled to return to New Jersey on Sunday after spending three days at sea.

Temperatures in Halifax remained in the upper 40s to low 50s Fahrenheit during the day, with overnight lows in the 30s, according to weather reports. Passengers expecting warm beaches instead faced autumn conditions in the Canadian port city.

Marie Durning, a New Jersey resident traveling on the cruise, described her reaction to the unexpected destination in an interview with CTV News.

"My husband said to me, 'This is a joke, right?' I have my winter hat and earmuffs, but I forgot my scarf," said Marie Durning, a passenger from New Jersey.

Durning said the itinerary change left her scrambling to repack for the colder weather. The short notice complicated preparations for passengers who had booked a vacation centered on warmer destinations.

Other travelers chose to embrace the change of plans. Jim Matthews, who lives near Paterson, New Jersey, told CTV News that he intended to enjoy the unexpected stop.

"I'm grateful and I'm going to make the best of it. And I have found out that Halifax is a beautiful city," said Jim Matthews, a passenger from New Jersey.

The stop gave passengers an opportunity to explore Halifax, shop in the city and take harbor rides during their approximately 24 hours ashore.

However, the Canadian destination disappointed some passengers who had specifically traveled to New Jersey to join the Bahamas cruise. Nicholas Meli drove seven hours with his family from Toronto to board the ship.

"I am already from Canada, and I wanted to go to the Bahamas," said Nicholas Meli, a passenger from Toronto.

Online discussions also reflected mixed reactions to the diversion. In a Reddit discussion in the r/canada community, commenters expressed sympathy for passengers who had expected a beach vacation while praising Halifax as a destination.

One commenter described Halifax as a favorite Canadian city to visit but said they would be disappointed to arrive there while expecting a Bahamas getaway. Another summarized the contrast between the two destinations.

"Halifax is gorgeous, but it is not the Bahamas," wrote a commenter in the Reddit discussion.

PEOPLE reported that passengers received a 50% travel voucher and refunds for shore excursions following the itinerary change.

Royal Caribbean's website states that weather conditions and other circumstances may require the company to change or substitute ports of call. The cruise line's stated policies do not necessarily require refunds of cruise fares or additional compensation when itineraries change.

Fox News Digital said it had contacted Royal Caribbean for comment about the altered itinerary.